Kevin Dupont

Not that Alexander Ovechkin was exactly off of anyone's radar, but with Penguins star Sidney Crosby likely sidelined through February, the NHL looks like A.O.'s one-man show in the second half. And he is one great act.

I know, you're shocked. Sometimes we all miss the, uh, subtleties. You know, like living around the corner from Mount Rushmore, and driving by all those Big Noses every morning, not paying much attention those grumpy old men, until one morning you look up between bites of a bagel and say, ''Yo, will you look at that! It's Abe Lincoln!''

A second later, when you realize the drive-thru bagel joint forgot the jell, the ... moment ... is (expletive deleted) gone.

Ovechkin, the Washington wallflower, hasn't been one much for attention, has he? Only a league-leading 39 goals up to this season's All-Star break. Only 137 career goals in his first 213 games. He scores on sheer strength and will, and he cashes in opportunities, almost all of them, and that last trait alone makes him a unique commodity in today's game, becuase overskilled/over-equipped goalies all too often turn scoring opportunities into routine blocks 'n' stops.

A.O. walks the walk and he talks the talk, albeit it often in Russian-accented and slightly-fragmented English. Doesn't matter. With all due respect to the highly-skilled Crosby, now recovering from one of those oft-maddening high-ankle sprains, Ovechkin is the NHL's most dynamic player, as powerful and intimidating with his skating stride as he is with his shot.

Had it not been for the recent loss of sublime setup man Michael Nylander, the Caps pivot who is out for the season after shoulder surgery, we might be free to pencil Ovechkin in for a sure 65 goals and perhaps 125 points this season. He will still get his goals and points (witness: his 7-game point streak, 7-6--13, prior to the All-Star break), but without Nylander there to feed him, the sledding undoubtedly will be a little tougher.

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All that said, I'm figuring Ovechkin for 55-60 goals, and something in the 100-105 point range. Even better for the Caps, who were dead last in the standings when they fired coach Glen Hanlon on Thanksgiving Day, Ovechkin is putting up the kind of numbers that could lift them into the playoffs. They were one point over Hockey .500 (points in standings equal to games played) at the break, and with A.O. now poised to be The Show here in the second half, I think they'll make it.

Too bad for the NHL that none of their best and brightest is in a high-profile market this season. Consider:

Daniel Alfredsson: The points leader (67) at the All-Star break, ''Alfie'' plays in a very strong cast in Ottawa. But it's Ottawa, which most Americans couldn't find with an RCMP guide. In fact, most Americans couldn't find the RCMP guide.

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Vincent Lecavalier: Big Vinny might be this season's Hart (MVP) winner, and he was only one point behind Alfredsson for the points lead at the break. But Lecavalier plays in Tampa, still somewhat of a remote NHL outpost, and to make matters worse, the Bolts could finish the season ranked last in the Original 30 this year. That ranking won't help Lecavalier win the MVP, and it doesn't help the NHL's profile to have him in Florida.

Ilya Kovalchuk: The star Russian is capable of getting on a tear, even on a weak Atlanta roster, that would bring him 50-55 goals. But it's Atlanta, yet another non-traditional hockey market. Imagine what it would be like in Chicago if Kovalchuk were firing in those goals for the Hawks.

Jarome Iginla: Right now, he's my pick for MVP. Go home tonight, Google up a map of North America, and ask five people to point even in the general direction of Calgary. It happens to be a great city, by the way, and if the Flames win the Cup, it sure will be a great day for Newfoundland and the rest of the Northwest Territories. Eh, you hoser?

Joe Thornton: Jumbo Joe went into the break as the league's No. 1 set-up guy witih 45 assists. He could lead the league again in scoring, just dishing out his serves from the behind the net (especially if Jonathan Cheechoo ever gets it going for the Sharks). But Thornton simply doesn't put the puck in the net himself enough to grab the headlines, or video clips, like Ovechkin or even Kovalchuk. In the month leading up to the break, Thornton went 14 straight games without a goal. Ovechkin begins to break out in hives, the size of hockey pucks, when he goes 14 minutes without a goal.

No, it's all A.O. all the time here at least through February. He's got the dough (a recent 13-year contract that will pay $124 million), and now he's got the show.

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