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.

View attachment 973793

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.

 

[Mulletman]

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.

All the signs were starting to point to Ovechkin breaking Gretzky's goal record by 2013. Ovechkin had just made a comeback and won both the Rocket and the Hart in 2013 and he started the 2013-14 season on fire with 20 goals in 22 games. The NHL was clearly getting softer and softer by every year and people started to point out that Ovechkin seems to be extra durable. Hockey players were also playing longer than before with both Jagr and Selanne still playing.

Selanne especially was a big sign that Ovechkin could break Gretzky's goal record, as he was playing his last season in 2013-14 and while his weels were falling off at 43 he ended up scoring 232 goals after his 35th bithday, all while sitting out almost a year at 37, slizing up his foot at 38, breaking both his jaw and finger at 39 and suffering form a nagging hip problem at 40. Ovechkin was bigger, stronger and more durable than Selanne and it seemed clear that Ovechkin had all the potential to score more than Selanne after turning 35. Ovechkin now has 173 goals after turning 35 so with another 60 goals he'll pass him as I always predicted he would. At that point Ovechkin will have 939 goals and counting...

With Matthews the main problem seems durability. Matthews clearly has the talent and greed to surpass Ovechkin in goals, but he seems to fall way short on durability and that will most likely cost him in the end...

 

[Randyne]

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

His career was perfect timing and he got the best out of it.
He played in The dead puck era only 2 seasons. His last 2 seasons.
15 years league scoring was higher than any of Ovechkin seasons:

 

[kugelbahn]

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?

Jersey number counter in this thread started when OV scored 795, with Gretz #99.
We (Alexander the Gr8, AlexModvechkin8, andrjusha) keep it consistent to 894 since then.

Some other screenshots of counters (eg from twitter) to 895 are occasionally posted but authentic jersey number counter here is to catch Great One.

Post in thread 'Ovechkin Milestone Thread - Countdown to 894'

Dec 9, 2022

Ovi is Wayne Gretzky goals away from Wayne Gretzky. The fact that he’s under triple digits seems unbelievable to me.

• AlexModvechkin8

• 

 

[Toby91ca]

All the signs were starting to point to Ovechkin breaking Gretzky's goal record by 2013. Ovechkin had just made a comeback and won both the Rocket and the Hart in 2013 and he started the 2013-14 season on fire with 20 goals in 22 games. The NHL was clearly getting softer and softer by every year and people started to point out that Ovechkin seems to be extra durable. Hockey players were also playing longer than before with both Jagr and Selanne still playing.

Selanne especially was a big sign that Ovechkin could break Gretzky's goal record, as he was playing his last season in 2013-14 and while his weels were falling off at 43 he ended up scoring 232 goals after his 35th bithday, all while sitting out almost a year at 37, slizing up his foot at 38, breaking both his jaw and finger at 39 and suffering form a nagging hip problem at 40. Ovechkin was bigger, stronger and more durable than Selanne and it seemed clear that Ovechkin had all the potential to score more than Selanne after turning 35. Ovechkin now has 173 goals after turning 35 so with another 60 goals he'll pass him as I always predicted he would. At that point Ovechkin will have 939 goals and counting...

With Matthews the main problem seems durability. Matthews clearly has the talent and greed to surpass Ovechkin in goals, but he seems to fall way short on durability and that will most likely cost him in the end...

I don't dispute any of that....agree, he was scoring at a rate that made it somewhat believable and not impossible if you starting projecting out....I just thought it would have been way too early to do it since there were still so may things that could derail it. 1) he wasn't even close to half way there yet, so too early in my mind....period, 2) project out to if he played until 40....most guys don't play that long, some play quite a bit longer, but it's a very short list, etc....point is projecting someone to play until 40 is already going well beyond the norm, 3) projecting that he plays that long + doesn't miss many games....that's even more rare and 4) projecting he plays that long, doesn't miss many games and keeps scoring at a high rate.....all those variables had to fall in place. Honestly, if someone would have asked me back then, I would have said I don't think he'd do it....but I actually wouldn't have bene thinking about it at all because it would have been too early.

