You see it every night.”So that leaves us with what Trotz said on Thursday. The comparison to Mark Messier sounded like such a stretch (or a little dig at Rangers fans) because Messier was the consummate leader. Guy had a ring in Edmonton at the age of 23, and his sixth at the age of 33. The final one was on Broadway in 1994, when Messier’s NHL game looked absolutely nothing like the NHL game that Ovechkin played on Thursday.So No. 8 is now almost 30, and his skill is just as electric as it has been for the past decade. All of what Trotz said was interesting, and insightful, but left the same nagging question: Will Alex Ovechkin ever win a Stanley Cup?He can’t do it by himself, surely. Messier had some help, namely Gretzky. And sometimes, great NHL players, great leaders, don’t always win championships. Just ask Dan Marino.But maybe Trotz is the guy to actually get Ovechkin to buy in. Maybe Ovechkin is mature enough now to more fully understand how to win. Maybe, if he can keep playing like he did on Thursday night, he can will his team past the Presidents' Trophy-winning Rangers, and on to one more individual award — the Conn Smythe Trophy as postseason MVP — and the one big trophy that matters the most.“I think he’s in a real good time in his career,” Trotz said, “and I’m probably going to benefit from it, I think.”Maybe. Or maybe not.Stralman brings the ThunderStralman celebrates his empty-net goal with Victor Hedman (right).Photo: Getty ImagesFormer Rangers defenseman Anton Stralman has been terrific for the Lightning all season since signing a five-year, $22.5 million free-agent deal. But he might not have been better than he was in NHL game 7 against the Red Wings on Wednesday night, capping off his stout performance with an empty-net goal in a 2-0 win to advance. Their series with the Canadiens, Buy HUT Coins starting Friday night in Montreal, should be a doozy. Recently saw a fellow hockey writer had put Stralman second on his ballot for the Norris Trophy. Way to think outside the box. Made me rethink my ballot: 1) Drew Doughty, Kings; 2) Erik Karlsson, Senators; 3) Shea Weber, Predators; 4) P.K. Subban, Canadiens; 5) Dustin Byfuglien, Jets.Stay tuned to see if and when the Mike Babcock sweepstakes begin. After his Red Wings lost in NHL game 7 of the first round against the Lightning, Babcock would not discuss his future, but was pretty blunt about the future of the organization.