How many goals for Ovechkin this season?

[Fantomas]

They literally created the modern 1-3-1 and bumper role and maintained the best PP in the league for like a decade. So yeah, they're getting older and injured and the rest of the league is finally catching up, but that's kind of ignoring how many years of this being a perfectly acceptable, borderline unstoppable plan?

Your point is that now they're not much different from average, but again ignoring that Backstrom has been a husk (or simply not playing). Lose your PPQB and tell me it won't hurt, on average. It's the easiest thing in the world to say they should do something different and provide no alternatives, I'd love to hear how the Caps would be better and score more by giving Ovechkin fewer shots so that... an unnamed somebody can score more frequently than the best to do it.

You're choosing to agree to disagree with the person who watched their games this year so that you can trust your own casual eye test, because it says what you want it to say. The Caps' PP zone entries were f***ing awful this year, period, full stop. Coupled with missing a lot of the first unit, it's just no surprise they weren't leading the league this year.

wetcoast heard some analytics guys talk on the radio once so he knows better than you

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

45-50. I'd expect Backstrom to be his center for the entire year, Kuznetsov likely traded by the end of 2023 at the latest.

 

[BallardEra]

45-50. I'd expect Backstrom to be his center for the entire year, Kuznetsov likely traded by the end of 2023 at the latest.

Backstrom looked finished last year. I'd be shocked if he actually rebounded to the Backstrom you're thinking of.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Backstrom looked finished last year. I'd be shocked if he actually rebounded to the Backstrom you're thinking of.

Injuries are catching up to Nik. Still a solid player but Ovy may benefit more with a younger center with faster legs.

 

[BallardEra]

Injuries are catching up to Nik. Still a solid player but Ovy may benefit more with a younger center with faster legs.

Him and Strome have clicked pretty well. Maybe Kuznetsov plays with some hunger this year in hopes that he increases his trade value.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Him and Strome have clicked pretty well. Maybe Kuznetsov plays with some hunger this year in hopes that he increases his trade value.

Kuznetsov asked for a trade last year. He doesn't want to be there, I would trade him to Nashville, there's the Trotz and Kuznetsov connection.

Strome is a decent center for Ovy, too bad they can't sign someone like Pat Kane to play with Ovy.

 

[HTFN]

Kuznetsov asked for a trade last year. He doesn't want to be there, I would trade him to Nashville, there's the Trotz and Kuznetsov connection.

Strome is a decent center for Ovy, too bad they can't sign someone like Pat Kane to play with Ovy.

Laviolette was a huge part of that, even though nobody seems to really talk about it. Kuznetsov isn't the only player that lost all the life left in him playing miserable hockey last year, but Kuznetsov especially needs to have some fun to get to that place where he's dominant and boy did the Caps' system just bleed it out of him...

Do I predict anything too positive? Nah, not really, but I don't think it would be a surprise if parts of that wound can be healed by a younger pace-driven coach. At any rate, his options to be traded are basically "play well enough for someone to want you" and... well, I don't think there is a second option.

 

[ViD]

Capitals are terrible with Backstrom and Kuzhetsov being shells of themselves, Ovie can still score some left circle bombs on PP, but I don’t see serious offensive support for him on the current Caps team

 

[Sheppy]

38 goals.

 

[BallardEra]

31.

His time as a 50-goal scorer is definitely over, IMO. And I doubt he will even hit 40 in a season ever again.

But hitting more than 30 this season is very much within reach and would still be a remarkable achievement at his age, especially considering the roster surrouding him.

DING! DING! DING!

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

31.

His time as a 50-goal scorer is definitely over, IMO. And I doubt he will even hit 40 in a season ever again.

But hitting more than 30 this season is very much within reach and would still be a remarkable achievement at his age, especially considering the roster surrouding him.

How do you feel about the stock market? Any predictions on any big upcoming competitions?

 

[canuckslover10]

50

 

[wetcoast]

DING! DING! DING!

Looks like the second post kind of called it as well eh.

I hope Ovi will have good season, but hard to predict. There are a lot of factors in play - age, health, performance of his teammates... Optimistic scenario 42 goals, pesimistic 31.

 

[PaulD]

22

 

[Silky Johnson]

6 goals then contracts Necrotizing fasciitis of the scrotum. Thus proving there are hockey gods.

 

[The Panther]

I predicted 35 last year. He got 31.

This year... eh, I'll say 25. But, as ever, a lot depends on team context. If young guys suddenly emerge and the club seems in competition for a playoff spot, Ovechkin might not get two minutes on all the power-plays. But if the club is sort of out of contention early, then I'll say 25.

 

[JoeCool16]

6 goals then contracts Necrotizing fasciitis of the scrotum. Thus proving there are hockey gods.

Dude

 

[wetcoast]

6 goals then contracts Necrotizing fasciitis of the scrotum. Thus proving there are hockey gods.

Man was that really called for...I looked it up and now I'm going to have nightmares.

To others don't look it up.

 

[The Panther]

 

[LevelingSolo]

Wouldn't really shock me if he hit's 40

The fact that he finished with 31 after having like 8 goals at the ASB is pure madness

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I’ll say 34, which would put him exactly 8 goals away from breaking the record in his final season.

 

[Pass the Saitl Sauce]

Man was that really called for...I looked it up and now I'm going to have nightmares.

To others don't look it up.

I wasn’t going to until I read this message and now regret it.

21. 21 goal for ovi this year

 

[DingerMcSlapshot]

43

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

6 goals then contracts Necrotizing fasciitis of the scrotum. Thus proving there are hockey gods.

Did he pee in your cheerios or something, to wish such horrors upon a man? Seriously Palahniuk, bit much.

I’m gonna say 37. He was hurt last year (age), this one will be better.

 

[Nemesis Prime]

37