What probability do you feel Ovechkin has to catch Gretzky now?

[WingsMJN2965]

He won't need to play that long at his rate.

I mean, he's a generational player, so you can't rule anything out, but it'd be very surprising for him to put up 40/year from 36-39.

I think it's pretty realistic that in his 40s, he can play 10 minutes a night and get PP time just standing in his office and ripping shots. If he wants to, I think that's what'll get him past Gretz.

 

[Clark Gillies]

Ya, just no to both and we`ve already done this dance.

Sorry but you’re word is not the word of god and just cause you say it doesn’t make it show.

I have seen Ovi cherry picking by the blue line enough while the rest of his team scrambles in the defensive end for years.

Mike Bossy’s shot and release were noticeably better even using the equipment at the time.
I have seen enough of them live as I was an Islanders season ticket holder 1977 - 1986, Kings Season Ticket Holder 1988 - 1992
and a Hurricanes Season Ticket holder from 2002 - present.

 

[MadLuke]

Isn't that photo a little misleading? Howe played primarily in the 50s, 60s and 70s.

Gretzky started at the tail end of the 70s, and played through the the 80s and 90s.

Howe played on the Whalers 79-80 [yes I had to Google that], which was Gretzky's second season.

Comparing a player who primarily played from the 1950s to 1970s to a player to primarily played in the 1980s and 1990s isn't an apples to apples comparison. The 50s and 80s are very different.

Part joke, part misleading, part have some true.

Some player played during their prime against both (an very old Howe and a prime Gretzky) like Kent Nilsson, just to show that it is a bit less Alien that one could think, Gretzky played against Howe, JC Tremblay, Hull, Keon, Brewer, Ratelle, Mikita, Esposito.

It is not an perfect apples to apples comparison (nothing tend to be), but it is not totally out of grasp either, Gordie Howe made the first all star team and got Hart votes for the last time in the NHL in 1970, Gretzky won is first Hart in the NHL just 10 years later in 1980.

 

[HurricaneFanatic]

Still 169. Caps don't get shut out very often.

 

[The Panther]

Part joke, part misleading, part have some true.

Some player played during their prime against both (an very old Howe and a prime Gretzky) like Kent Nilsson, just to show that it is a bit less Alien that one could think, Gretzky played against Howe, JC Tremblay, Hull, Keon, Brewer, Ratelle, Mikita, Esposito.

It is not an perfect apples to apples comparison (nothing tend to be), but it is not totally out of grasp either, Gordie Howe made the first all star team and got Hart votes for the last time in the NHL in 1970, Gretzky won is first Hart in the NHL just 10 years later in 1980.

The time difference between Howe's peak (early-50s) and Gretzky's peak (mid-80s) is the same as the difference between Mark Messier's and Connor McDavid's.

 

[Ocoee]

I hope he breaks the record but I’m having my doubts with the amount of games lost.

 

[HurricaneFanatic]

Unless he goes on another tear in remaining games, I think he'll fall short. Let's say he's at 160 back after this season, that's gonna be tough at 37.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Unless he goes on another tear in remaining games, I think he'll fall short. Let's say he's at 160 back after this season, that's gonna be tough at 37.

He’s 35 right now, he still has 5 years ahead of him right? 30 goals per season on average, may need to play until 42 worst case to pot an extra 40 goals in his last 2 years.

 

[HurricaneFanatic]

He’s 35 right now, he still has 5 years ahead of him right? 30 goals per season on average, may need to play until 42 worst case to pot an extra 40 goals in his last 2 years.

Sure, but he's said he wants to play in Russia while he's still got game. If he holds true to that word, he won't be going there to play washed up.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Sure, but he's said he wants to play in Russia while he's still got game. If he holds true to that word, he won't be going there to play washed up.

By the KHL standards he probably still has game until he’s 45 lol.

If Dmitrij Jaskin can be a top 5 point scorer in the KHL when he couldn’t crack the Capitals lineup 2 years ago, I’m pretty sure even a 43 year old Alex Ovechkin is still a star back there

 

[Ms Maggie]

Don't see it.

