Ovechkin and Crosby's season-long battle for the Calder trophy has set off some polarizing reactions. (Source: Getty Images)

You’d have a better chance at finding someone who doesn’t agree that A.J. Soprano is one of the most aggravating and annoying characters in TV history than you would at finding someone who hasn’t been blown away by Ovechkin this year.

A highlight reel of Ovechkin’s greatest plays from his rookie season put to Aerosmith’s Dream On has become one of the most circulated clips around hockey fans’ inboxes.  Simply put, Ovechkin is a very likeable player who openly displays passion and love for the game making it very hard to root against him.  His goal celebrations are more exuberance than arrogance. His ability and desire to initiate contact is a rare talent from a superstar that’s only previously been displayed by the likes of Peter Forsberg. He’s scored goals and racked up points at an unreal pace despite the absence of an offensively gifted supporting cast in Washington. There’s no question that Ovechkin will win the Calder Trophy as the Rookie of the Year and rightfully so.

Here’s my issue; why must praise be bestowed upon Ovechkin at the expense of Crosby? Crosby has been outstanding in what has turned out to be a tumultuous and disastrous season in Pittsburgh.  Mario Lemieux and Ziggy Pallfy retired midway through the year, Mark Recchi got traded and a slew of prospects were called up to fill in the gaping roster holes. Throughout all the changes Crosby has been a constant – leading the Pens in all major offensive categories and ranking amongst the top-10 point scorers in the league all year long. Yet despite all that people have been outwardly critical of Crosby this year for everything from his appointment as assistant captain to his perceived penchant for endless crying and yapping to officials.

“He doesn't get frustrated if he gets hit, either. He gets up and keeps playing. Not like [Crosby], who starts crying. I think there's a big difference in the attitude.”  - Daniel Alfredsson commenting on his respect for Ovehckin and alternatively, disrespect for facets of Crosby’s game.

It’s funny that Alfredsson of all people is taking an 18-year old rookie to task. This is the same player who at 18 was playing Division 2 hockey in Sweden and got passed over in four draft years before finally being selected by the Ottawa Senators. Alfie didn’t make his NHL debut until he was 23 years old. It’s unfair for Alfredsson to comment on a situation that he was never close to experiencing at 18 years old. In fact, very few NHLers have the capacity to compete in the league at such a young age – Joe Thornton and Vincent Lecavalier’s paramount struggles in their rookie campaigns illustrate how difficult a leap entering the NHL at 18 really is.  Rather than praising Crosby’s breakthrough campaign people are seemingly hell-bent on knocking the Penguins’ star off his pedestal.

Do you remember three years ago when LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony entered the NBA under the same kind of circumstances that Crosby and Ovechkin entered this year with? Both were heavily viewed as saviors for the league and subsequently met and exceeded the lofty expectations that were set but the difference between the NBA and NHL stars was that you didn’t see the same kind of polarizing depiction of the two star rookies that Ovechkin and Crosby have been served with in their first year.

The negative headlines actually came a year later for the basketball stars when people starting questioning why LeBron was unable to lead the Cavs into the playoffs and why seemingly everything was going wrong in ‘Melo’s world. Fast forward to their third seasons and LeBron has led his Cavs into the postseason and Carmelo has become the NBA’s best clutch performer. 

The yo-yo trend of headlines that have already dogged ‘Melo and ‘Bron will unquestionably plague Ovechkin and Crosby as well, which simply builds a strong case for the need of a grace period in criticism of young stars.  A year makes a major difference in a young athletes’ development, both from physical and maturity level standpoint. Does anyone remember the lasting image of Alexander Ovechkin from a year ago?

Standing in a track suit behind the Russian bench throughout the third period, Ovechkin looked like he was doing his best Roberto “No Mas” Duran impression. The scene was the Gold Medal game of the 2005 World Junior Championships. Canada and Russia were set to face off for the gold and Crosby and Ovechkin were set to steal the headlines and temporary bragging rights from each other.  The Gold Medal game was supposed to be Ovechkin’s big coming out party against fellow NHL saviour Sidney Crosby but the matchup never materialized because Team Canada devised a physical game plan against Ovechkin with a barrage of hits. The biggest punctuation mark delivered by Crosby himself when his hit on Ovechkin eventually forced the Russian star to leave the game.

That was a little over a year ago.

Can you picture Alexander the GR8 leaving any game now because the play is too physical for his liking?

Nineteen year old Ovechkin is nowhere near the player that 20-year old Ovechkin is today. But if you remember, after that WJC people were questioning his maturity, toughness and willingness to compete. If you were to question these qualities about Ovechkin today you would look more foolish than one of those people who take their interview with Ali G too seriously.   

That’s why I find it so difficult and moronic to engage in any Crosby bashing.  Be patient. Give him time to mature. Look past the bad for now and appreciate the good. If Ovechkin grew out of his flaws I’d wager money that Crosby can make a similar turnaround.