Former Capitals goalie and current associate goaltending coach Olie Kolzig has become the latest person to call out Alex Ovechkin’s work ethic.

Kolzig worked with Tomas Vokoun and Michal Neuvirth (on stopping shots from center ice) and took a couple jabs at the Capitals captain.

“For Alex, it’s a work ethic,” Kolzig tells Katie Carrera at the Washington Post. “He just has to get back to being the way he was in his younger days and maybe not get wrapped up too much in the rock star status that comes with being Alex Ovechkin.”

Kolzig says that Ovechkin isn’t feeling the love that he did in his early days in the NHL.  “Alex was getting away from playing the hard, no-nonsense, honest type of hockey, exuberant hockey that he displayed the first three years that he was in the league,” he says.  “I think that’s what endeared him to everybody. Then all of a sudden he was the same Alex, he was celebrating certain ways and what endeared him to everybody now made him look like a villain.”

Venom-Alex Ovechkin?

Part of what’s made Ovi so popular in Washington and around the league is that rock star personality.  His ridiculous rap videos, matte black Mercedes SL65 AMG and random tweets with Michelle Obama makes him the lovable celebrity in this area.

The work ethic rumors always seem to come up with Ovechkin and they should scare Capitals fans.  I know personally, I would hate for laziness to be the reason for his declining numbers in recent seasons.  That would inexcusable.

Zach Wilt is the Founding Editor of BaltimoreSportsReport.com.  You can follow him on Twitter @zamwi or send him an email: zach@baltimoresportsreport.com.