 

[Selanne00008]

20G is 36Games now. What's that a 45G pace? Ovie will be fine and net 40+ next year. It'll really help some of you see the light

735 by end of this year
775 by end of next with minimal signs of slowing

Who's with me?

 

[HurricaneFanatic]

168. Just put him on power play and nothing else for rest of his career and he'll get there lol.

 

[HurricaneFanatic]

It's almost not even worth looking at box score anymore. He's scored in what, 90‰ of his games in the last month and a half?

 

[abo9]

20G is 36Games now. What's that a 45G pace? Ovie will be fine and net 40+ next year. It'll really help some of you see the light

735 by end of this year
775 by end of next with minimal signs of slowing

Who's with me?

I don't think he's done with the 50 goals seasons. He must be pissed that he was stolen one last year!

 

[Selanne00008]

I don't think he's done with the 50 goals seasons. He must be pissed that he was stolen one last year!

I don't think a 50G season is out of the question either. But I want to stay moderately tempered here and now bark out that he's going to crush the record.

I just know that if I'm Ovie and I'm getting up to 810, 825 in goals. I'm not stopping. So close!

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

While Ovie wants to play in the KHL for his last season because he loves his country, I think he is equally motivated to break the goal scoring record to bring glory to his country as well.

I think most Russian hockey fans and the president (no politics please) would encourage him to keep playing until he has broken the goal scoring record.

 

[Beukeboom]

By the KHL standards he probably still has game until he’s 45 lol.

If Dmitrij Jaskin can be a top 5 point scorer in the KHL when he couldn’t crack the Capitals lineup 2 years ago, I’m pretty sure even a 43 year old Alex Ovechkin is still a star back there

But I think he'll leave NHL in four years time. He wants to play in the olympics. The only way we'd see Ovie longer is if Bettman allows NHL player to participate.

 

[cheswick]

But I think he'll leave NHL in four years time. He wants to play in the olympics. The only way we'd see Ovie longer is if Bettman allows NHL player to participate.

NHL and PA have already agreed to the '22 and '26 Olympics as part of the recent CBA renewals.

 

[Video Nasty]

I’d like to inquire of the honest, somewhat neutral Washington fans who live and breath the team and its players, absorbing all the interviews and articles when a player comments on their future and what their overall mood seems to be.

With Ovechkin currently sitting at 6th all time and just 41 goals away from passing Dionne, Hull, and Jagr on his way to sole possession of 3rd, which should happen within just a year’s time, I imagine we’re entering the stage where Gretzky, Howe, and at least joining them in the 800 goal club is going to come up much more frequently, if it already hasn’t locally.

With the obvious lack of insight of what’s going on directly in a person’s head and taking off the homer goggles, do Washington fans have a halfway decent gauge on if he’s really going to stick around and chase this record?

What’s the local coverage like? Is this topic getting discussed more by the day with each legend he passes? Do local media ask him about it?

 

[Midnight Judges]

I’d like to inquire of the honest, somewhat neutral Washington fans who live and breath the team and its players, absorbing all the interviews and articles when a player comments on their future and what their overall mood seems to be.

With Ovechkin currently sitting at 6th all time and just 41 goals away from passing Dionne, Hull, and Jagr on his way to sole possession of 3rd, which should happen within just a year’s time, I imagine we’re entering the stage where Gretzky, Howe, and at least joining them in the 800 goal club is going to come up much more frequently, if it already hasn’t locally.

With the obvious lack of insight of what’s going on directly in a person’s head and taking off the homer goggles, do Washington fans have a halfway decent gauge on if he’s really going to stick around and chase this record?

What’s the local coverage like? Is this topic getting discussed more by the day with each legend he passes? Do local media ask him about it?

There has never been any known friction what-so-ever between Ovie and management and ownership. He's been a complete team guy and a great leader. Loves to practice, loves to play, loves to win. And conversely I think Leonsis would do anything for Ovie.

The virtually unanimous opinion is that he'll stick around for a while. Whether it's 4 more years or more than that is the question.

