Ovechkin struggling on the rink but rapping off it!

NHL picks star Alexander Ovechkin has endured a pretty difficult season so far, despite finding himself selected for his fifth All Star game, and there are now signs that he might just be starting to think seriously about the state of his career in hockey, with the player posting online images of him rapping in Russian!

Although it is of course up to individual players to determine their own fates in whatever sport they choose to compete in, surely the likes of Alexander Ovechkin have a responsibility to the game of hockey to maintain a clear and intense focus on their own performances if they wish to stand a chance of pushing hockey back into the limelight for all the right reasons, especially after a year in which the sport has been blighted somewhat by big hits, concussed superstars, and more cash problems than it would care to admit.

With hockey, much like the rest of North American sport, being built on the basis that every franchise is looking to support every other one, rather than strive to achieve individual glory for itself at the sake of others, the same must also be true of players who know that they are part of a united front that hockey tries to present to the world.

If the future of hockey and the NHL is going to be bright and spread beyond these shores. Harnessing the ability of supporters from across the world to tune in and watch hockey online, the likes of Ovechkin will need to ensure that they maintain their focus and start getting back to the top of their game rather than looking to seriously pursue their off rink exploits, leaving the sport looking amateur in the extreme.