Alexei Kovalev has had a season almost beyond compare in his lengthy NHL career. Not surprisingly, it came in a contract year, his previous best seasons coming in the cashout position for his contracts. Based on last year, Kovalev went undrafted in our roto league last fall.
Obviously he got picked up when it became apparent that the mercurial Russian would be applying himself this year. As a Montreal Canadiens fan, all I had to say was merci beaucoup! With largely the same components as last year's non-playoff team, the Habs vaulted from nowhere to the conference regular season championship. A large percentage of that improvement was directly attributable to Kovalev, who played at a high level AND shepherded Motnreal's young Russian contingent through the learning curve he went through last century.
Naturally, when captain Saku Koivu went down with a foot injury the weekend before the playoffs, it was Kovalev that the club hung the 'C' on until Koivu could make it back into the line-up. Certainly wasn't a bad choice by my estimation.
Saturday night, Kovalev brought the choice into question all by his selfish lonesome. Killing a penalty in a one-goal game against the gritty Boston Bruins, Kovalev failed to convert on a breakaway, finding himself coming in off the wrong wing for his patented shootout scoring routine. His backhand slipped off into a corner. He got landed on by a Bruin defender and then commited almost the ultimate in selfish acts. He was P.O.'d and got up off the ice and slashed the Bruin player in the derriere.
Toot!!! The referee put Kovalev into the penalty box and Montreal into a two-man disadvantage.
With Montreal down the two men, the Bruins converted to tie the game. A game Montreal controlled throughout now ended up going into overtime. Momentum, fickle at the best of times, had just been handed to the vastly-underdog Bruins. All because Kovalev couldn't resist the little boys' impulse to strike out at those that frustrate us. He put his juvenility ahead of the team's needs and goals. This is the action of a captain?
Most certainly not!
But in all morality plays, the fallen hero must get one more chance at redemption. And so, it was Kovalev who scored the winning goal very early in overtime. He was the hero, after all.
Does that make him a worthy captain? It's a question without an answer.
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