Thoughts - Gr8 to beat #99 in goals scored?

[Bring Back Bucky]

What's there to dislike? Greatest goal scorer, always laughing, tough as nails power forward.

 

[bellagiobob]

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Incredible.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Really should be a yes or no question and considering he has scored the most goals than anyone else in the NHL the only possible answer can be yes.

 

[bellagiobob]

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

lol they showed a clip of OV scoring on Boucher and Gretzky says “I would have had to go back to Washington if you saved that”

Man, it’s sad there’s all the US vs Canada and Russia vs the world nonsense lately. These are great men that define this sport, they have class no matter what anyone says too. I just wish we had peace in the world and could be friends without all the craziness.

Cool moment but a little bittersweet

 

[MessierII]

Mike Bossy is on the phone for you.

Bossy didn’t stick around long enough to be in the convo

 

[MessierII]

Also a crazy coincidence that Wayne got his last goal against the islanders and ovy breaks that record against the islanders.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

Just think

There is possibly right now somewhere in the world a single swimming sperm vowing to be the greatest goal scorer the National Hockey League has ever seen.

Whether it scored that first time is yet to be determined.

 

[McShogun99]

Just think

There is possibly right now somewhere in the world a single swimming sperm vowing to be the greatest goal scorer the National Hockey League has ever seen.

Whether it scored that first time is yet to be determined.

None of the players in the league today will break it so maybe that record gets broken again in another 30-40 years. If I live to my 80’s I could potentially see it get broken 3 times in my life. For all we know there’s some guy in Utah carrying around the next record breaker in his balls.

 

[tiger_80]

Well here we are. Ovi, the Gr8 is tied with #99 for goals scored. I believe in 1 fewer game. Curious as to this board’s thoughts?

I’m one of the ‘elder’ members of this board. I’ve seen, live, Gretzky, along with our other greats, Messier, Anderson, Kurri , Coffey, etc.

Gretzky was so far ahead of his peers when he played. He broke and set, so many records. He retired when he was ‘average’ compared to the other STARS in the league. He could have kept playing but back injuries really impacted him. He could have had so many more points or goals if he wanted but he went ‘out’ while still very productive.

So here we are. Ovi will get the lead here very soon. I’ve talked and have read and heard just how ‘amazing’ the Gr8 is. Especially here south of the 49th parallel. When I think of all the accolades Ovechkin is currently getting, well, I get a little irritated, and figured I’d make this poll/pole/poel/powl.

I think it’s harder setting the goal vs catching it when there’s a target to hit, such as the home run record, hitting 50 goals in 50 games in a year etc. I’m sure if Gretzky had a number to break he would have - but he didn’t as he set so many records rather than had to achieve them.

Gretzky has 1,963 assists. Ovechkin has 724. Not even close. Ovechkin is known only for goals. Gretzky is not. Don’t get me wrong, Ovi is a good/great goal scorer. People are going Gaga over this but I guess I’m a little irritated over how big a deal this is now, lol. Is it justified or is it just me thinking it’s good, but not spectacular?

And… I meant to add to the poll, that #99 is still the ‘greatest of all time’ - and I didn’t use the G O A t reference where it seems that almost everyone uses the ‘goat’ reference now-data.

Ovechkin is the greatest scorer of this generation. But I feel both he and Crosby are one tier below Gretzky. The latter also played part of his career in the dead puck era.

 

[Vagabond]

I think Ovi is by far the greatest goal scorer of all time. He missed his draft year because of the 04/05 lockout. Then he missed another half season because of another lockout. Then he missed just under half a season because of Covid. Ovi definitely would be finishing North of 1000 goals!

He also was an amazing hitter.

He had a few awesome fights!

The man was what everyone thought Lindros was going to be.

Congratulations to the the Gr8! You deserve the spotlight!

 

[tiger_80]

Obviously the change in sticks would make a difference, but could you imagine prime ovechkin in the 80s? Dude would be putting up 80+ goals a season

He'd probably be drinking a lot of beer and doing other stuff too. It is hard to compare players from different eras. Suffice to say that both were elite of the elite in their respective eras.