 

[Sinistril]

"It's a different era, different goaltenders, but if you put what he's done in his career he probably is the greatest goal-scorer to ever play our game," Robitaille said.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I’d like to inquire of the honest, somewhat neutral Washington fans who live and breath the team and its players, absorbing all the interviews and articles when a player comments on their future and what their overall mood seems to be.

With Ovechkin currently sitting at 6th all time and just 41 goals away from passing Dionne, Hull, and Jagr on his way to sole possession of 3rd, which should happen within just a year’s time, I imagine we’re entering the stage where Gretzky, Howe, and at least joining them in the 800 goal club is going to come up much more frequently, if it already hasn’t locally.

With the obvious lack of insight of what’s going on directly in a person’s head and taking off the homer goggles, do Washington fans have a halfway decent gauge on if he’s really going to stick around and chase this record?

What’s the local coverage like? Is this topic getting discussed more by the day with each legend he passes? Do local media ask him about it?

The local media NBC Sports Washington tracks down every single goal and Ovechkin milestone. He’s their meal ticket, so of course the coverage of his climb to 895 is covered almost as much as the Capitals team success.

They don’t ask him to comment on it every day, but at least when he passes hockey legends like Espo. I have a sense that Ovechkin does not want to brag about the place he occupies in hockey history, and he’d rather talk about the team performance.

My best guess is that he cares deeply about the record and he will stick around to chase it. He will only stop chasing it and retire if he is no longer able to play at the NHL level. He’s a very proud guy and he mentioned before that he will retire before being a “joke” (not good enough to play in the NHL anymore).

I think he also wants to be remembered as the beast of a hockey player he was at his best, and not as a complete shell of what he used to be like Chelios when he retired.

 

[Video Nasty]

The local media NBC Sports Washington tracks down every single goal and Ovechkin milestone. He’s their meal ticket, so of course the coverage of his climb to 895 is covered almost as much as the Capitals team success.

They don’t ask him to comment on it every day, but at least when he passes hockey legends like Espo. I have a sense that Ovechkin does not want to brag about the place he occupies in hockey history, and he’d rather talk about the team performance.

My best guess is that he cares deeply about the record and he will stick around to chase it. He will only stop chasing it and retire if he is no longer able to play at the NHL level. He’s a very proud guy and he mentioned before that he will retire before being a “joke” (not good enough to play in the NHL anymore).

I think he also wants to be remembered as the beast of a hockey player he was at his best, and not as a complete shell of what he used to be like Chelios when he retired.

Nice, thanks for the extra insight. I remember him saying that about not wanting to hang around if he couldn’t compete to his own standards, so I was definitely wondering if there’s been a change of mindset now that he is within striking distance.

Either way, it’s going to get interesting when he pots #800 and then a couple of goals later, passes Howe and has only Gretzky left to focus on.

If he can manage about 10 more goals this season and if we get a full season in 2021-2022 (40 goals is fair), this could happen around late-January or early-February 2023. Gretzky scored 802 on March 23, 1994. Will be interesting to see if Ovechkin gets it on a similar date 29 years later.

Crazy to think that he could be at that stage in less than two years.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Nice, thanks for the extra insight. I remember him saying that about not wanting to hang around if he couldn’t compete to his own standards, so I was definitely wondering if there’s been a change of mindset now that he is within striking distance.

Either way, it’s going to get interesting when he pots #800 and then a couple of goals later, passes Howe and has only Gretzky left to focus on.

If he can manage about 10 more goals this season and if we get a full season in 2021-2022 (40 goals is fair), this could happen around late-January or early-February 2023. Gretzky scored 802 on March 23, 1994. Will be interesting to see if Ovechkin gets it on a similar date 29 years later.

Crazy to think that he could be at that stage in less than two years.

Yeah, his game ages super well for a goalscorer. He clearly doesn’t have the speed anymore but his shot is exactly as it was when he started playing 16 years ago.

You watch his goal last night on the 5 vs 3 PP against Boston. Carlson put it gently in his wheelhouse from the top of the circle.

The goalie saw it coming, had time to get into position, but got beat clean with no screen. A 100 mph shot with pin point accuracy right below the blocker and over the pad can’t be stopped easily.