First off, a quick thanks to Dan Russell for having me on Sportstalk last night. Dan is one of those interviewers that makes the time fly by. It is such a treat to be interviewed by a pro of his caliber. So for the first time in my almost 4 years of being a dad, I volunteered to take the 5am shift. I simply can't get enough Olympic hockey in HD on Universal HD.

Finally, a major hockey tournament being played at a time for people with kids! I really have to first say that Bill Clement and Ray Ferraro (my arch nemesis) are doing an amazing job driving the bus through all these games. Bill is just so pro and smooth, and Ray is doing the best work of his career. Ray, despite our bitter feud, has always been very good, but his level has been raised with all this exposure and air time. I am very happy for him, despite his bitter and never-ending hatred of everything Eklund.

OK, so I am currently watching Russia and Kazakhstan on the big TV, and Oobi on the small one...(I really dig Uma and her "devil may care" lifestyle. I do question what horrible accident befell Oobi and Uma's parents that has left them to be raised by a single Grandpu?...my guess was something was probably stubbed) Oh and quickly, I highly recommend the two TV system. Originally set up so we could watch the presidential debates, I set up a small 12" TV (with wireless headphones and a Tivo full of Dora's, Jay Jay's, Blues Clues, etc) next to the big 52" TV. A great system...the ultimate picture in picture...well worth the extra cable box. So I am watching this game.

A really good game. First off, Malkin is ridiculously good. Pittsburgh fans should organize a way to raise the money for the stadium themselves. Become the Green Bay of Hockey. Crosby and Malkin will be the Gretzky and Messier of this generation. Malkin reminds me of Lindros in his first Olympics. I was (and still am) a big Lindros fan. When Eric was at his best he was one of those guys that you just waited to watch every next shift. Malkin threw a hit in the first period at about 6:30 am that was the best hit I have seen this year. The kind of hit where he leveled a guy open ice and casually skated away like nothing had happened. It drew a highly questionable penalty, but as was said by the announcers "you'll take that penalty all the time." Malkin also has very quick feet, a great passing touch, super speed, and can ride waves of emotion (another Lindros trait). He also shares that with AO (Ovechkin). And let's talk AO for a second. I am going to go out on limb here and say that Ovechkin is "the Michael Jordon of Hockey."

OK, he may not be Gretzky and in time Crosby may score more points, but AO does things with the puck and scores the kinds of goals that will transform the sport like Jordon did with basketball. Generations of players will emulate him. He will bring creativity to the forefront of youth hockey. Fellow blogger Dan Wallace is a youth hockey coach and he told me the new emphasis that is being taught to the kids in USA Hockey is creativity. The NHL should use AO's goals as television commercials. His enthusiasm will make people want to play hockey in the streets of America. He will change the fate of game as much as Gretzky did. He may not score as many points, but the way he scores those points will raise the NHL's popularity to levels we have never seen.

The NHL only needs to give AO training to become the spokesman that he obviously wants to become. They should hire publicists to teach him to be endearing in interviews. Put him on the talk show circuit and show "clips" of his goals. Obviously he needs some seasoning. My friends who are around him the most, say he is a great kid but is still fighting the language barrier. That barrier is masking what is a very fun personality (the one we see on the ice). In time that wall will fall. The NHL should pay to move up that learning curve. His enthusiasm is something that is fading away in sports. When he scores a goal he becomes a kid again. That energy is infectious and other players, Americans and Canadians, could learn from that. Remember that you are getting paid great sums to play a game. I'd jump around a bit, wouldn't you? Will this all happen for AO and the NHL? Time will tell, but if I were a betting man (which Operation Slapshot will prove I am NOT) I'd put it all on "8."