Ovechkin just won his 9th Rocket. Does this change how you view him?

[The Panther]

OV has now cemented his legacy as the most consistent goal scoring threat in NHL history.

Agree. It would be extremely difficult to challenge that statement. Gordie Howe probably gets a consideration, but with considerably fewer goal 'peaks' than Ovechkin, and Bobby Hull might have been able to do what Ovechkin has done (we'll never know) but he jumped ship to the WHA (and I suspect he wouldn't have been any better than 2nd or 3rd in NHL goals in '73 and '74 anyway).

Once he gets to 2nd in goals, more consensus will believe he is the greatest goal scorer in history (many of us currently believe this).

If he breaks gretzky's it will be undisputed.

Disagree with the last part. Nothing will ever be undisputed when it comes to "greatest" and "best". Gretzky did not suddenly become the greatest goal scorer ever the moment he scored his 802nd goal. Likewise, when Howe broke Richard's career goals-record in 1964 (? I forgot the year) there were still fans who thought Richard (or even someone earlier) was the better goal-scorer.

It's just how it is. Things are subjective.

 

[Merya]

The Minbari would never accept a human...

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

The Minbari would never accept a human...

Agreed.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

I still don't get why that is.

Howe was in the top 5 every year. The Rocket was in the top five 8 times. Bathgate 9 times. Beliveau 8 times. Lindsey 6 times. Hull 8 times. Mikita 9 times.

So was it easier to do in 50s and 60s? Or were these guys just that consistently good? For anyone else to get in the top five back then would be quite an accomplishment.

I don't get how you don't get why this doesn't make sense.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

I don't get how you don't get why this doesn't make sense.

Just slow I guess.

 

[scott clam]

If the Caps win another cup, that will change how I view him.

 

[daver]

Not sure why the idea that finishing in the Top 5 in a group five times larger doesn't warrant consideration?

The numbers clearly show that it is more impressive to finish Top 3, Top 5 , Top 10 in today's league in terms of % behind the leader.

This has nothing to do with the idea that pound for pound the league is better or worse than it was in the O6. It is merely a statistical reality.

Generally speaking, Top 3 in the O6 = Top 5 today, Top 5 in the O6 = Top 10 today.

From the thread that dealt with topic specifically: Comparing Top 3, 5 or 10 scoring and Hart finishes from different eras

So I averaged out the #1 and #2 scorers (from 1947 to 1967 and from 1997 to 2019) then divided the #3, #5, #7 and #10 scorers into that average. Here are the numbers:

O6

#3 - on average had 86% of the #1 and #2 (i.e. if #1 had 105 points, #2 had 95 points, the #3 scorer had 86 points)

#5 - on average had 78% of the #1 and #2

#7 - on average had 72% of the #1 and #2

#10 - on average had 68% of the #1 and #2


Current era

#3 - on average had 92% of the #1 and #2

#5 - on average had 87% of the #1 and #2

#7 - on average had 81% of the #1 and #2

#1o - on average had 79% of the #1 and #2


The #3 scorer in the current era shows a clear gap over the O6, the #5 scorer in the current era is similar to the #3 O6 scorer, the #10 scorer in the current era is similar to the #5 O6 scorer.

 

[wetcoast]

If the Caps win another cup, that will change how I view him.

Why don't you tell us your current view then as that seems highly unlikely.

 

[scott clam]

Why don't you tell us your current view then as that seems highly unlikely.

I don't think it's unlikely at all. The Caps are actually my SC pick this year.

 

[wetcoast]

I don't think it's unlikely at all. The Caps are actually my SC pick this year.

Well good luck with that.

But chances are this aging team won't win another SC with Ovechkin being a substantial force on it.

 

[scott clam]

Well good luck with that.

But chances are this aging team won't win another SC with Ovechkin being a substantial force on it.

If that's the case my view on Ovechkin isn't going to change much. It seems unlikely that he is going to lap Gretzky, but he doesn't need to- he's already proven himself in a class of his own when it comes to goal scoring.