200 games left for Ovechkin to score 108 goals if he wants to do it faster than Gretzky, can he do it?

[Mulletman]

So Ovechkin has played 1287 career regular season games while Gretzky played 1487. That leaves Ovechkin another 200 regular season games to score the 108 goals he needs to break Gretzky's record, if he wants to break the record in the same amount of games Gretzky played.

In his last 200 regular season games, Ovechkin has scored 128 goals, which would give him a total of 915 goals by the time he's played as many goals as Gretzky. This includes a career worst season in 20-21 when Ovechkin scored only 24 goals. So it's looking pretty good, but what do you guys think?

Click to read more...

 

[BringTheReign]

He'd need to average 0.54 goals/game to get exactly 108 in 200 games. His career average is 0.61 goals/game, and his last three full seasons went: 0.71, 0.53, and 0.65. He's also only had three seasons in his entire career where he averaged less than 0.54 goals/game ('10-'11, '11-'12, and '16-'17).

I'd say balancing that out with aging curves, he's got a damn good shot to do it (pun intended).

 

[centipede2233]

When he breaks the goal record, they should play the Russian national anthem and everyone stand at attention!

 

[Murzu]

I love Mulletman

 

[Sky04]

Who cares he played in a way harder era to score.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

Who cares he played in a way harder era to score.

I dunno you throw the 2 line pass back in along todays game along with the clutch and grab and the goals will come down, they set the league up now to score more. I wouldn't say this era is harder to score the goalies are just a little better overall

**edit** so im just a dumbass I dunno what I was thinking but ^^^^^^ is incorrect

 

[Sky04]

I dunno you throw the 2 line pass back in along todays game along with the clutch and grab and the goals will come down, they set the league up now to score more. I wouldn't say this era is harder to score the goalies are just a little better overall

Just the goalies? The entire depth of the league is significantly higher including defenseman who can actually skate. lol clutch and grab in the 80's.

 

[Randyne]

I wouldn't say this era is harder to score

17 seasons from 2005/06--2021/22 =17 50+ goalscorers not named Ovechkin
17 seasons from 1979/80--1995/96 =114 50+ goalscorers not named Gretzky
7 times more.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I dunno you throw the 2 line pass back in along todays game along with the clutch and grab and the goals will come down, they set the league up now to score more. I wouldn't say this era is harder to score the goalies are just a little better overall

The NHL averaged between 3.67 and 4.01 goals per game in the 80s.

In contrast, the average in the 2010s was comprised between 2.71 and 3.02 goals per game.

It was factually harder to score a goal in the 2010s compared to the 80s.

 

[Midnight Judges]

I dunno you throw the 2 line pass back in along todays game along with the clutch and grab and the goals will come down..

That is demonstrably incorrect.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Just the goalies? The entire depth of the league is significantly higher including defenseman who can actually skate. lol clutch and grab in the 80's.

6'6 butterfly goalies with massive pads being "a little better" than 5'8 stand-up goalies that you can score unscreened point shots on regularly is pretty funny.

 

[CogNoman]

108 goals in 200 games works out to a 44-goal pace over an 82-game season.

200 games is basically 2.5 seasons.

So: Can Ovechkin maintain a 44-goal pace for the next 2.5 seasons?

That's a really close call... I kind of expect his overall goal pace to be in the low 40s over the next 2.5 seasons.
44 goals is on the outer edge of that limit.. so it's possible... it will be close.

 

[Duder54]

Who cares he played in a way harder era to score.

This.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

I believe Leonsis will have the team play him until he breaks it. If it means 4th liner + PP specialist so be it. He sees this as bigger than year to year competitiveness and it will bring fans to the building.

Seems like the right play to me actually, baring a locker room revolt if he just doesn't have it at that point.

 

[Toby91ca]

Probably skipping over part 1 being will he break it....seems like everyone decided not to bother with that one anymore....it's done, now will he do it in less games.

I'll admit, if you asked me 5 years ago whether I thought he'd break the record, I wouldn't have said no chance, but I would have suggested it's a long shot. Now, I think he'll do it, very good chance (so I probably went from a 10-15% chance to an 85-90% chance, or perhaps higher as he probably plays as long as he needs to get it.....but we are still talking about another 108 goals. I know several guys have played 40-45, so if he plays that long, should be 100% that he does it, but when I say "several" guys.....it's actually very few.

That said...yes, he breaks the record, but breaking it in fewer games is a very tall task...we'll see though.

 

[wetcoast]

I believe Leonsis will have the team play him until he breaks it. If it means 4th liner + PP specialist so be it. He sees this as bigger than year to year competitiveness and it will bring fans to the building.

Seems like the right play to me actually, baring a locker room revolt if he just doesn't have it at that point.

I really wonder when and if that usage takes place on how it works out as he is getting way more prime usage than he really deserves at this point if the team wants to win.

As for the poll I said no but he will play long enough to beat the record for what it's worth.

 

[Midnight Judges]

I really wonder when and if that usage takes place on how it works out as he is getting way more prime usage than he really deserves at this point if the team wants to win.

Dude scored 50 goals and 90 points last season and was a top 10 player in the world.

Your post is beyond absurd.

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

When he breaks the goal record, they should play the Russian national anthem and everyone stand at attention!

You wish.

 

[BringTheReign]

I really wonder when and if that usage takes place on how it works out as he is getting way more prime usage than he really deserves at this point if the team wants to win.

As for the poll I said no but he will play long enough to beat the record for what it's worth.

I'd wager the Great 8 breaking the all-time goal scoring record will make the Capitals more money in the next decade than a few likely doomed playoff runs. They obviously should play to win, but getting Ovechkin to the record is the best business decision they could make, IMO.

 

[Price is Wright]

Even if he doesn't match Gretzky's pace I'm more impressed by Ovechkin for not doing it in the 80s.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Asking him to do it at a faster pace than a guy who played through the 80s and early 90s… the fact that we’re even discussing this says something about just how amazing Ovechkin’s numbers have been.

I think he breaks the record but not at a faster pace. If he did that, it would be stunning and would really put Gretzky’s record in a different light.

 

[wetcoast]

I'd wager the Great 8 breaking the all-time goal scoring record will make the Capitals more money in the next decade than a few likely doomed playoff runs. They obviously should play to win, but getting Ovechkin to the record is the best business decision they could make, IMO.

I don't really see how as owners make a boatload of money on playoff home games.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

The NHL averaged between 3.67 and 4.01 goals per game in the 80s.

In contrast, the average in the 2010s was comprised between 2.71 and 3.02 goals per game.

It was factually harder to score a goal in the 2010s compared to the 80s.

ok fair enough I cant argue real numbers, I was wrong I take back what I said

That is demonstrably incorrect.

so I have learned

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I believe Leonsis will have the team play him until he breaks it. If it means 4th liner + PP specialist so be it. He sees this as bigger than year to year competitiveness and it will bring fans to the building.

Seems like the right play to me actually, baring a locker room revolt if he just doesn't have it at that point.

I think Ovi himself would be the 1st to pull the plug at that point.

He came out before saying that he doesn’t want to be limping towards the finish line, and he still wants to retire after playing for his hometown club Dynamo Moscow.

 

[M2Beezy]

Option 1, he will do it

Man I love this player