Do you think Ovechkin's legacy will improve over time?

[BraveCanadian]

To counter that with an example, before Gretzky and Lemieux, most all time lists had Beliveau behind Hull and Richard for 3rd best ever. The two wingers are more like Ovechkin. Crosby is more like Beliveau. Great career, leader and maybe a tad weak in the individual Trophy case in comparison to his true ability. He also had a lot of incomplete seasons. Yeah Richards trophy case isn’t that great either, but he’d have some Retro Rockets and Smythes.

Time has been kinder to Beliveau’s legacy. He’s usually ranked ahead of Hull and Richard nowadays. I agree with it, but that wasn’t the prevailing opinion back in 1980.

Was that the alternate timeline where Gordie Howe didn't exist?

 

[JackSlater]

To counter that with an example, before Gretzky and Lemieux, most all time lists had Beliveau behind Hull and Richard for 3rd best ever. The two wingers are more like Ovechkin. Crosby is more like Beliveau. Great career, leader and maybe a tad weak in the individual Trophy case in comparison to his true ability. He also had a lot of incomplete seasons. Yeah Richards trophy case isn’t that great either, but he’d have some Retro Rockets and Smythes.

Time has been kinder to Beliveau’s legacy. He’s usually ranked ahead of Hull and Richard nowadays. I agree with it, but that wasn’t the prevailing opinion back in 1980.

I don't think that's much of a counter example. Richard even fits in with what I was theorizing. I am saying that Ovechkin will likely rise relative to Crosby because once people don't remember the player, they will rely heavily on awards/records in a way that people who actually experienced the players don't need to. Richard's reputation did not match his trophy case, rightly or wrongly, and the longer time goes on the more his reputation matches his trophy case rather than the opinions of people who saw him.

This isn't to say that Richard's legacy was completely based on what he actually did on the ice, because he is a very unique case.

 

[wickedwitch]

There should be a name for how every thread about Ovechkin's legacy will eventually have some commentator basically say "actually, he's only scores so many goals because he's selfish and only focuses on that; my favorite player could also score 850 goals if they chose to but they aren't selfish like Ovechkin."

 

[MadLuke]

Maybe Crosby V Ovechkin will not move much over time (or it will, they could become 2 matched to the hip, too close to call item), but their combined legacies could still go up.

Oustide the top 4, no one is really 100% safe to not be one day seen has the equal or inferior to them.