ovechkin has been insanely cocky since the moment i saw him, at the world juniors the russians were parading around and trying to humiliate the americans amid a drubbing and he was easily the egregious offender. and what happened? they got their asses handed to them by canada in the gold medal game.

yes, he has run into guys who have played inspired, timonen, gorges, gill, et al, but that is what happens EVERY YEAR in the playoffs.

he is always in sixth gear during the regular season but somehow the playoffs start and he becomes kovalchuk, a guy who is every bit as talented but doesn't have the motivation or motor that someone like crosby does or even malkin did last year.