Ovechkin milestone thread - 850 and Beyond!

[wetcoast]

He just scored



He not leaving all that money on the table.

I don't think that he leaves the money on the table either just responding to the poster there.

 

[ForsbergForever]

#833

Ovy now has goals in three straight...

 

[Zuluss]

Crosby fans in this thread work like a reverse jinx
62 to go to pass Gretzky

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Ovi is back baby. I posted a page ago that he’d hit 30. Screw that, he’s hitting 40

 

[wetcoast]

Ovi is back baby. I posted a page ago that he’d hit 30. Screw that, he’s hitting 40

Sure in 2 years he will be 40 but 40 goals this year could happen if enough people follow the Zuluss hunch eh.

My guess is that he breaks the goals record sometime during the 25-26 season.

 

[TJHKY]

 

[Firsov99]

Here is my question. Did Ovechkin ever publicly say he wants to beat the record and play until he does? Because honestly, he looks to me like he could retire at any moment. I suspect Ovie doesn't like the idea of him scoring 20 goals a season in his remaining years. He might feel he has proven everything he has to, and in reality he has.

Never heard him saying this. While he has always loved scoring, I don’t think that he is obsessed with the breaking the record. In fact, he said once that ending up second on the list (this interview was before he passed Howe) would have been great too.

 

[Crosby2010]

Never heard him saying this. While he has always loved scoring, I don’t think that he is obsessed with the breaking the record. In fact, he said once that ending up second on the list (this interview was before he passed Howe) would have been great too.

He just looks anything but himself that's the thing. I know age will do that and 38 years old is old in the NHL. But you always used to notice Ovie on the ice and now you barely notice him at all.

 

[Firsov99]

He just looks anything but himself that's the thing. I know age will do that and 38 years old is old in the NHL. But you always used to notice Ovie on the ice and now you barely notice him at all.

He has been slowing down for some time already. His body doesn’t recover as fast from small injuries. His core teammates have aged and slowed down as well (or pretty much retired like Backy). His rookie head coach is barely older than him Moreover, he has recently lost his father - this must have been a huge blow to him psychologically.

 

[Perfect Human]

Imagine if Larionov coached him…a boy can dream

 

[andrjusha]

With his first goal of the game, on power-play, OV increased all-time lead in both categories
(from nhl.com)

 

[abo9]

Here is my question. Did Ovechkin ever publicly say he wants to beat the record and play until he does? Because honestly, he looks to me like he could retire at any moment. I suspect Ovie doesn't like the idea of him scoring 20 goals a season in his remaining years. He might feel he has proven everything he has to, and in reality he has.

Thats obviously a decision that belongs only to Ovechkin. I can totally seem him retire after two consecutive bad years, but have a feeling one bad year won't be enough.

I mentioned that perhaps in another thread, but I find expectations regarding breaking records to be wildly romanticized.

Most of the greats, didnt set their records at peak form. Gretzky scored his last 91 goals over 5 seasons, not breaking over 25 once in a season in that timeframe.

Now, for some reasons, Ovechkin is just "hanging around" while he potted 42 goals just last season to reach 822 - Gretzky scored over 42 goals exactly once after 1987-88, when he was 26 years old. Yep, 26. Ovechkin was 37.

 

[PaulD]

#833

Ovy now has goals in three straight...

Didnt Jeff Carter do that earlier this season too?

 

[filinski77]

With his first goal of the game, on power-play, OV increased all-time lead in both categories
(from nhl.com)

View attachment 816953
View attachment 816954

NHL teams that score the first goal of the game win about ~67% of their games, so this further reiterates how Ovechkin is the most clutch goal-scorer of all-time.

 

[wetcoast]

Thats obviously a decision that belongs only to Ovechkin. I can totally seem him retire after two consecutive bad years, but have a feeling one bad year won't be enough.

I mentioned that perhaps in another thread, but I find expectations regarding breaking records to be wildly romanticized.

Most of the greats, didnt set their records at peak form. Gretzky scored his last 91 goals over 5 seasons, not breaking over 25 once in a season in that timeframe.

Now, for some reasons, Ovechkin is just "hanging around" while he potted 42 goals just last season to reach 822 - Gretzky scored over 42 goals exactly once after 1987-88, when he was 26 years old. Yep, 26. Ovechkin was 37.

Gretzky retired after his last season in 98-99 and was clearly done, the year before in 97-98 he was tied for 3rd in the Art Ross race.

Different all time greats retire at different times though and there is no single way to do it.

