Ovechkin Is Out - And So Is The Dream Of A Full-Star Russia-USA Game

The idea of a Russia-USA exhibition sounded fun until the fine print showed up and killed the buzz. Alex Ovechkin is not taking part, and the same goes for any active NHL or KHL players, which tells you everything about how real this thing actually is. That turns the whole project from a marquee showdown into more of a concept than a true showcase, and nobody in this league mistakes a concept for a game.