Ovechkin milestone thread - 850 and Beyond!

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

31 goals in his last 48 games since Jan 27th. That's a 53 goal pace - only Kaprizov and Matthews have more in that span.

Pretty insane from a guy who turns 40 in 10 months. He's an athletic freak.

I think he could get too 900 this season.

 

[The Panther]

Pretty insane from a guy who turns 40 in 10 months. He's an athletic freak

Yes he is. The longevity is one thing, but xe've seen that in a handful of other players. But the durability is just insane. Never seen anything like it.

I mean, I guess to partly explain it, his parents are both athletes, so that helps genetically, and NHL rough-play has declined as he's gotten older, which probably helps, too. But any way you slice it, he's a freak.

 

[Kuz]

The first line is playing really well and Ovi is a big part of it. Strome aswell have turned in to a 1C. Then Protas is looking like a stud aswell. Second line have also been amazing so far with CMM, PLD and Wilson. Get the PP working and things look good for Ovi.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Yes he is. The longevity is one thing, but xe've seen that in a handful of other players. But the durability is just insane. Never seen anything like it.

I mean, I guess to partly explain it, his parents are both athletes, so that helps genetically, and NHL rough-play has declined as he's gotten older, which probably helps, too. But any way you slice it, he's a freak.

I think his style has helped a lot too. He's obviously a physical force, and loves to throw the body, but he takes shockingly few hits for a guy who throws so many hits. In fact, in the last 3 seasons, nobody has a higher ratio of hits given to hits received (>1,500 mins).

He's received only 1.46 hits/60 in the last 3 seasons, meaning he gets hit less than once every 2 games. The only forward in the sample who took less hits per minute than Alex Ovechkin was the late great Johnny Gaudreau (1.33).

That doesn't make his longevity and durability less impressive, but it definitely helps when you're 6'3 240lbs and taking less contact than guys like Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin lol.

 

[BallardEra]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1854328614361178398

 

[Acallabeth]

I think his style has helped a lot too. He's obviously a physical force, and loves to throw the body, but he takes shockingly few hits for a guy who throws so many hits. In fact, in the last 3 seasons, nobody has a higher ratio of hits given to hits received (>1,500 mins).

He's received only 1.46 hits/60 in the last 3 seasons, meaning he gets hit less than once every 2 games. The only forward in the sample who took less hits per minute than Alex Ovechkin was the late great Johnny Gaudreau (1.33).

That doesn't make his longevity and durability less impressive, but it definitely helps when you're 6'3 240lbs and taking less contact than guys like Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin lol.

It's a very interesting stat, as Ovechkin isn't exactly elusive. Young Ovechkin used to recieve enormous hits.
I think AO carrying the puck far less the last several years explains it partially (Alex playing injured and getting rid of the puck ASAP to avoid getting hit isn't out of question too), and, of course, AO famously led the NHL in PP TOI over that period.

 

[stephenball]

He's going to finish with over 900 goals, that's 20 years at 45+ goals a season.

It’s funny how just writing something out can put it in such a different perspective. This just seems insane. I feel like both halves are notable. First, playing in the league for 20 years is super impressive, it’s really difficult to have that kind of longevity. Then 45 goals is a great goal scoring season, that can’t be argued. A player would be thrilled to have a 45 goal season, but to do it on average every year for 20 years? Insanity.

 

[gtrower]

T5th…ES goals (7)
6th…..ES points (13)
T3rd…On-ice ES GD (+11)

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Imagine if he wins the rocket this year

 

[gtrower]

Imagine if he wins the rocket this year

McDavid missing time. Matthews slow start. Great start for Ovi. If the Caps PP can figure it out he might be in the hunt.

 

[Randyne]

 

[Lshap]

The first line is playing really well and Ovi is a big part of it. Strome aswell have turned in to a 1C. Then Protas is looking like a stud aswell. Second line have also been amazing so far with CMM, PLD and Wilson. Get the PP working and things look good for Ovi.

If Strome stays hot, Ovechkin could break the record this season. It's still a longshot, given the normal ups and downs of a long season, but so far Washington's 1st line looks great. Gorgeous pass from Strome to Ovi last night!

 

[AD1066]

It's a very interesting stat, as Ovechkin isn't exactly elusive. Young Ovechkin used to recieve enormous hits.
I think AO carrying the puck far less the last several years explains it partially (Alex playing injured and getting rid of the puck ASAP to avoid getting hit isn't out of question too), and, of course, AO famously led the NHL in PP TOI over that period.

I think the legends of the game are given a certain level of respect late in their careers. You could see it with Jagr; nobody was going to risk running the guy and forever being known as the one who ended his career.

(And of course, he and Ovi are brick-****houses so hitting them in the first place was never enjoyable.)

 

[stephenball]

If they just wear the black eagle jersey every game the Rocket would be a slam dunk. Saw the stat that in the 8 games they’ve played in those jerseys Ovechkin has 12 goals and 4 assists.

But yeah, one thing helping is Dylan Strome continuing to improve every year and having pretty good chemistry with Ovechkin. Not bad for a guy making 5 million a year for 3 more years that the Caps didn’t have to give up a single asset for.

