x
Breaking News
More () »

Is Alex Ovechkin the greatest DC athlete of all time?

D.C. has produced some pretty good talent through the years, and those players have brought the District championships just like Ovi has. But when we look at the stats and awards that have been given, there's just no doubt that Ovechkin is the leader in D.C.
Credit: Bruce Bennett
LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 07: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals carries the Stanley Cup in celebration after his team defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (WUSA9) -- Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin has been a D.C. sports staple for more than a decade, raking in wins, goals and trophies.

Ovi had won all there was to win, except the biggest prize in his sport: The Stanley Cup.

Now that Ovechkin has finally lifted the last trophy that wasn't in his case, it puts him in unique company in the history of his sport, the league and this city.

D.C. has produced some pretty good talent through the years, and those players have brought the District championships just like Ovi has.

But when we look at the stats and awards that have been given, is there a doubt that Ovechkin is the leader in D.C.?

Here are a few long-term DC athletes who stack up with The Great 8.

Take Washington Redskins great, Darrell Green.

Credit: Al Messerschmidt, 2008 Getty Images
CANTON, OH - AUGUST 2: Darrell Green of the Washington Redskins(Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

He was drafted 28th overall in the 1983 NFL draft to the Washington Redskins.

From the very start, Green proved himself to be a dynamic player who during a preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons, returned a punt for a 61-yard touchdown.

That was the moment fans knew he was going to be a player to keep their eyes on.

It would be five years later in 1988 when Green would help lead his team to a Super Bowl win against the Denver Broncos.

Not only did he help the Redskins win one championship, but a second one just four years later in 1992.

Green stayed with the Redskins for his entire NFL career of 19 years.

During that time, not only did he bring the District two Super Bowl wins, but he was a 3-time NFC Champion, 7-time Pro Bowler, Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, and inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

But with all of those honors, he still comes up short to Alex Ovechkin.

Even though he helped the Redskins win two championships, he was never once named the Super Bowl MVP.

Not only that, but out of his 19-year career, he was only named a member of the Pro Bowl seven times, compared to Ovi being named to the NHL All-Star Team 10 times in 14 years.

Green is still and always will be one of Washington's top athletes, just not better than Ovechkin.

So who else could be have a chance against the 2018 Stanley Cup MVP?

Washington had an NBA team that brought home the District's only NBA Championship: the 1978 Washington Bullets.

The Bullets became a team in 1974 and four years later the were holding up the team's first and what would be only National Championship Trophy.

The man that led them to that victory was none other than Bullets center Wes Unseld.

Unseld was drafted in 1968 NBA Draft by the by the Baltimore Bullets who would eventually become the Washington Bullets.

Averaging 18.2 rebounds per game his first year, Unseld became the second player ever to win the Rookie of the Year Award and the Most Valuable Player Award in the same year.

Wilt Chamberlain was the first.

He was also named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

It would be 10 years later (just four years less than Ovi) when Unseld would lead the Bullets to the NBA Finals against the Seattle Supersonics.

He was also named Finals MVP.

Unseld would end his career the following that season and his #41 jersey was retired by the Bullets not too long after.

Unseld had a remarkable NBA career making the NBA All-Star Team 5x, receiving the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award and being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

But Ovechkin edges him out, having been named to the NHL All-Star Team 10 times.

You may be saying that is very small when compared to all of the awards Unseld has received, and you would be right.

A look back at Ovechkin's career

Alex Ovechkin was selected 1st overall in the 2004 NHL Draft.

In the 2007-2008 season he received the Art Ross Trophy, Maurice Richard Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award, and the Hart Memorial Trophy.

After receiving the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's MVP, Ovechkin was also given a key to the city by D.C. mayor Adrian M. Fenty, for being the first Washington MVP winner in a large-scale sport since Washington Redskins player Joe Theismann in 1983.

He was named to the NHL All-Star Team 10x, and is the latest Stanley Cup Final MVP!

When it comes down to the individual player awards, Ovechkin is a clear winner.

The other top D.C. athletes were all great but they didn't stand out the way Ovi did.

Now that Ovechkin finally helped the Caps win a Stanley Cup Trophy, the sky is the limit on the impact he can have in D.C. sports history.

Before You Leave, Check This Out