Ovechkin Milestone Thread - Countdown to 894 (Continued)

[filinski77]

49 goals in his last 74 games going back to last season.

These totals are from January 27, 2024 until today. January 27 was when he started to turn his season around.

Gretzky's birthday is January 26.

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39 year old Ovi keeping pace with Prime aged Matthews is all you need to know whenever a leafs fan tries to put Matthews on Ovi’s level.

 

[Calderon]

I was just looking at Gretzky's final season. He went into that season at 37 years old and ended it at age 38.

Only 9 goals in his final season and 1 goal in his last 20 games and 2 goals in his last 30 games

I guess he knew it was time to hang them up even though coming back for one more season to hit 900 must have been tempting.

The greats like him know when it's time to walk away.

Gotta respect that.

As lucky as Gretzky was, playing his prime in the high flying 80s, he was a bit unlucky to have the dawn of his career coincide with the dead puck era. Had he been 38 in 2005-06's scoring environment I think he'd still be competing with Jagr and Thornton for the Ross. But this is a first world problem kind of thing, lol.

 

[Drake1588]

Am I the only asshole irritated that people can't seem to agree on whether the community should be counting down to tying or passing the record? (e.g., some counts are at 16, others at 15, this AM.)

I don't have a preference, but pick one. How hard is this?

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

thats a good call.

And Matthews has winger numbers. Bit of a flip flop here... maybe like St. Louis and Stamkos 15 years ago.

Both Marner and Matthews are kind of unicorns. You would think they play opposite positions. But yeah, I think people way underestimate Marner because they focus on playoffs results or his occasional shortcomings. That said, to date he is the #1 winger in NHL history for assists per game played. The only Centres ahead of him are: Gretzky, Lemieux, McDavid, Forsberg, Stastny, Oates. There are 3 d-men ahead: Orr, Hughes, Coffey.

 

[Mulletman]

Am I the only asshole irritated that people can't seem to agree on whether the community should be counting down to tying or passing the record? (e.g., some counts are at 16, others at 15, this AM.)

I don't have a preference, but pick one. How hard is this?

No, you're not. But the longer you're on this site you'll realize that most around here aren't able to do basic math let alone make any future predictions based on math. It's tiresome to have to prove people right time and time again around here, as I was one of the few who pointed out that Ovechkin would break Gretzky's goal record back in 2013...

 

[Toby91ca]

and covid, and a half year strike (Gretzky also experienced this in 94)

Ovechkin has missed close to two years, none of which were really in his prime, but, his goalscoring has been consistent throughout. Hard to think he wouldnt have about 950 or so right now.

Let's not bring in "what ifs" though.....you can pile up a bunch of those for any player.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Am I the only asshole irritated that people can't seem to agree on whether the community should be counting down to tying or passing the record? (e.g., some counts are at 16, others at 15, this AM.)

I don't have a preference, but pick one. How hard is this?

Sharing the record with Gretzky is a big deal.

Exceeding the record is a big deal.

So, they're kinda both right?

 

[Toby91ca]

No, you're not. But the longer you're on this site you'll realize that most around here aren't able to do basic math let alone make any future predictions based on math. It's tiresome to have to prove people right time and time again around here, as I was one of the few who pointed out that Ovechkin would break Gretzky's goal record back in 2013...

But if you were someone pointing out that OV would break the record back in 2013, you would have simply been a dreamer. You wouldn't say back then that it can't happen, it's impossible, etc....it just would have been way too early to even starting thinking about it....he hadn't even gotten to 400 goals at that point.

Honestly, people are laughed at for suggesting Matthews could have a chance to pass OV and they point to him having more goals at the same age (Matthews at 388 goals, OV at 342 goals). I'd agree with the laughing though....it's WAY TOO EARLY....Matthews doesn't even have 400 goals yet, let's stop thinking about whether he'll score 900 until we get a little closer. Same would have been true for OV though....with his 342 goals...at that same age, Gretzky had 583 goals. Suggesting OV would break the record at that time doesn't make someone smarter than anyone else, it's just a lucky guess.....or more that most people wouldn't have given it any thought until some more time passed.....even if a player is tracking towards something.....if they are at the 40% mark, it's just too early to have much of a discussion on it.

Sharing the record with Gretzky is a big deal.

Exceeding the record is a big deal.

So, they're kinda both right?

100%.....it will absolutely be a bit deal when he scores 894. So yeah, both right. To be fair, once he scores 895, goal 894 becomes irrelevant.

I'll be honest, I have no recollection at all of Gretzky's goal #801. I'm sure if I found a replay of it I'd remember, but can't picture it in my mind....but 802 I definitely can.

 

[Hippasus]

Am I the only asshole irritated that people can't seem to agree on whether the community should be counting down to tying or passing the record? (e.g., some counts are at 16, others at 15, this AM.)

I don't have a preference, but pick one. How hard is this?

For me, beating 894 is the main event. So 16.

 

[Toby91ca]

For me, beating 894 is the main event. So 16.

True...but if he scores 894 and then has a career ending injury, he'll still be in the record books at the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer, he'd just be sharing it with someone else.....but yes, 895 is the big one, but 894 is certainly a big milestone as well.