Battle of the Superstars: Crosby vs. Ovechkin
With the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins set to face off in the second of the NHL Playoffs, there’s no more perfect time than now to post this wonderful infographic. No matter what level of NHL knowledge you own, it’s not difficult to align with the belief that Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby are two of the sport’s finest superstars. Their statistics speak for themselves, while their personalities speak volumes for their status as role models. Both players aren’t just world-class on the ice; they also exhibit it away from the rink. But if we’re talking about Crosby vs. Ovechkin, who comes out on top?
This infographic from our friends at Tucker Hockey places Crosby and Ovechkin side-by-side to compare the careers of these two hockey icons. You may choose to argue the merits of either player based on their goal-scoring records, game-winning interventions (Ovechkin wins on these criteria), shooting percentages or individual honors (Crosby comes out on top here).
What isn’t up for dispute is that both of these sportsmen carry themselves with enormous dignity and humility to accompany their extraordinary playing statistics. For example, Crosby donated the proceeds from his Olympic gold medal to his self-titled children’s foundation, while Ovechkin fulfilled the wish of a 16 year-old lymphoma-sufferer whose lifelong dream was to meet the Russian superstar, spending two full days with the teenager.
These are professional athletes who not only are ridiculously talented, but have also worked incredibly hard to get to their elite level and, crucially, continue to play the game as if they have everything to prove. Crosby and Ovechkin are the antithesis of the arrogant, self-serving big name stereotypes about professional athletes.
They are a coach’s dream and any young hockey player would be well-advised to try and emulate these two heroes of the game. For a like-by-like comparison of the two players, check out the infographic below. In the battle of Crosby vs. Ovechkin, everybody wins.
Thanks again, Tucker Hockey!
