Sunday, the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) and CBC Sports released their annual Players Poll, which asks those inside the NHL for their opinion on a variety of topics. The full poll and results can be seen here, but those from Washington are surely most interested in how the Capitals and their players ranked in certain categories. Find out who and where below the jump.
First, a look at Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin ranked fifth in the "Who Is The Toughest Forward To Play Against?" category, earning three percent of the vote. Yet, it was where Ovechkin didn't rank that is more telling.
Ovechkin did not place in the top six in the "Who Is The Most Difficult Player To Play Against?" category after coming in fourth last season. Also, according to NHL goalies, Ovechkin is no longer one of the top six players most difficult to stop; last season, he was first with 27 percent of the vote. Meanwhile, Ovechkin's teammate, Alexander Semin, came in fourth in that category with 12 percent of the vote.
As a team, the Caps, who earned the dubious distinction as the "Most Overrated Team" last season with 35 percent, came in third in the same category at just 15 percent. While that may seem good, it, along with Ovechkin's slide, is more proof that Washington's struggles this season have torn away at their intimidation factor.
As Puck Daddy's Greg Wyshynski said, "the mighty have fallen."