Ovechkin Milestone Thread - Countdown to 894 (Continued)

[1989]

Online you find a lot of people who don't want to see Ovechkin break the record. They always seem to try and move the goal posts as well to discredit him.

Things like:


1) ENGs
2) More games to get there
3) WHA totals should count
4) Playoff goals should count
4) No 2 line offside
5) 3 on 3 OT
6) HGH, TRT, steroids, etc
7) Shot totals
8) Only scores PP goals
9) ?
10) ?

You forgot "not being Canadian" and then also "Russian", specifically.

 

[McShogun99]

I still don’t know why this is even a consideration. Ovi has 62 ENG and Gretzky has 56. Real big difference there.

Next it will be how Ovi has more PP goals because they somehow are worth less than 5x5 goals.

 

[Toby91ca]

I still don’t know why this is even a consideration. Ovi has 62 ENG and Gretzky has 56. Real big difference there.

Probably a recency thing.....has to be really. I don't ever remember thinking about Gretzky scoring ENG....but he obviously did. Obviously I've seen him score some empty net goals (one being one of the most iconic goals of his career....not because it was a great goal or anything)....what I mean, I don't ever remember it being a discussion. If I go back and check the stats, it's likely partly because he only scored 7 in his final 5 seasons and some of the seasons where he put up a lot, he was also scoring a ton more, example, 6 ENG in 1984, but he scored 87 goals that year. That said, he did score 4 ENG out of 41 in 1990-91 and 6 out of 31 in 1991-92.

The other thing....internet. I actually don't think it's much of a thing at all amongst general hockey fans....but the haters will look him, saying he's so slow now and he's slumping and then the first goal he scores in a while is an ENG....they probably love and come to the internet to talk about it. There is also a huge spotlight on him right now as he heads towards the record and he's scored 23 ENG's in the last 3.5 years, including 5 out of 22 this year. It's an easy dig from a hater, but the reality is, he was playing pretty well earlier in the year. I don't tend to get too caught up in the numbers because he could put some goals on the board and still be playing like garbage, but he was playing pretty good, moving around pretty good. At the same time the year earlier he actually looked like he was getting close to finished. He looked really bad out there and the goals weren't there either. It was a pretty huge bounce back. I'll admit, a year ago I was thinking....he might not get to the record, now it's a matter of guessing when it happens (i.e. can it do it this year or will we have to wait).

I'll leave you with this. If there is a player in the NHL that isn't getting crapped on by a bunch of people online, it's probably because he is not that great of a player.

 

[Toby91ca]

You forgot "not being Canadian" and then also "Russian", specifically.

I'm not sure how big of a deal that really is. Perhaps for casual fans? Personally, I'm Canadian and I'll root for Team Canada in international competition of course, but I don't think I've ever been too biased towards a Cdn player vs. from some other country. Perhaps I'll have a special spot for someone from my hometown, but not Canada as a whole. Example, when I was a kid, Messier was my favourite player, then it was Fedorov. There are certain players I don't like very much, but more based on their personality vs. where they are from.

 

[RI.B FAN]

eng

 

[BallardEra]

eng

Yep, pasta had one last night too.

 

[Caps8112]

they really need to start showing gretzkys pic at age 39 or whatever when he retired. Every "the chase" ad or image showing Gretzky and Ovi always shows teenage gretzky in edmonton and then old man ovi. Makes it look like Ovi played 1000 years to catch 19 year old gretzky

 

[tfwnogf]

I love when Ovi scores empty netters cause it triggers the ones that hate him a goal's a goal!

 

[1989]

I'm not sure how big of a deal that really is. Perhaps for casual fans? Personally, I'm Canadian and I'll root for Team Canada in international competition of course, but I don't think I've ever been too biased towards a Cdn player vs. from some other country. Perhaps I'll have a special spot for someone from my hometown, but not Canada as a whole. Example, when I was a kid, Messier was my favourite player, then it was Fedorov. There are certain players I don't like very much, but more based on their personality vs. where they are from.

I'm just willing to say it happens, and to say that it is enough of a consideration that if it were Crosby or McDavid or MacKinnon or Stamkos or some other elite Canadian scorer chasing the record, we'd hear fewer arguments/complaints, at least around these parts. I don't think many of the arguments are valid as presented anyways, but I think nationalism often tints those arguments, even on a subconscious level.

Personally, I'm sport first, then national, then corporate and sport is far ahead. If it's good for the sport, it's good enough for me.

 

[BallardEra]

 

[Ratelleitlikeitis]

Wayne gretzky’s skill so rare and bright
doth weave his plays like stars that light the night
no master of the puck hath come so near
his genius unmatched and vision clear
Then ovie bold in his tireless quest
to score the most and rise above the rest
his shots like arows swift doth pierce the sky
and soon his name in legend should not die

Lovely ode…I still remember Vitas hitting the up the lane winner at the USOpen before crashing into the flower pots. What a player.

No one can can deny that Ovi is also the king of ENG.

 

[Susannah]

If empty net goals bother you, just do not look up who has the most empty net points in NHL history....

 

[Toby91ca]

If empty net goals bother you, just do not look up who has the most empty net points in NHL history....

