Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin, Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar and St. Louis Blues forward T.J. Oshie appear on covers of Sports Illustrated this week in conjunction with baseball standouts from the same regions as the magazine notes the beginning of the 2014-15 NHL season with the start of the 2014 postseason in Major League Baseball.
With the headline "IT'S ON" across the cover, Ovechkin pairs with Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones, Kopitar teams with Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, and Oshie is alongside St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright.
The covers featuring Ovechkin and Oshie hype the magazine's NHL preview with the subhead: "Why the Blackhawks Will Win It All." Masking that proclamation in the L.A. market, the cover featuring Kopitar has a subhead that's a bit more open-ended, posing the question: "L.A. or Chicago: Who Will Win It All?"