Playing in the Rangers division (Atlantic) I watch Ovie play a lot and while he can still score goals, he is no longer the 'thoroughbred' who can go coast to coast on any given shift and score highlight reel goals. He's pretty much a guy who posts up in the slot and hammers one-timers and slappers - mostly on power plays - to get his goals. Defensively, I cannot believe how lazy this guy has become. Numerous times this year he was caught on iso dogging it back up the ice and the guy he was supposed to be checking scores.
Plus-minus numbers can be misleading, but minus-35 is dreadful by anyone's standards. Consider that he was a plus 45 back in 2009-10. This guy has simply become a one-trick pony who is no longer willing to pay the price to push his team to a playoff spot. Yep, he will still get you some goals, but at what cost? The guy has basically become a liability 5 on 5, and yes, he'll keep right on doing that in Washington as long as Ted Leonsis owns the team. Oates and McPhee lost their jobs and the next coach and GM will be set up for failure as long as Ovie is the 'leader' of this forever underachieving Capitals team.