But why? Not that empty net goals bother me, but your point is a bit odd. Are you suggesting if we remove all empty net points Gretzky's lead over 2nd all-time point scorer right now of 936pts would drop to 901pts and wouldn't really look that good anymore?

 

[RI.B FAN]

Yep, pasta had one last night too.

On a regular shift, 1 minute left in a 1-0 game. Not a 3 minute shift with no other ambition other than adding to his own PERSONAL total.

 

[COHawk]

I still don’t know why this is even a consideration. Ovi has 62 ENG and Gretzky has 56. Real big difference there.

If he beats Gretzky's record by 6+ goals, will the ENG haters shut up?

 

[Block]

He has been looking pretty bad since coming back from his injury not gonna lie. Not getting many chances at all, limping a little bit right now, but still scoring some.
But how many times havent he looked like this only to turn it around and all of a sudden look great again? He did it last season, he did it this season already where he didnt look that great first couple of games of the season. He'll probably do it again.

He's actually been better the last couple of games, multiple shifts where he delivers some hits, forces turnovers, breaks up passes, etc. Still some recovery needed, but there's signs of improvement.

 

[AD1066]

On a regular shift, 1 minute left in a 1-0 game. Not a 3 minute shift with no other ambition other than adding to his own PERSONAL total.

Ovi is setting a bad example for the children.

 

[Sparky]

On a regular shift, 1 minute left in a 1-0 game. Not a 3 minute shift with no other ambition other than adding to his own PERSONAL total.

If this source is reliable it looks like Ovi scored his on a 0:35 shift with 3:28 left in the game. Had another 0:43 shift afterwards with the goalie back in. Where'd you get three minutes from?

ShiftChart - Hockey Shift Data Visualization

 

[wetcoast]

He's actually been better the last couple of games, multiple shifts where he delivers some hits, forces turnovers, breaks up passes, etc. Still some recovery needed, but there's signs of improvement.

He's 39 what you see is what you are going to get at this point and he will break the record but 39 year old players just don't drive play, heck a lot of the greats don't even make it to 39.

Let's just enjoy the record chase and leave it at that.

 

[DitchMarner]

Another empty net goal? Lmao

You really need to learn to pick your spots, man...

There's a time to talk trash and there is a time to duck and hide.

What exactly are your Penguins playing for? Is it to keep Crosby's PPG streak alive while finishing 11th in the East and missing out on a high draft pick? Seriously, what is the MO?

After a stretch of decent play, the Penguins had an opportunity to make a statement and get two points closer to the Ottawa Senators and they laid an egg, losing 5-0. They then wasted a good first period in a 5-2 loss to the Lightning and then choked in the third period against the Kraken, losing 4-2. After a surprising win over LA, they lost 5-1 to the lowly Ducks...

Here are some appealing numbers...

But you're out here chirping a guy whose team is first in the NHL for salting away a game with an empty net goal, and this seems like rational behavior to you?

 

[Caps8112]

for the empty net haters or just ovi haters in general, just for a moment lets pretend he isnt the stat padding asshole you all think he is, what is he supposed to do? NHL journalists, reporters, writers and whoever else have been asking about Gretzkys goal record for likely the last 10-15 years. His fan base wants him to break the record. Believe it or not, there are a lot of non capitals fans that would like to see him break the record. So say he doesnt care about the record (im sure he does, how could you not), should he have just told his team, fanbase, writers, the hockey world, sorry guys ive slowed down quite a bit in my 20 whateverish season at age 39-40, I think ill just retire. He is damned no matter what he does. The truth is always somewhere in the middle. I guarantee you someone who spent their entire life training to be who he is, has to care about the record. Crosby cares about his achievements too, no matter how much people on here would like to make you believe otherwise. You dont get to where these guys have gotten without drive.

 

[BobCole]

Anybody hating on OV at this point is irredeemable, and I say this as a Pens fan. Incredible to watch him chase down a record that seemed unbreakable. Here's to hoping he does it this season.

 

[Randyne]

On a regular shift, 1 minute left in a 1-0 game. Not a 3 minute shift with no other ambition other than adding to his own PERSONAL total.

Top 125 forwards by Time on ice against empty net last 3 seasons (Pasta is #10 by TOI, try to find Ovechkin):

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Anybody hating on OV at this point is irredeemable, and I say this as a Pens fan. Incredible to watch him chase down a record that seemed unbreakable. Here's to hoping he does it this season.

I'm an Oiler homer who watched the dynasty in the 80's who'd be thrilled to watch OV break Gretzky's record.

It's freaking phenomenal, and might be only one of Gretzky's records broken in my lifetime.

And I don't care what anyone says. It puts into context just how dominant 99 was. He scored THIS many goals while being primarily known as a playmaker.

 

[BobCole]

I'm an Oiler homer who watched the dynasty in the 80's who'd be thrilled to watch OV break Gretzky's record.

It's freaking phenomenal, and might be only one of Gretzky's records broken in my lifetime.

And I don't care what anyone says. It puts into context just how dominant 99 was. He scored THIS many goals while being primarily known as a playmaker.

Not to mention having his goal scoring abilities severely eroded due to injury before he was 30...