 

[tiger_80]

Bossy didn’t stick around long enough to be in the convo

But goal per game his numbers are better than both Ovechkin's and Gretz. He only played roughly half the games Ovechkin did and scored almost 600 goals.

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

None of the players in the league today will break it so maybe that record gets broken again in another 30-40 years. If I live to my 80’s I could potentially see it get broken 3 times in my life. For all we know there’s some guy in Utah carrying around the next record breaker in his balls.

Maybe nobody right now but I hope we see the next one soon.

Ovechkin had consistency for a long period of time. Gretzky had an amazing, godly peak.

We’ve seen guys score more than Ovechkin has in a single season. It’s definitely possible but that player would need to come in and score goals at 18 years old. Can’t be languishing on a garbage team for too long either. They’ve got to stay healthy. They’ve got to adjust their game later in their career when the speed goes. They can’t have lockouts taking time away.

It’s possible though. Bossy, Gretzky, Lemieux all scored at a higher rate in their younger years but got screwed by injuries.

The hockey gods tend to not make us wait too long for the next one, I just hope it’s a good old Canadian boy.

 

[Vagabond]

But goal per game his numbers are better than both Ovechkin's and Gretz. He only played roughly half the games Ovechkin did and scored almost 600 goals.

True but his goals/game would dramatically drop with age just as it does with every great scorer.

 

[Pass the Saitl Sauce]

He did the yakupov celly

 

[tiger_80]

True but his goals/game would dramatically drop with age just as it does with every great scorer.

I don't disagree. I am not making the case for him being the top guy. Just genuinely surprised how good his numbers are. I have heard about Bossy, but never saw him play.

 

[MessierII]

But goal per game his numbers are better than both Ovechkin's and Gretz. He only played roughly half the games Ovechkin did and scored almost 600 goals.

Yeah but imagine what gretzky’s goals per game would have been if he retired in 1992? Longevity is a part of the discussion.

 

[tiger_80]

Yeah but imagine what gretzky’s goals per game would have been if he retired in 1992? Longevity is a part of the discussion.

Which puts current athletes at a significant advantage given the sheer progress in training methodologies, nutrition, medical care, and lifestyle changes stemming from professionalization and big money contracts. Someone like Cristiano Ronaldo is still playing at a sufficiently high level at 40. Hard to imagine Maradona or Van Basten being able to do the same only a couple of decades ago. They were no less talented, but few players were able to maintain their performance levels soon after hitting 30.

 

[Hockeylife2018]

He'd probably be drinking a lot of beer and doing other stuff too. It is hard to compare players from different eras. Suffice to say that both were elite of the elite in their respective eras.

I'm confused on the comparison...was wayne getting drunk and doing other stuff as well? Or are we comparing 2 athletes that both in their respective eras took their careers seriously?

 

[tiger_80]

I'm confused on the comparison...was wayne getting drunk and doing other stuff as well? Or are we comparing 2 athletes that both in their respective eras took their careers seriously?

I mean the sports culture back in the day was less professional. It's a known fact.

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

Bossy didn’t stick around long enough to be in the convo

Yeah he did. His career was long enough to establish a claim to that title. Wouid he have had Ovechkin’s ability to keep putting pucks in nets? Who knows. But if my life is on the line and o had to have the puck on the stick of any goal scorer in history it would be Mike Bossy.

 

[Hockeylife2018]

I mean the sports culture back in the day was less professional. It's a known fact.

Oh I have no doubt on that, which is a large part of why a select few were so far ahead of their peers at the time...but saying a player today probably wouldn't be good 40 years ago because they'd probably be drinking or "doing other things" is a bold statement at best

 

[tiger_80]

Oh I have no doubt on that, which is a large part of why a select few were so far ahead of their peers at the time...but saying a player today probably wouldn't be good 40 years ago because they'd probably be drinking or "doing other things" is a bold statement at best

He'd probably be good, but probably would not be scoring 40 goals a season at 39. it's just a fact.