Emily Kaplan: All signs pointed to Alex Ovechkin experiencing a decline. His ice time was shaved to a career-low average of 18:22 last season, which led to one of his lowest career totals for shots (313). He was demoted to the third line by the playoffs (while battling injuries), and management had hinted the 32-year-old needed to change with the times. (As GM Brian MacLellan said in May: Ovechkin is "going to need to think of ways he can evolve into a player that still has a major impact on the game.") So consider me surprised when Ovechkin shows up this season, with disregard to all of that, looking like it's 2015 all over again, leading the league in goal-scoring with eight in four games.
Sidney Crosby is looking good in battle with Alex Ovechkin
