AO vs. Sid

Perhaps the results would have been closer had not an injury been involved, but regular visitors to Hound Central 3.0 said Washington's Alexander Ovechkin is a better player than Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby by more than a 2-to-1 margin in the most recent poll.

In a sense, it's easy to see why. Ovechkin, barring he doesn't get hurt, will be the first player to reach 50 goals this season and, in all likelihood, will lead the league in scoring. Crosby, meanwhile, has spent the past month or so recuperating from a high ankle sprain.

To me, Ovechkin brings excitement and passion to the game. He loves to play. He loves to shoot. And he's willing to dish out, and absorb, some punishment. Crosby, however, is the type of player you build championships around, surrounding him with talented players who only complement his skills. Unlike Ovechkin, he's not the only star on the squad.

Though the intent of the poll was to compare apples to apples, it became more of comparing a Granny Smith apple with a stalk of organic rhubarb. Simply put, there is no comparison today. Down the road, though, we'll have to see what happens.

My concern is that Ovechkin's style of play will ultimately limit the time he's in the league. Should Crosby fully recover from what is often a nagging injury, I believe time will show that the short-term view of Ovechkin, though completely warranted, will give way to Crosby's longevity.

Here are the results:

Question: Who's better?

Alexander Ovechkin: 28 out of 40 votes cast (70 percent)
Sidney Crosby: 12 out of 40 (30 percent)