“I can’t be fat,” said Alex Ovechkin on Tuesday in response to accusations that he’s out of shape with only a week left before training camp begins. Ovechkin claims he’s on a new workout regimen that he’s unwilling to share because it’s his secret and nobody else’s. That’s fine for him, but the fact that he’s expected to be a leader to his Washington Capitals teammates means that there shouldn’t even be a question about his physical health.

Ovechkin also said that he’s going to be a better leader this season. That might help, considering since he’s arrived in the NHL his Capitals have won exactly two playoff series, which is awful considering they’ve finished first in the Southeast Division four years in a row. He’s a two-time MVP in the NHL, but he hasn’t been able to transfer his success to his teammates and make them better, which is often a quality found in team leaders.

Ovechkin is one of the most explosive players in the NHL. He’s a goal-scorer that electrifies the crowd any time he touches the puck. The fact that he’s not afraid to throw his body around makes him that much more of a threat. He’s arrived to training camp early, which suggests that perhaps we are going to see a new Ovechkin this season – maybe one who can step up and carry his team and its fans on his shoulders.

It’s time for Ovechkin to grow up. His fun-loving attitude works well during the All-Star Game, but there’s no excuse for one of the league’s top teams to fail so miserably when it counts. If the rest of the Capitals like Mike Green, Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin are going to challenge for a Stanley Cup, they’ll need to fall in behind their captain and let Ovechkin lead them to greatness.