Many people talk about the goals record as being one of the records you thought would never be broken. I wasn't one of them, it actually seems somewhat reasonable to get there when you starting looking at what players have been able to do and if you start making projections. It's not like the 2,857pts which seems completely out of reach, but as noted, too many variables need to fall in place to get to 894 to start really thinking about it that soon. I mean, if someone was sitting at 500+ goals at 28....that would be different....less variables would be at play.....but even then, it's hard to start thinking about hitting a record when you still need to score 400 goals (that's a GREAT career for almost everyone....but doing that with the career you have left, starting at 28....that's a stretch to start thinking about.....not a dismissal, but more of a "let's talk about it in a few years". And OV needed 500+ goals from that age.

 

[Dingo]

His career was perfect timing and he got the best out of it.
He played in The dead puck era only 2 seasons. His last 2 seasons.
15 years league scoring was higher than any of Ovechkin seasons:
View attachment 973831

not quite perfect timing. starting in about 73 would have been perfect timing.

Funny, I believe that Ovechkin has aged much better as a goalscorer than Wayne, but their eras exaggerate this a lot - Wayne went from the highest scoring era to the lowest, while Ovechkin went from second lowest to highest since early 90s.

 

[BallardEra]

Ovechkin is currently at 404 goals scored from 30 years of age and on:

Howe - 415
Esposito - 409
Ovechkin - 404
Bucyk - 374
Selanne - 338
Brett Hull - 328
Dionne - 321
Messier - 314
Jagr - 306
Gartner - 304

 

[M2Beezy]

His career was perfect timing and he got the best out of it.
He played in The dead puck era only 2 seasons. His last 2 seasons.
15 years league scoring was higher than any of Ovechkin seasons:
View attachment 973831

Wow thats a fascinating chart. Thanks for sharing it, really shows what Ovi is doing is just so dam impressive on another level

 

[AD1066]

Ovechkin is currently at 404 goals scored from 30 years of age and on:

Howe - 415
Esposito - 409
Ovechkin - 404
Bucyk - 374
Selanne - 338
Brett Hull - 328
Dionne - 321
Messier - 314
Jagr - 306
Gartner - 304

400 goals is a respectable career for the majority of players. Only 9 active players have that many (Benn, Matthews, Draisaitl, Pastrnak are all on the cusp).

edit: "respectable" may be selling it short, as there's only about 110 guys in history that have surpassed that mark. If you hit 400 goals, you've had a great career.

 

[Chelis Chili]

OVECHKIN CONTINUES THE GR8 CHASE, EXTENDS GOAL STREAK TO FOUR GAMES
Alex Ovechkin (1-0—1) and The Gr8 Chase highlighted a fourth straight Capitals game as Washington (36-11-7, 79 points) edged Philadelphia and reclaimed top spot in the NHL standings from idle Winnipeg (38-14-3, 79 points). Ovechkin – 16 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record – scored his 51st against the Flyers and tied his second-highest total against a single franchise (also 51 vs. CAR).

* The Capitals captain scored his first goal against Flyers goaltender Ivan Fedotov – the 180th different netminder he’s tallied against. Since Ovechkin entered the NHL in 2005-06, he’s scored against nearly half of all the goaltenders that have played at least one game (180 of 369; 49%). Overall, he has scored against 84% of the goaltenders he’s played against (180 of 215).

* Ovechkin’s tally marked the 98th time he has scored within the final 60 seconds of any period – tied with Wayne Gretzky for the most in NHL history – and the 35th career goal against a John Tortorella-led team, his most against one head coach and one more than the next closest (Lindy Ruff: 34).

* Ovechkin has scored 149 of his 879 career goals since turning 36. He now sits one shy of becoming the fourth player in NHL history with 150 or more at age 36 or older and would join Gordie Howe (235), Johnny Bucyk (193) and Teemu Selanne (192).

sauce: https://media.nhl.com/public/news/18645

 

[RogerRogerr]

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...

No way Ovie gets to 2013 goals.

 

[Lou Sassole]

Can’t believe this one trick pony ENG loser had the audacity to score a first goal of the game tonight. Generational butt face!!! No, I won’t be objective. My feelings are being contradicted by facts and reality upsets me greatly!

Crazy move for Torts to pull the goalie up 1 to 0 in the first period.