 

[abo9]

Gretzky retired after his last season in 98-99 and was clearly done, the year before in 97-98 he was tied for 3rd in the Art Ross race.

Different all time greats retire at different times though and there is no single way to do it.

Yep not to diminish Gretzky end of career or anything. Ovechkin isn't in the Art Ross race, but he's first on his team for pts still, and he's had career lows before. Bounced right back every time.

Now, I dont expect a 39 years old to bounce back to being a Rocket threat, but I can definitely see him bounce back to a 30-40 goals area.

Fwiw, I dont think Ovechkin hangs around too many years if he can do his usual bounce back. Just doesnt seem in character for him to hang around ala Joe Thornton. No offense intended to Thornton, but he was definitely way more toast by the end than Ovechkin is showing even in this disapointing season

 

[kugelbahn]

So basically OV needs to score on 26 goals per season pace to beat Gretz.
He has 197 games left on current contract. He is on 29 gps pace, 6 goals in last 17 games, since that horrible 14 goalless drought. Was on 27 gps pace before drought.
It is definitely interesting race with father time.

Also if he finishes his contract with less than 10 goals to go, will he sign another year? We will see. He is unicorn, can't predict.

 

[Crosby2010]

Thats obviously a decision that belongs only to Ovechkin. I can totally seem him retire after two consecutive bad years, but have a feeling one bad year won't be enough.

I mentioned that perhaps in another thread, but I find expectations regarding breaking records to be wildly romanticized.

Most of the greats, didnt set their records at peak form. Gretzky scored his last 91 goals over 5 seasons, not breaking over 25 once in a season in that timeframe.

Now, for some reasons, Ovechkin is just "hanging around" while he potted 42 goals just last season to reach 822 - Gretzky scored over 42 goals exactly once after 1987-88, when he was 26 years old. Yep, 26. Ovechkin was 37.

I mean, to be fair, even up until the 2nd last season of Gretzky's career he led the NHL in assists. And he was a 2nd team all-star in 1997 and 1998. His goal scoring dried up, but he was still a very good player and effective.

 

[Sentinel]

I mean, to be fair, even up until the 2nd last season of Gretzky's career he led the NHL in assists. And he was a 2nd team all-star in 1997 and 1998. His goal scoring dried up, but he was still a very good player and effective.

Gretzky and Ovechkin are very different players.

Also, mind you: in 1997 playoffs Gretzky dragged his anemic Rangers to the CFs with the team-leading 10 goals. He could still score when there was nobody around him to rely on.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

He can do it , I believe

 

[KaraLupin]

So basically OV needs to score on 26 goals per season pace to beat Gretz.
He has 197 games left on current contract. He is on 29 gps pace, 6 goals in last 17 games, since that horrible 14 goalless drought. Was on 27 gps pace before drought.
It is definitely interesting race with father time.

Also if he finishes his contract with less than 10 goals to go, will he sign another year? We will see. He is unicorn, can't predict.

Of course he will. 1 million 1 year even.

 

[Wondercarrot]

Thats obviously a decision that belongs only to Ovechkin. I can totally seem him retire after two consecutive bad years, but have a feeling one bad year won't be enough.

I mentioned that perhaps in another thread, but I find expectations regarding breaking records to be wildly romanticized.

Most of the greats, didnt set their records at peak form. Gretzky scored his last 91 goals over 5 seasons, not breaking over 25 once in a season in that timeframe.

Now, for some reasons, Ovechkin is just "hanging around" while he potted 42 goals just last season to reach 822 - Gretzky scored over 42 goals exactly once after 1987-88, when he was 26 years old. Yep, 26. Ovechkin was 37.

Probably because Gretzky was still finishing 3rd in NHL scoring in his second last year, while Ovechkin is tied for 111th

 

[kugelbahn]

Probably because Gretzky was still finishing 3rd in NHL scoring in his second last year, while Ovechkin is tied for 111th

Scoring goals was not that great though. Gretz had 257 goal in 713 gp in his last 10 years. Thats below 30 goals per 82 games pace. He had more secondary assists than goals. As playmaker he was great till the end, as goals scorer he was only good, #40 for 88-98 span.

NHL Stats

The official source for NHL Stats including skaters, goalies, teams stats and more.

www.nhl.com

 

[Shrimper]

Ovechkin will hang around long enough to do it. Why wouldn't he? it's not like Washington are playing for anything

 

[pi314]

He skates like he has a piano on his back and his shot is not a laser anymore.

If he gets there, it will be limping like a peg legged prostitute. Will lots of empty net goals.