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Hartnett: Hey Rangers, Meet The New And Improved Alex Ovechkin

By Sean Hartnett
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Standing between the Rangers and a trip to the Eastern Conference finals is reborn Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin.

At the start of the season, the question on everyone's mind was whether the offense-first superstar and newly-installed, defensive-minded head coach Barry Trotz could coexist.

Trotz's plan was to make the supremely talented Ovechkin even more dangerous by getting him to buy into playing a 200-foot game. He knew that Ovechkin wasn't the finished product. There was a whole side to Ovechkin's game that was untapped.

Over the years, Ovechkin heard many criticisms – that he was too much of an individualist on the ice, that he didn't skate enough, that he'd switch off and stand still in the defensive zone, that he was a force on the power play but needed to focus on improving his five-on-five production.

Ovechkin needed a coach brave enough to challenge him. Trotz successfully molded Ovechkin in his first season in Washington without taking away any of his offense. Ovechkin is now playing energetic hockey in all areas of the ice.

"The Great Eight" finished the 2014-15 regular season as a point-per-game player, notching 81 in 81 games. With a league-high 53 goals, Ovechkin captured the "Rocket" Richard Trophy for a third consecutive season. He jumped to plus-10 after having finished last season as a minus-35.

When the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs got underway, Ovechkin fell into old habits. He went into default mode, trying too hard to carry the Caps on his back. As their series against the Islanders went on, Trotz recognized Ovechkin shifting his focus to team-first concepts.

"I saw growth in Alex," Trotz said. "I think one of the things as Alex went through the series, there was times when I thought Alex was trying to do things himself. As the series went on, you could see that his team game was coming.

Trotz said the new Ovechkin was on display during the Caps' 2-1 win over the Isles in Game 7 on Monday.

"I think Alex has always put it on his shoulders. He has to score, and 'if I don't score I'm not doing my job.' I think he started to see the value of – 'I do my job and if don't score, I can still contribute by wearing (Johnny) Boychuk or (Nick) Leddy out.' Or the play he made on the (Joel) Ward goal, getting it to (Brooks) Orpik. There's other ways to contribute.

"I think Alex has recognized we have a team. We're not just Alex Ovechkin or Nick Backstrom. We're a team. I think that's refreshing for him, so he can just play his game. That's hopefully a step in his growth as one of the leaders of our team."

Ovechkin has always packed a cannon shot and a lethal one-timer. He's always had an explosive stride, rapid acceleration and a collection of one-on-one moves that can split defenses and make the best of goalies look foolish. Ovechkin is now making full use of his hard-hitting game in the defensive zone. He's backchecking and supporting teammates. You see him moving his legs in all areas of the ice. No longer is he stationary in the defensive zone.

He's not just the most dominant offensive player in the game – he's become the most dominant skater in the entire NHL.

After defeating the Isles in the first round, Ovechkin will be matched up against a familiar foe in the Rangers. Since 2009, the Capitals and Rangers have met five times in the playoffs.

In recent playoff meetings, Ovechkin found himself being neutralized by the likes of Dan Girardi, Marc Staal, Ryan McDonagh and others. The Rangers boast the strongest blue line depth in the NHL and have shutdown defenseman Kevin Klein ready for Game 1.

Klein said that he was "100 percent" ready to play Game 1 following Monday's practice in Greenburgh. The 30-year-old defenseman has been missing from the lineup since Ovechkin's shot broke Klein's left arm on March 11 in Washington. Now, Klein will be counted on by the Rangers to try to keep Ovechkin quiet.

While not yet official, Game 1 will in all likelihood take place Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault and his staff will have between now and Thursday to prepare players on how to defend against Ovechkin and the Caps.

Ovechkin is out to prove that he's grown into a complete, 200-foot player. Madison Square Garden would be quite a stage to attempt to announce this to the hockey world.

Follow Sean on Twitter at @HartnettHockey

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