Ovechkin Milestone Thread - Countdown to 894

[the valiant effort]

Remember these times because in 10-15 years there will be hockey fans that tell us prime Ovechkin would never be able to hang in the new-nu-neo-NHL.

 

[BallardEra]

30 goals over his last 47 games is a 52 goal pace over 82 games.

Makes you wonder what was going on last season when he only had 8 goals after his first 43 games to start the year.

 

[Toby91ca]

Remember these times because in 10-15 years there will be hockey fans that tell us prime Ovechkin would never be able to hang in the new-nu-neo-NHL.

But it will be 10-15 years from now, so different times? I don't get the point.

 

[LevelingSolo]

30 goals over his last 47 games is a 52 goal pace over 82 games.

Makes you wonder what was going on last season when he only had 8 goals after his first 43 games to start the year.

Had to be an injury or something or maybe was adjusting to a new system

 

[Golden_Jet]

Had to be an injury or something or maybe was adjusting to a new system

Also had an issue getting his sticks he used to use, and was experimenting with new sticks the first half of last year.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Had to be an injury or something or maybe was adjusting to a new system

He had cupping marks on his neck/upper back last year. Some folks thought that was an indication of some sort of treatment he was getting.

 

[SkinsFan09]

It seems overwhelmingly clear that last year's first half was the anomaly and perhaps he was injured.

 

[Nemesis Prime]

Death
Taxes
People doubting Ovechkin

 

[ViD]

30 goals over his last 47 games is a 52 goal pace over 82 games.

Makes you wonder what was going on last season when he only had 8 goals after his first 43 games to start the year.

The supporting cast was non existent

 

[um]

It seems overwhelmingly clear that last year's first half was the anomaly and perhaps he was injured.

I think the biggest factor for this year's change was that last year's team really really stunk.

Ovie was often burdened with playing with Kuzy who stopped caring at all. The RW position was also weak as Wilson was recovering from an injury and Oshie was in and out of the lineup.

Ovechkin at this point in his career is an elite clean-up hitter. If the team is doing well and giving Ovie chances to produce, he will.

 

[luiginb]

He had cupping marks on his neck/upper back last year.

Blows my mind millionaire professional athletes fall for that snake oil

 

[TJHKY]

 

[sxvnert]

Can't wait until he breaks the record just to see the entire medias heads explode.
Players were asked off the record if they wanted AO to break the record and every single one said yes.

 

[banks]

Ovie is going to break the record this season. It's going to happen.

I only watched one Caps game this season. But Ovie was not just cherry picking, and the team was not just trying to feed him chances. They played competitive hockey as a unit, and were a good team. Ovie is scoring goals that matter, not just accumulating.

Outlasting Backstrom, Oshie, and Kuznetsov means Ovie's been freed to be young and hungry again. That's how he looks. Determined in a way you wouldn't expect for an institution at 39.

 

[andrjusha]

Ovechkin leads 3 Stars of the Week | NHL.com

Capitals captain, Hurricanes forward Necas, Penguins center Crosby earn honors

www.nhl.com

21st time he got first star of the week which leads NHL (started in 06-07)

NHL Three Stars of the Week | Hockey-Reference.com

Listing of NHL Three Stars of the Week

www.hockey-reference.com

Sid is secondary with 12
McD is third with 11

 

[Ghost of Murph]

I doubt his shot PCT of 19.4 is going to hold up all season. His career avg is 12.9. Even if his shot PCT drops down he should still have a good shot at the record this season. The Caps are a good team so he will keep getting good looks. Glad that he's off to a hot start so that the "Ovi's washed up" crowd are hushed a little bit.

 

[crowfish]

I like how Hockey Reference recently added gold for all-time records to player pages. Ovechkin is now only 30 somthing goals away from taking Wayne's triple crown of leading all 3 of the primary stats.

It's kind of insane that someone will catch Gretzky for one of these stats, seeing as assists & points will remain gold on his page for the rest of eternity, so really goals were the only "weak" point, It's also crazy that Wayne was able to hold this record for so long despite not even being a goal scorer. It took a literal goal-scoring machine to enter the league and play 20 seasons to even get within striking distance.

 

[Midnight Judges]

If you equitably adjust for scoring environment, Gordie Howe has more goals than Wayne Gretzky and it's not particularly close.

 

[BallardEra]

I like how Hockey Reference recently added gold for all-time records to player pages. Ovechkin is now only 30 somthing goals away from taking Wayne's triple crown of leading all 3 of the primary stats.

It's kind of insane that someone will catch Gretzky for one of these stats, seeing as assists & points will remain gold on his page for the rest of eternity, so really goals were the only "weak" point, It's also crazy that Wayne was able to hold this record for so long despite not even being a goal scorer. It took a literally goal-scoring machine to enter the league and play 20 seasons to even get with striking distance.

View attachment 926224

Gretzky had 736 goals by the end of being 30 years old while Ovechkin had 525.

Ovechkin had to make up that difference of 211 goals and then 159 more goals all from age 31 and on in order to hit 895.

That's 370 total goals.

 

[potatowejj]

View attachment 926194

Ovechkin leads 3 Stars of the Week | NHL.com

Capitals captain, Hurricanes forward Necas, Penguins center Crosby earn honors

www.nhl.com

21st time he got first star of the week which leads NHL (started in 06-07)

NHL Three Stars of the Week | Hockey-Reference.com

Listing of NHL Three Stars of the Week

www.hockey-reference.com

Sid is secondary with 12
McD is third with 11

Apparently we are back in 2009.

 

[TimeZone]

Also had an issue getting his sticks he used to use, and was experimenting with new sticks the first half of last year.

He flat out looks faster out of the gate this year as well.

Dude is moving really well

 

[Zuluss]

From the news about Ovechkin being the 1st star of the week:

"He became the fourth player in NHL history to record consecutive three-point outings at age 39 or older, joining Jean Ratelle (2x, last: Nov. 27-29, 1980: 1-5—6 w/ BOS), Tim Horton (March 5-6, 1969: 2-4—6 w/ TOR) and Gordie Howe (Oct. 27-31, 1968: 2-4—6 w/ DET). Ovechkin finished the week with one goal in a 4-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes Nov. 3, making him the first player to register a four-game goal streak at age 39 or older since Jaromir Jagr from March 20-25, 2013 (4-3—7 w/ DAL)."

I felt his scoring streak is pretty special.

 

[TJHKY]

 

[Sideline]

This sounds incredibly surprising. Going back almost their entire careers you would have to think they'd have done it several times.

 

[kugelbahn]

This sounds incredibly surprising. Going back almost their entire careers you would have to think they'd have done it several times.

A bit surprising is that they did not get those stars more, they did it around 30 times each
out of 26x18=468 weeks

NHL Three Stars of the Week | Hockey-Reference.com

Listing of NHL Three Stars of the Week

www.hockey-reference.com

They are not Gretz/Mario and a lot of parity in the league nowadays, so many players there like Necas.