Ovechkin Milestone Thread - Countdown to 894 (Continued)

[Greatzsky 99]

19th season with 30+ goals
2nd place Gartner 17
3rd place Jagr 15

 

[Chelis Chili]

THE GR8 CHASE IS CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
Tuesday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured notes on Alex Ovechkin and The Gr8 Chase as he scored to move within 12 of passing Wayne Gretzky for the all-time NHL goals record. Ovechkin extended his NHL record with a 19th career 30-goal season and registered his 823rd career point at Capital One Arena, which tied Stan Mikita (823 at Chicago Stadium) for the fifth most at a single venue in NHL history.

* Ovechkin (30-17—47 in 42 GP) owns a goals-per-game rate of 0.71 this season, which puts him on pace to pass Gretzky on April 2 (at CAR). Ovechkin (883-714—1,597 in 1,468 GP) owns a career average of 0.60 and that rate has him tracking to break the record on April 10 (vs. CAR).

sauce: https://media.nhl.com/public/news/18727

 

[895]

I think all of us knew he could do it for the past couple years . What was to be seen was would he do it scoring 20 goals a season all on the PP on a bottom feeder caps team or if he would maintain a high level of play on a good team. I am so very glad it’s the latter. It really boosts his legacy to me a lot.

Both he and Crosby are around the top 10 so I don’t think it’s enough to put him over anyone in particular but this season is an impressive feat no matter what.

 

[black99]

You should start a Canadian only league.

We would get tired of winning.

And i can't even join them, i am European, not Canadian.

 

[Andy]

The magnificent son of a bitch is gonna do it. You f***ing beaut.

un-f***ing-believable.

 

[Greatzsky 99]

THE GR8 CHASE IS CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
Tuesday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured notes on Alex Ovechkin and The Gr8 Chase as he scored to move within 12 of passing Wayne Gretzky for the all-time NHL goals record. Ovechkin extended his NHL record with a 19th career 30-goal season and registered his 823rd career point at Capital One Arena, which tied Stan Mikita (823 at Chicago Stadium) for the fifth most at a single venue in NHL history.

* Ovechkin (30-17—47 in 42 GP) owns a goals-per-game rate of 0.71 this season, which puts him on pace to pass Gretzky on April 2 (at CAR). Ovechkin (883-714—1,597 in 1,468 GP) owns a career average of 0.60 and that rate has him tracking to break the record on April 10 (vs. CAR).

sauce: https://media.nhl.com/public/news/18727

If he has 0.5 for rest of season he would pass Wayne in the last game of the s

 

[Summer Rose]

I hope he plays until 1000 goals. Like legitimately, scores his 1000th goal, and just leaves the ice and retires there, mid game. Kicker is, I don't think any of his team mates would be mad at it.

I liked to make this joke about his 895th goal. He scores #895, doesn't celebrate, and simply skates off the ice, then never plays another shift.

Obviously that won't happen, since it's pretty much inevitable that 895 is going to happen this season, and the Capitals are playoff bound. Still, either scenario would be hilarious.

 

[GRob83]

Ovi also by far has the most empty net goals. 64 to Gretzky's 56. And there was no 4 on 4 and 3 on 3 OT back in Gretzky's era. And no 2 line passes. Let's not act like there wasn't any disadvantages in that era compared to today's.

Ovechkin has played 99 fewer games, has 44 more game winning goals than Gretzky and over 100 more powerplay goals. Empty netters are typically not scored on the powerplay nor are they typically game winners.
Seasons leading the NHL in goals after the age of 26:
Gretzky = 0
Ovechkin = 7

19th season with 30+ goals
2nd place Gartner 17
3rd place Jagr 15

3 Capitals Legends

 

[Toby91ca]

Ovechkin has played 99 fewer games, has 44 more game winning goals than Gretzky and over 100 more powerplay goals. Empty netters are typically not scored on the powerplay nor are they typically game winners.
Seasons leading the NHL in goals after the age of 26:
Gretzky = 0
Ovechkin = 7

In terms of goals, there is a "what-if" with Gretzky. What if he didn't get hurt, what if the goals didn't dry up the 2nd half of his career, etc. People can always point to the high scoring 80s, but he obliterated everyone, including those that played there. He just didn't keep it up. Was it because of the hit from behind? Who knows, but it dried up. He still put up points, but didn't score a ton of goals.

There really is no arguments anymore other than Gretzky scoring more goals, so once that goes away, there is no argument anymore.

That said, where are you getting 99 fewer games?

 

[Summer Rose]

In terms of goals, there is there there is a "what-if" with Gretzky. What if he didn't get hurt, what if the goals didn't dry up the 2nd half of his career, etc. People can always point to the high scoring 80s, but he obliterated everyone, including those that played there. He just didn't keep it up. Was it because of the hit from behind? Who knows, but it dried up. He still put up points, but didn't score a ton of goals.

There really is no arguments anymore other than Gretzky scoring more goals, so once that goes away, there is no argument anymore.

That said, where are you getting 99 fewer games?

In fairness there's also an argument to be made in the "what if" department around Ovechkin losing games played because of the NHL's labor disputes. 04-05 would have been his rookie season. Assuming he played all 82 games of 12-13 (a big assumption, but barring an unlucky injury he'd probably have played at least 78), that's 34 more games he could have played. While it's highly unlikely he'd have cracked 40 as a rookie (and probably not even 30), that might be an extra 25-40 goals in his total from games that were cancelled because of lockouts, in which case he could have surpassed Gretzky as early as last season.

You have to play the hand you're dealt though, and he's going to break the record with it anyway though.

 

[GRob83]

In terms of goals, there is a "what-if" with Gretzky. What if he didn't get hurt, what if the goals didn't dry up the 2nd half of his career, etc. People can always point to the high scoring 80s, but he obliterated everyone, including those that played there. He just didn't keep it up. Was it because of the hit from behind? Who knows, but it dried up. He still put up points, but didn't score a ton of goals.

There really is no arguments anymore other than Gretzky scoring more goals, so once that goes away, there is no argument anymore.

That said, where are you getting 99 fewer games?

Hockey Reference but I didn't realize they added in the 80 WHA games for Gretzky. Good catch.