Report: What do Ovechkin’s teammates really think about his leadership?

After yet another disappointing playoff performance from the Washington Capitals and their superstar captain Alex Ovechkin, questions about in DC about the latter’s leadership qualities. Is Ovechkin a good leader? That’s was the question posed to many of Ovechkin’s teammates by CSN Mid-Atlantic reporter J.J. Regan in his latest article.

“I think he's a great leader,” Karl Alzner said. “I think he's a heck of a guy, great player. I think everybody who's been here for a while has seen him change over the years. He wants to win really, really badly and I think he's probably like the rest of us, a little frustrated trying to figure out what the problem is. He's with us all, but yeah he's been a really, really important piece of this puzzle and great guy to learn from.”

But, what about his linemates? The ones who apparently suffer because of Ovechkin’s perceived selfish play? “There's all different types of leaders,” said linemate T.J. Oshie. “I think when you see O go out there and he's hitting guys and shooting pucks and playing hard, I think that's when he leads by example.”

Playoff linemate Lars Eller echoed those statements saying, “You get to see a little bit some sides that you don't see compared to when you play against him. It was positive. He always has a positive mindset, comes with a smile to practice, to every game. He wants to win as badly as anybody. There's only good things to say about him.”

So there you have it. Are the detractors out of their mind? Is Ovechkin a good leader? His teammates seem to think so, so maybe the problem in Washington doesn’t begin and end with Ovechkin alone?