 

[zappa4ever]

It's a very interesting stat, as Ovechkin isn't exactly elusive. Young Ovechkin used to recieve enormous hits.
I think AO carrying the puck far less the last several years explains it partially (Alex playing injured and getting rid of the puck ASAP to avoid getting hit isn't out of question too), and, of course, AO famously led the NHL in PP TOI over that period.

Young OV avoided hits better than anyone, dude had eyes in the back of his head the first 5 or 6 years;
I've never seen anyone with the awareness of incoming hits and the ability to either avoid them or level them with a reverse hit
I'd say he threw at least 25 monster hits to every 1 he rec'd; seemed like he only got tagged a cpl times a year for a loO0onng time

'member when every HF OV hater said ad nauseum "just wait until he gets his, I can't wait" -- (they're still waiting )

The league had to intervene with multi-suspensions for being "too much man" finally with the Soupy Campbell hit v CHI for them to get some success in neutering him

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

McDavid missing time. Matthews slow start. Great start for Ovi. If the Caps PP can figure it out he might be in the hunt.

Pasta is a bit under pace as well but obviously still early for everyone. Reinhart and Caulfied on fire though and a bunch of other players up there as well.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

It's a very interesting stat, as Ovechkin isn't exactly elusive. Young Ovechkin used to recieve enormous hits.
I think AO carrying the puck far less the last several years explains it partially (Alex playing injured and getting rid of the puck ASAP to avoid getting hit isn't out of question too), and, of course, AO famously led the NHL in PP TOI over that period.

Yeah there was definitely a step change after he hit his late 20's, and then another big drop to current levels right around the time he turned 32:

Interesting how his hits taken dropped off so much (and so consistently), but he's still throwing hits at nearly the same pace as earlier in his career.

 

[895]

Strome has taken another step and Protas has taken another two steps. I think they are the biggest reason Ovechkin has looked so much better. That and he's gone from unlucky to lucky.

 

[Toby91ca]

Yeah there was definitely a step change after he hit his late 20's, and then another big drop to current levels right around the time he turned 32:

View attachment 927297

Interesting how his hits taken dropped off so much (and so consistently), but he's still throwing hits at nearly the same pace as earlier in his career.

I honestly think this is very easily explained, for a few reasons..perhaps some are guesses though: 1) Age and respect...there are a fair amount of players in this league that grew up idolizing him, he's a legend to them...it's a respect thing....same is true with Crosby....people probably went after both of these guys hard earlier in their careers and it's not like that anymore 2) he doesn't play the type of game anymore where people think they need to go out and hit him to keep him at Bay...compare to MacKinnon for example...not sure what the stats show, but I'd think people would want to stop him with a hit before he builds up speed...who knows, total guess 3) he simply doesn't have possession of the puck as much....no stats to back this up, I'm sure they exist, but I'd be shocked if his puck possession it's significantly lower now than it used to be.

 

[User9992]

McDavid missing time. Matthews slow start. Great start for Ovi. If the Caps PP can figure it out he might be in the hunt.

Doubt it. Capitals' PP has been the worst in the entire league last few years.

If they just wear the black eagle jersey every game the Rocket would be a slam dunk. Saw the stat that in the 8 games they’ve played in those jerseys Ovechkin has 12 goals and 4 assists.

But yeah, one thing helping is Dylan Strome continuing to improve every year and having pretty good chemistry with Ovechkin. Not bad for a guy making 5 million a year for 3 more years that the Caps didn’t have to give up a single asset for.

I wonder how would score Ovi if he had Kucherov or Prime Kane on Right Wing.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Is it time to talk about the Ovechkin elevation effect?

Dylan Strome was looking like a bust, heading to his 3rd NHL team after not receiving a Qualifying Offer in Chicago, a guy that would never be more than a potential Bad Team Scorer and in real danger of falling out of the League. Now he's Top 10 in points. You never if the Center-Winger dynamic were flipped, people would be all over saying he made a bum who he was.

 

[Praetorian Caps]

Yes he is. The longevity is one thing, but xe've seen that in a handful of other players. But the durability is just insane. Never seen anything like it.

I mean, I guess to partly explain it, his parents are both athletes, so that helps genetically, and NHL rough-play has declined as he's gotten older, which probably helps, too. But any way you slice it, he's a freak.

 

[cupface52]

Would love to see Ovechkin break the 900 goal mark this year, and it's a real possibility. His 20% shooting, while above his career norm, every player(17 of them) with at least 8 goals, is at least over 20% shooting, except for 3. 32 players scored 7+ goals, only 6 are under 20% sh%.

While he has a very unsustainable 21.7% ES on-ice sh%, the caps won't be bottom of the barrel on the PP all year(9.3%). So while his ES production will drop off this year, his PP production will go up.

Ovie is on track for the 2nd best season by a player aged 38 or older, behind only 40 year old Howe, who finished 3rd in scoring(44g, 103p). No other player scored 40 goals, or over 85 points after age 38.

Doubt it. Capitals' PP has been the worst in the entire league last few years

Whats the point of making up complete BS. They ranked 16th over the previous 2 years with a 20.9% average, this year they're an abysmal 9.3%. Second worst? Buffalo with 12.8%.