Better Peak Goal Scorer: Mike Bossy Or Alex Ovechkin?

[DitchMarner]

Which player was the better peak goal scorer?

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[Killer Orcas]

Ovie and I absolutely loved Bossy. Imagine Ovie on those Islander teams though just sickening what he would have done with that cast.

 

[BraveCanadian]

As great as Bossy was, I think this has to be Ovi. The 65 goal season is one for the ages.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Ovechkin AINEC, would have scored 100 per year on those Islander teams

 

[Albatros]

I'll take Bossy's peak of three consecutive 17-goal playoff seasons while Ovechin scored more than five goals twice in his career.

 

[daver]

Which player was the better peak goal scorer?

Can the OP define what they mean by "peak".

 

[amnesiac]

Bossy peak: 69G in 80GP 78-79 (league avg 7.0 GPG)

Ovi peak: 65G in 82GP 07-08 (league avg 5.56 GPG)


Ovi, not really close

 

[HisNoodliness]

I'll take Bossy's peak of three consecutive 17-goal playoff seasons while Ovechin scored more than five goals twice in his career.

Honestly, this is why I voted Bossy. Ovechkin has had better sustainability, and to me, is the best goal scorer ever. But Mike Bossy for a few years could score at will. That really came out come playoff time.

 

[DitchMarner]

Can the OP define what they mean by "peak".

Which player exhibited better goal scoring ability when he was at his highest level as a goal scorer?

There is no standard definition for peak. Some will consider best season; others will consider best two or multiple. Some will factor in playoffs.

 

[bobholly39]

Ovechkin - but it's close.

Ovechkin's peak as a goal-scorer gets overrated sometimes. It's not that he wasn't great - but I don't think he's in contention for #1 for goal-scoring peak. I think that's Gretzky, Lemieux, Hull (both of them). Ovechkin's strength is more his prime (Bossy too for that matter).

 

[Midnight Judges]

You'd have to be a complete Ovechkin hater to think this was remotely close. Surprise! It's a couple Crosby fans saying this is close.

There is nothing that supports Bossy in this comparison. He is nowhere near the best of his era in terms of peak goalscoring, and it's not just Gretzky and Lemieux that trounce him but also Brett Hull. Mike Bossy had the 45th best adjusted goal scoring season of all time as of 2020 (now 49th). Ovechkin has the #2 season. Nevemind that Ovie was playing on a recent lottery team in 2008 while Bossy was supported by a dynasty.

 

[bobholly39]

You'd have to be a complete Ovechkin hater to think this was remotely close. Surprise! It's a couple Crosby fans saying this is close.

There is nothing that supports Bossy in this comparison. He is nowhere near the best of his era in terms of peak goalscoring, and it's not just Gretzky and Lemieux that trounce him but also Brett Hull. Mike Bossy had the 45th best adjusted goal scoring season of all time as of 2020 (now 49th). Ovechkin has the #2 season. Nevemind that Ovie was playing on a recent lottery team in 2008 while Bossy was supported by a dynasty.

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And you'd have to be a complete Ovechkin fanatic to ignore playoffs and what happens beyond round 2 completely - and only focus on regular season.

3 straight years of leading playoffs in goals - scoring 17 goals each playoffs.

Ovechkin's highest playoff goal total is 15, 11....and then never above 5.

3 year stretch of 81 to 83:

1. Bossy 51 goals
2. Trottier 25 goals
3. Gretzky 24 goals

GPG in that stretch - Bossy .91, Gretzky 0.8

That's huge domination

To give you an idea of how impressive his goals per game rate is in that 3 year stretch - 0.91 goals per game is higher than Bossy ever achieved in any regular season. So for a 3 year playoff peak, he scored way above his regular season best.

Yes - it's close, because playoffs matter too.

 

[Midnight Judges]

And you'd have to be a complete Ovechkin fanatic to ignore playoffs

I didn't ignore the playoffs. I posted their adjusted playoff GPGs - which, surprise, Ovechkin is better at.

You don't have a point.

 

[GRob83]

Bossy led the league in Goals 2X. In his 10 year career he had 30 more goals than Gretzky, but he played 120 more games. Ovechkin is unrivaled.

 

[Hisch13r]

It’s Ovi.

 

[spiny norman]

Lopsided result.