barry halls
Registered User
- Nov 13, 2018
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On a pace to score 44 goals so far this year...
Apparently he's right. MSG put it up on the scoreboard and everything.
The reason there is no Big 5 is that there is no consensus #5 player all-time. People will argue for Bobby Hull, Beliveau, Hasek, Bourque, etc. in this position, and all them have an argument, and no one clearly has a much better argument than anyone else.
At the moment, Ovechkin is one of that group of players who have an argument for #5 all-time. Whoever your opponent picks as #5, it is always possible to say "Ovechkin is better or at least as good because..."
Ovechkin's legend is guaranteed to grow with time, just as Jagr's legend is growing. The longer Ovechkin spends without a heir who would in turn win 7-9 Rockets and challenge the career goals record, the greater is going to be the awe of future generations for what Ovechkin did.
It is possible, especially if Ovechkin adds to his resume and no one else emerges as a dominant force, that at some point of time Ovechkin will become a very common pick for #5 all-time. That would be the moment when Big 4 will turn into Big 5.
And no, it will not require an argument for Ovechkin>Lemieux or Ovechkin>Howe (even though I dread that future generations will make the latter argument - wrongly, but Howe does not get the respect he deserves even today).
The Caps for some reason choose to continue to wear the worst jerseys they have as their primary home and away. I wonder if they’d have changed them by now if they didn’t win the Cup but the red and white Winter Classic throwbacks, the blue W, and both reverse retros are so much better than the horrible word mark and piping jerseys they currently have. Maybe it’s also Ted not wanting to change them up while Ovi is still playing. Either way, the Caps have had top five reverse retros both seasons and their throwbacks with the stars on the chest are gorgeous but their normal jerseys are pretty easily bottom five in the league.That should really be their regular jerseys. Reminds me of rookie OV. So good.
Ovechkin is Brett Hull multiplied by 3 and Ross+Calder+Smythe on top of that.Ovechkin is Brett Hull 2.0, nothing more
Given how Brett Hull is routinely underrated on this board, you could not think of a worse insult, could you?I think Ovechkin is Brett Hull 2.0, nothing more.
He’s so far away from being a complete player over his career the idea of him #5 seems certifiable to me, but agree to disagree.
Wrong Hull. Or maybe both? Ovechkin had Bobby Hull's career and then when Bobby split from the NHL swapped over to Brett.I think Ovechkin is Brett Hull 2.0, nothing more.
He’s so far away from being a complete player over his career the idea of him #5 seems certifiable to me, but agree to disagree.
What if I told you your favorite offensive players weren’t exactly complete players on both ends of the ice?I think Ovechkin is Brett Hull 2.0, nothing more.
He’s so far away from being a complete player over his career the idea of him #5 seems certifiable to me, but agree to disagree.
Given how Brett Hull is routinely underrated on this board, you could not think of a worse insult, could you?
You can start by counting their awards. Then add longevity.
What if I told you your favorite offensive players weren’t exactly complete players on both ends of the ice?
Trying to think of the highest ranked player with a good overall game. Lidstrom? It sure as hell wasn't anyone currently considered top 5....I rate Hull as one of the greatest goal-scorers of all time, and I'm saying Ovi is a better version of him.
It wasn't an insult. Brett Hull is one of the greatest players of all time (most put him Top 50 or so I think) and I'm saying Ovi is the 2.0 version of him. It's like if I said McDavid is Crosby 2.0 (I wouldn't, but for comparisons sake).
All I'm saying is that Ovi is one of, if not the, greatest goal scorers of all time, but his all-around game eliminates him from the conversation of Top 5 overall.
I don't care if you disagree, it doesn't make me upset, but there's nothing that's going to convince me, having watched a fair bit of Ovi over his career, that he's a Top 5. You simply can't be a Top 5 if you don't backcheck for your first decade in the league in my books. Trotz helped him a lot in the mid 2010s, but I don't know how you can call a guy who was an acknowledged defensive liability a Top 5 all-time player just because of goal scoring.
I'd say I don't have "favorite" offensive players that I'm emotionally tied to if anyone challenges their defensive prowess.
You could say I'm a Matthews fan, but I think the media's overhyped his 2-way play. I think he's solid, but if you think he's completely overrated and actually bottom 1/5th in the league, I couldn't care less. Show me some data or film with enough sample that backs it up, and sure, maybe I'll buy it
Ovechkin is Brett Hull multiplied by 3 and Ross+Calder+Smythe on top of that.
Must be pretty amazing to pass your old boss in points, especially since many see Oates as a big factor in Ovechkin's decline as a truly elite player to just an elite goal scorer. To this day people still bring up his -35 which was all Oates fault.It kind of flew under the radar with Ovechkin getting hold of what seems to be an eternal record, but yesterday's goal also helped Ovechkin pass Oates in career points; 5 more points will move him ahead of Trottier too.
It's like saying IPhone is Nokia 2.0I'm saying Ovi is the 2.0 version of him
If Ovechkin played all 82 games he would have 3 Rosses (top PPG 3 years in a row)If Crosby played all 82 games the year Ovi won his Art Ross, who knows if Ovi would have won it, they were scoring at the same pace
Hull never had top PPG his best was #3 playing with Oates who factored in up to 60% of his points. And Oates wasn't a product of Brett, Adam peaked when he left to Boston.Ovi wouldn't have a Ross if he played with Gretzky in his prime like Hull did
Gretzky was 3rd in scoring his 2nd last year and his last year, he missed 12 games…he was still top 20 in terms of production….far from spent, but in his standards, yeah I guess.Thank you.
So, Gretzky was 33rd in points that year. This proves my point even better. He was clearly spent. But he kept sticking around until clearing Gordie's all-time professional goals record. This was acknowledged at the time but, naturally, for the reasons already stated, NHL downplayed this record.
For some inexplicable reason, people think this is some kind of slight on Ovechkin. It's not. It's additional praise for Howe and Gretzky but, because Ovy also put up goals in another professional league, it's all fair.
It's as if some people here are on Bettman's payroll. Not to mention, can't think outside the box.