How good is Ovechkin league wide this season ?

Right now, where does ovechkin rank league wide?

  • Top 10 player

    Votes: 22 21.0%
  • Top 30 player

    Votes: 60 57.1%
  • Top 50 player

    Votes: 16 15.2%
  • Top 100 player

    Votes: 7 6.7%
  • Outside of top 100

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    105

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Jun 15, 2007
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Currently, where does Ovechkin rank as a player?

Not all time. At this point in time, this day, this season.

Statistically he’s great. 2nd in goals/game, third in goals overall. 18th in points/game.

However just by the eye test he doesn’t look great. He doesn’t drive play. His skating is bad. His stick handling is nonexistent. On just the caps, there are probably 3 or 4 players who are more impactful. But the caps are the best team in the league so not every team has 3 players better than him.

But regardless, because he’s still the best shooter in the league, he is always one flick of the wrist away from scoring a goal and tying or winning a game.
 
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I have him probably around 10th right now.

People can hate it all they want, but it's not about how you get the results, it's the results themselves. Someone flying around the ice with all the speed and skill and shot generation in the world is worthless if it doesn't result in goals. If Mackinnon did everything he does day in day out, but was only at 20 goals and 50 points this year, his status of a top-3 player wouldn't exist. It only exists because the play leads to results.

Ovechkin is the 2nd best goal scorer in the league (and I'd argue the best still). He is one of the most productive point producers in the league.

He is the best goal scorer by FAR and the best point producer on the 2nd best team in the league.
 
I have him probably around 10th right now.

People can hate it all they want, but it's not about how you get the results, it's the results themselves. Someone flying around the ice with all the speed and skill and shot generation in the world is worthless if it doesn't result in goals. If Mackinnon did everything he does day in day out, but was only at 20 goals and 50 points this year, his status of a top-3 player wouldn't exist. It only exists because the play leads to results.

Ovechkin is the 2nd best goal scorer in the league (and I'd argue the best still). He is one of the most productive point producers in the league.

He is the best goal scorer by FAR and the best point producer on the 2nd best team in the league.

He's a strange case because he was pretty much the most impressive player to watch stylistically and aesthetically for a few years and that version of the player is what made people fans of him, but now he doesn't have speed or handle the puck (but who does or can at his age?) but still scores goals (and even points) at an impressive rate.

He was never a great defensive player (most scoring wingers aren't), but he used to have a strong overall impact on goal differential because of his ice-tilting play and physicality. I think his degradation in terms of speed and puck handling actually hurts his defensive results more than anything else. At the end of the day, hockey is about scoring and not being scored on. Things like board battles, dangling, hard hits, shot blocking are means to an end. If you can score at a high clip on offensive IQ and shooting ability alone, I guess it doesn't matter much from an offensive standpoint if you can't skate fast or carry the puck much (hell, during his peak years, some used to criticize him for handling the puck and shooting too much). But his far superior neutral zone transition abilities and other aspects of his game that he no longer possesses used to really help his team keep the puck in the other's team end and prevent goals, shots and chances against.

This season alone, on a per game basis, he's been very impactful. He has scored numerous big goals and points for a strong team. I don't know where I'd rank him exactly.
 
He’s on par with the best goal scorer this season if you take goal per game ratio.

Plus he’s well above point per game.

Top 10 in my books
 
He's a strange case because he was pretty much the most impressive player to watch stylistically and aesthetically for a few years and that version of the player is what made people fans of him, but now he doesn't have speed or handle the puck (but who does or can at his age?) but still scores goals (and even points) at an impressive rate.

He was never a great defensive player (most scoring wingers aren't), but he used to have a strong overall impact on goal differential because of his ice-tilting play and physicality. I think his degradation in terms of speed and puck handling actually hurts his defensive results more than anything else. At the end of the day, hockey is about scoring and not being scored on. Things like board battles, dangling, hard hits, shot blocking are means to an end. If you can score at a high clip on offensive IQ and shooting ability alone, I guess it doesn't matter much from an offensive standpoint if you can't skate fast or carry the puck much (hell, during his peak years, some used to criticize him for handling the puck and shooting too much). But his far superior neutral zone transition abilities and other aspects of his game that he no longer possesses used to really help his team keep the puck in the other's team end and prevent goals, shots and chances against.

This season alone, on a per game basis, he's been very impactful. He has scored numerous big goals and points for a strong team. I don't know where I'd rank him exactly.
Yeah exactly,

There's probably 3 types of fans who have a negative opinion on Ovi in his later career:
1) Haters/biased fans - nothing you can do to people who can't be reasoned with
2) People who, like you said, saw the old dominant Ovi with one of the best peaks of all-time, and seen the degradation
3) Newer fans who only see the slower and "less impressive" version of Ovi

And that's also what makes Ovi so hard to rank on an all-time scale. The unique set of accomplishments, play etc.

But the logic stays. Let's assume you have 2 players:
1) Mackinnon who does EVERYTHING he does every game. Generates all of these high danger chances and is a menace on the ice. BUT - can't score a goal himself, and the plays he sets up don't result in goals.

2) An Ovechkin who stands at center ice and does not move. BUT - he is firing in goals from center ice, and is the best producer on the best team in the league.

One is of course a better hockey player from a skill perspective. But who cares if it doesn't result in actual results.

A similar thing would be looking at all-time skill guys like Kovalev. Extremely skilled and talented hockey player. But the RESULTS never formulated to the point where he became an all-time hockey player.
 
