While Russia’s involvement with the White House has littered the news with headlines since Donald Trump’s election, one Russian in Washington has struggled for an invite.

Alexander Ovechkin solidified his standing among hockey’s greatest goal-scorers during his 13-year term in Washington. He’s been an NHL All-Star 11 times, a Hart Trophy winner three times, and a Maurice Richard Trophy winner seven times. 

Despite leading the Capitals to eight first-place division finishes since entering the NHL, the Stanley Cup has eluded Ovechkin. His inability to lead the Capitals past the second round of the playoffs has loomed over his legacy like a kompromat.

Washington came close to eclipsing the second round several times during Ovechkin’s tenure. In the Capitals’ six trips to the second round with Ovechkin, four ended in a seven-game series. Even with the lack of success, Ovechkin hasn’t performed poorly in the postseason. In 97 postseason games, he has 90 points (including 46 goals).  Ovechkin’s Capitals were primarily vanquished by familiar foes, losing three series to both the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Sidney Crosby entered the NHL in the same season as Ovechkin—two first overall picks with high expectations. But every time Crosby’s Penguins met Ovechkin’s Capitals in the postseason, Pittsburgh won the series and won the Stanley Cup.

Several times it felt like Ovechkin’s turn to win, and several times the Capitals failed to advance.

Ovechkin entered the league in 2005, the same season that Chris Paul entered the NBA. Since being drafted fourth overall by New Orleans, Paul’s career has followed a similar trajectory to Ovechkin’s. While Paul bounced from team to team more often than his Washington counterpart, both players developed into all-time greats without conquering the second round of the playoffs.

Paul quickly emerged as one of basketball’s best point guards and received Rookie of the Year in his first season with the Hornets. Since then, he’s been an All-Star nine times, led the league in assists four times and earned All-NBA honours eight times.

Paul also led his past teams to regular season success. With New Orleans, he powered the squad to the playoffs in three of his six seasons, including a 56-win year in 2007-08.

After his trade to Los Angeles in 2011, Paul turned basketball’s most embarrassing franchise into a formidable contender. Alongside Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and JJ Redick, the Clippers made Lob City one of the most entertaining acts in the game.

Despite the regular season success, Paul could never conquer the eternally-tough Western Conference. Unlike Ovechkin’s Capitals, Paul’s teams always seemed to be a step behind the best of the West.

Early in his career, the Lakers were the class of the conference.  Later on, it was the Thunder and Warriors—all while the Spurs stayed near the top. But for a fortnight in 2015, the Clippers seemed to be the best team in basketball.

In a historically entertaining first round match-up between a pair of 55+ win teams, the Clippers knocked off the defending champion Spurs in seven games. In the following series, Los Angeles looked poised to finish off the talented Rockets and advance to the conference finals.

In Game 6, Chris Paul was ready to end his future team’s season after holding a 3-1 lead in the series. Up over 20 points in the second half at home, the Clippers were ready to stop being the butt of the joke and so was Chris Paul.

However, things did not end well for the Clippers. They blew the lead against the Rockets and lost the series. Paul’s final two seasons in Los Angeles were marred by injuries and disappointment. Steph Curry usurped Paul’s shot at the Western conference throne and the Golden State Warriors started to build a dynasty.

Entering the 2018 postseason, both Paul and Ovechkin find themselves facing familiar situations.  Washington won the Metropolitan Division once again and their path to a Stanley Cup will likely have to go through Pittsburgh.

Ovechkin and the Capitals still have to fight off the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round, and their past playoff failures have proven that’s possible.

However, those past failures have also lowered expectations for Washington and (maybe) that could prove to be the difference.

Meanwhile, Chris Paul left Los Angeles for Houston in a trade this past summer. Now for the first time, he isn’t the centrepiece of his team.

While the James Harden/Chris Paul partnership was initially met with doubt, the duo found a way to prove critics wrong. With the first seed in the West locked up, the Rockets look like the best candidate to upset the Golden State Warriors.

But the Western Conference is just as stacked as it’s always been throughout Chris Paul’s career. The Minnesota Timberwolves aren’t an easy first round match-up and looming on the horizon is another meeting with Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Despite the competition, Paul’s chances of vanquishing his second round demons have never seemed more likely. He’s just hoping James Harden can pick up the tab on the next round.