Ovechkin Milestone Thread - Countdown to 894 (Continued)

[Boxscore]

If someone had told us, heading into the lockout, that a player would emerge who would break Gretzky's goal-scoring record, we would have had them committed. This is an amazing feat by Ovechkin.

 

[ovikovy817]

If someone had told us, heading into the lockout, that a player would emerge who would break Gretzky's goal-scoring record, we would have had them committed. This is an amazing feat by Ovechkin.

The haters will understand later, in 10-20 years, what Ovi is trying to achieve.

 

[Zuluss]

Top 125 forwards by Time on ice against empty net last 3 seasons (Pasta is #10 by TOI, try to find Ovechkin):
View attachment 966722

I think you should try to re-sort this on GF/GA ratio. That would present a very compelling argument as to why it makes sense to send Ovechkin on the ice when the opposing team pulls a goalie. GA/TOI will also look rather good.

 

[Randyne]

I think you should try to re-sort this on GF/GA ratio. That would present a very compelling argument as to why it makes sense to send Ovechkin on the ice when the opposing team pulls a goalie. GA/TOI will also look rather good.

Top forwards last 3 seasons by GF% against empty net (with at least 10 GF; OV #15, Pasta #81):

 

[Mulletman]

With 22 goals so far Ovechkin has scored 2 more goals this season than he still needs to score in order to break the record. It's starting to get close...

 

[BomaLightDevils]

does playoff count on the milestone

 

[Toby91ca]

does playoff count on the milestone

Nope

 

[Calderon]

Just to stir the pot, anyone got the numbers of GWG that aren't ENG or OTG? How does Ovi fare against Gretzky in that category?

 

[Fantomas]

Online you find a lot of people who don't want to see Ovechkin break the record.

A very loud and abrasive minority. They scream the loudest so it's hard to ignore them, but I've never seen Ovy get more love than he's gotten recently. Even the Crosby boys like him now.

Ovechkin being older has something to do with it too. It's hard to hate on a guy who's dragging his old body around the ice in pursuit of one of the greatest records in league history. It's like watching Rocky defy the odds. What kind of person could hate this?

 

[gtrower]

Just to stir the pot, anyone got the numbers of GWG that aren't ENG or OTG? How does Ovi fare against Gretzky in that category?

Ovi is 2nd all time GWGs with 134 (1 behind Jagr). Gretzky is 22nd all time with 91.

Ovi is 1st all time with 27 OTGs. I believe Gretzky has 2 regular season OTGs but my source might be wrong?

An ENG that is also a GWG would be exceedingly rare. It would take a team down 1 conceding an ENG and then still scoring one of their own after (or some variation of that) or a late season situation where a game was tied but one team had to have the regulation W so pulled their goaltender anyway. I don’t know how to check for that, but I’m going to assume both had zero for these purposes.

So give or take a couple for the ENG/GWG unknown, Ovi has about 107 GWGs that weren’t ENG/OTG and Gretzky has about 89.

 

[NVious]

does playoff count on the milestone

Gretzky has 1016 total goals (playoff+season included)

Ovechkin has 947, if he gets 25 more this year (including playoffs), he would only be 44 back of Gretzky total, pretty doable as I think the Caps should get at least to the 2nd round this year.

 

[pnep]

Just to stir the pot, anyone got the numbers of GWG that aren't ENG or OTG? How does Ovi fare against Gretzky in that category?

GWG (NO OTG or ENG, Seasons 1917-2024)

GWG_NOOT_NOEN

tinyurl.com

GWPTS (NO OTG or ENG, Seasons 1917-2024)

GWPTS_NOOT_NOEN

tinyurl.com

 

[trellaine201]

does playoff count on the milestone

OT goals count? :p shootout goals? Gretzky had lots of those

 

[BallardEra]

eng

Another one for Pasta today!

 

[Hockey Outsider]

If someone had told us, heading into the lockout, that a player would emerge who would break Gretzky's goal-scoring record, we would have had them committed. This is an amazing feat by Ovechkin.

The only way it would have been conceivable 20 years ago, would have been by assuming that leaguewide scoring returned to levels from 1980's. What makes it so impressive is how far Ovechkin is ahead of the competition. He's at 870-something. During that time, only three other players have reached 500 goals (and only one, barely, has reached 600).

 

[Gerulaitis]

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.

you're too kind !
glad you remember Vitas. he was a legend

 

[abax44]

but there's a reason Ovie is out there when the net is empty

Is it to break the record?

 

[Randyne]

Cool video with jaw-dropping stats

 

[Gerulaitis]

Here in Sweden, the level of hate against all things Russian is no joke, its on the level of Trump hate and Musk hate

I wonder why!

Is it jealousy because Ovechkin scores more than Håkan Loob?

 

[Toby91ca]

Gretzky has 1016 total goals (playoff+season included)

Ovechkin has 947, if he gets 25 more this year (including playoffs), he would only be 44 back of Gretzky total, pretty doable as I think the Caps should get at least to the 2nd round this year.

Never thought of this, but yeah, this is totally going to come up when he passes 894. It wasn’t an issue when Gretzky passed Howe’s 801…he was way ahead already when considering playoff goals. Similar discussions came up though…what about total professional goals since Howe played some time in WHA…not entirely fair as it was an inferior league. Gretzky eventually passed that as well though

 

[Gerulaitis]

I am sorry to say this, but there is a perfectly valid reason for this. Have we forgotten what Russia is doing in Ukraine? And May I remind you that Mr. Alex Ovetškin has refused to remove the big @SS portrait of Vladimir Putin from his Instagram profile? Before someone tell me what does that matter, hockey is not political - it absolutely is political in Russia. Ovie holds tremendous influence also on the Russian audience, so to me it is perfectly clear why refused to do that. He approves the 3-day special Military Operation like so many other "ordinary" Russians. So yeah, feel free to judge me on my harsh words, but I think we are responsible for our or sometimes inactions - especially if you are an influental person like Ovie.

I used to be the biggest Ovie fan, but I gotta admit I have lost respect for the guy when he just refused to stand up what is right. If Ovie breaks the record, good for him and the game on of hockey. But on other hands, I am one of those who agree with Dominik Hasek, who thinks players like Ovie who approve Putin's actions shouldn't play in the NHL. Such terrible are the actions of Russians in Ukraine...

It's about hockey, not politics.

PS. Fortunately, the NHL bosses are much smarter than you and Hasek