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Yeah exactly,

There's probably 3 types of fans who have a negative opinion on Ovi in his later career:
1) Haters/biased fans - nothing you can do to people who can't be reasoned with
2) People who, like you said, saw the old dominant Ovi with one of the best peaks of all-time, and seen the degradation
3) Newer fans who only see the slower and "less impressive" version of Ovi

And that's also what makes Ovi so hard to rank on an all-time scale. The unique set of accomplishments, play etc.

But the logic stays. Let's assume you have 2 players:
1) Mackinnon who does EVERYTHING he does every game. Generates all of these high danger chances and is a menace on the ice. BUT - can't score a goal himself, and the plays he sets up don't result in goals.

2) An Ovechkin who stands at center ice and does not move. BUT - he is firing in goals from center ice, and is the best producer on the best team in the league.

One is of course a better hockey player from a skill perspective. But who cares if it doesn't result in actual results.

A similar thing would be looking at all-time skill guys like Kovalev. Extremely skilled and talented hockey player. But the RESULTS never formulated to the point where he became an all-time hockey player.

Funny enough I believe it is precisely because he’s on such a good team thats he’s still able to produce like this, even if he’s still the best producer on the team. I don’t think for one second he’s a top 10 player, but you can’t deny the season he’s having and he has a good case for top 20-25.
 
Top 10 players easily better than him:

McDavid, Mack, Drai, Kucherov, Makar, Hughes (both, but let's even just say Quinn), Helle, Vasi, Marner, Eichel.

I voted top 30.
 
He’s 39th in points but 4th in goals so I’ll say top 30.

Of course, if I were one of these people who often claim per game stats are more important than raw contributions, he’d be firmly top 20 if not top 10.
 
If not for that injury I think he would very easily be garnering Hart consideration. Even as it stands right now he is easily top 10 because the impact he has had on his team's success cannot be understated. The team was built so that Ovi could succeed with goal scoring but he, I daresay, has done more to inspire their unexpected team success more than anything else.
 
Always imagined he was around 15th-20th, but I'm second guessing now that I go through a list.

10th sounds about right this season. He's been a beast.
I'd put him above Point, but below Pasta.
 
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If not for that injury I think he would very easily be garnering Hart consideration. Even as it stands right now he is easily top 10 because the impact he has had on his team's success cannot be understated. The team was built so that Ovi could succeed with goal scoring but he, I daresay, has done more to inspire their unexpected team success more than anything else.
I read this and wonder if you read what the OP is asking exactly here?

Currently, where does Ovechkin rank as a player?

Not all time. At this point in time, this day, this season.

Statistically he’s great. 2nd in goals/game, third in goals overall. 18th in points/game.
We can all see the stats but the next paragraph seems to be the part some people are missing here.



However just by the eye test he doesn’t look great. He doesn’t drive play. His skating is bad. His stick handling is nonexistent. On just the caps, there are probably 3 or 4 players who are more impactful. But the caps are the best team in the league so not every team has 3 players better than him.
This is generous but I get it, he is scoring well beyond most peoples dreams this year and the Capitals are having a Cinderella season and the goal scoring record but top 10 player in the league watching players with the eye test?

I voted top 100 and frankly even there with the eyes test I think I'm being generous due to the production, which doesn't match the eye test.

I'll frame it the way I usually do with these types of questions.

You get said player for exactly one year from time of poll and everyone in the NHL gets thrown back into the poll for a one year, contracts don't matter all 32 teams build and draft from scratch.

Does anyone seriously think Ovi is going in the top 10 in such a draft?
Top 20?
Top 50?
Top 100 then one might start thinking about it.


But regardless, because he’s still the best shooter in the league, he is always one flick of the wrist away from scoring a goal and tying or winning a game.
 
I read this and wonder if you read what the OP is asking exactly here?

Sure little buddy!

But regardless, because he’s still the best shooter in the league, he is always one flick of the wrist away from scoring a goal and tying or winning a game.

There are players in this league that exist in this league specifically for this very reason and such players typically get paid big money and oftentimes have an incredible amount of success in this league based on this and this alone and no other variable factors.

In my opinion and I dare say that of countless others, Ovechkin is the best person at doing this in the history of the sport. Even if he has nothing else to contribute and you could call him a one trick pony this is still the best trick in the game and one that makes as much, if not more impact, than anything else anyone could do. Let me list a few other players past and present that others have said similar things about:

Brett Hull
Luc Robitaille
Patrik Laine
 
I agree with you but nobody asks how, they ask how many and he’s still an extremely reliable goal scorer so it’s tough to dismiss that.

I thought he was totally cooked last year after watching him in the playoffs. No idea how he rebounded so well at his age. He is superhuman
 
I agree with you but nobody asks how, they ask how many and he’s still an extremely reliable goal scorer so it’s tough to dismiss that.

I thought he was totally cooked last year after watching him in the playoffs. No idea how he rebounded so well at his age. He is superhuman
For some people Breaking a leg mid season is an injury , for Ovi it's just rest lol
 
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For some people Breaking a leg mid season is an injury , for Ovi it's just rest lol
Yes. It’s insane.

I see posts comparing Matthews to him and how many they scored before 28 like it matters. Ovi is 39 and still outscoring all but 3 players.

I don’t think some people realize how incredible it is. Anyone can hit a high peak but it’s totally unheard of his longevity.
 
Yes. It’s insane.

I see posts comparing Matthews to him and how many they scored before 28 like it matters. Ovi is 39 and still outscoring all but 3 players.

I don’t think some people realize how incredible it is. Anyone can hit a high peak but it’s totally unheard of his longevity.

I mean it sort of matters if we’re discussing who could potentially overtake him one day, but you’re correct that it’s not likely to happen due to Ovechkin’s freakish longevity.
 

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