Will Ovechkin hit 20 goals this season?

[trick9]

When I saw he scored 2 goals, I knew one of them was an empty net. His record breaking goal will be an empty netter, too.

Clutch.

Always there to put the games away.

 

[jellybeans]

Or is he done as a goal scorer?

Needless to say, he won't break Gretzky's goal scoring record.

2 goals in 10 games is simply brutal by his standard. The russian machine might actually be broken.

Please discuss.

Your talking about Ovechkin here of course he will beat the goals record.

​

 

[BallardEra]

Another thing is quite likely the team adjusting to the new system from Carberry and PP system from Muller.

A 38 year old leading the team in points is very sad to say the least.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Nothing motivates Ovi more than goals. Not winning, not the playoffs, nothing.

Maybe you just don't like him (for some reason) and that's what is driving you to make bitter and false statements.

I've watched his entire career. Never seen him more happy than in this moment:

 

[ijuka]

He's pacing for so many shots that it'd be very unlucky if he even scores under 30, assuming he keeps up his shooting pace.

 

[Midnight Judges]

So many salty crybabies in this thread

Indeed. I wonder what motivates them.

 

[BallardEra]

He's pacing for so many shots that it'd be very unlucky if he even scores under 30, assuming he keeps up his shooting pace.

He is averaging over 4 shots per game and is top 10 in shots per game.

 

[SkinsFan09]

On empty net goals.. If Garnett Hathaway hadn't missed a wide open empty net goal the Capitals would have almost assuredly advanced in the playoffs vs. Florida in 2021.

Instead he missed and they lost the series.

They have utility, especially in teams that cannot defend in their own zone for minutes at a time.

 

[max21]

On empty net goals.. If Garnett Hathaway hadn't missed a wide open empty net goal the Capitals would have almost assuredly advanced in the playoffs vs. Florida in 2021.

Instead he missed and they lost the series.

They have utility, especially in teams that cannot defend in their own zone for minutes at a time.

Not to mention the Mantha goal in game 6 of that series to send the game to OT you see Ovechkin going ballistic in excitement for the opportunity for a game 7. He had nothing to do with the goal

 

[pi314]

Clutch.

Always there to put the games away.

Nothing says clutch quite like an empty netter with 3 seconds to go, cherry picking with a 2-goal lead.

 

[surixon]

He'll pick it up in terms of goal scoring but he's definitely slowed down a bit as a player. His shot also has a bit less mustard on it then before. No real surprise given his age.

 

[BallardEra]

He'll pick it up in terms of goal scoring but he's definitely slowed down a bit as a player. His shot also has a bit less mustard on it then before. No real surprise given his age.

"Still, Ovechkin is there, and so is that unparalleled shot. He's shooting the puck at an average speed of 59.23 miles per hour. Per NHL Edge, 18 of those shots have gone 70-80 MPH (94th percentile), 15 have gone 80-90 MPH (98th percentile) and seven have gone 90-100 MPH."

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/takes/washington-capitals-alex-ovechkin-shooting-metrics-struggles-start-season-wayne-gretzky

 

[wetcoast]

On empty net goals.. If Garnett Hathaway hadn't missed a wide open empty net goal the Capitals would have almost assuredly advanced in the playoffs vs. Florida in 2021.

Instead he missed and they lost the series.

They have utility, especially in teams that cannot defend in their own zone for minutes at a time.

Well Ovi has tied Gretzky for the record they are both at 56 ENG, no doubt Ovi is the best ENG scorer of all time right?

 

[surixon]

Still, Ovechkin is there, and so is that unparalleled shot. He's shooting the puck at an average speed of 59.23 miles per hour. Per NHL Edge, 18 of those shots have gone 70-80 MPH (94th percentile), 15 have gone 80-90 MPH (98th percentile) and seven have gone 90-100 MPH.

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/takes/washington-capitals-alex-ovechkin-shooting-metrics-struggles-start-season-wayne-gretzky

Yeah he can still shoot it as good or better then most which is why I believe he'll pick it up.

 

[max21]

Nothing says clutch quite like an empty netter with 3 seconds to go, cherry picking with a 2-goal lead.

Did he cherry pick the other 750+ goals?

 

[surixon]

Another thing is he's not getting his shots from prime scoring areas as much this year. His iXGF is .67 this year and it was 1.03 last year. I'm not sure if that is due to him losing a step, systems, or the caliber of team they are icing but he's shooting much more from the perimeter 5 on 5.

 

[SkinsFan09]

Nothing says clutch quite like an empty netter with 3 seconds to go, cherry picking with a 2-goal lead.

After he had literally blocked shots in the defensive zone but sure.

 

[ijuka]

Ovechkin hasn't even scored that many empty net goals relative to the total amount of goals he's scored.

I believe the current empty net goal specialist is Sebastian Aho with 26 empty netters out of 222 goals.

 

[pi314]

Did he cherry pick the other 750+ goals?

A lot of them yes.

It’s why he doesn’t actually win.

 

[trick9]

Nothing says clutch quite like an empty netter with 3 seconds to go, cherry picking with a 2-goal lead.

Here is your salt, sir.

 

[McShogun99]

He’s on pace for around 25 goals right now so I’m guessing he scores over 30.

 

[SkinsFan09]

There are some posts in this thread making it very clear people don't want a Russian to hold the record.

 

[wetcoast]

There are some posts in this thread making it very clear people don't want a Russian to hold the record.

For those that think that way it's not his nationality try again.

 

[SkinsFan09]

For those that think that way it's not his nationality try again

It seems clear as there's really no other reason. Guy has played 20 years, never been in trouble with the law, never held his franchise hostage with contract negotiations, gives back to his city, and has shouldered almost 25 percent of the franchise's goals in that time.

And because he sometimes floats and scores ENGs as if Gretzky, Lemieux etc. were Selke players, people are mad.

 

[Demandedace]

Another thing is he's not getting his shots from prime scoring areas as much this year. His iXGF is .67 this year and it was 1.03 last year. I'm not sure if that is due to him losing a step, systems, or the caliber of team they are icing but he's shooting much more from the perimeter 5 on 5.

This is the big thing. The passing to Ovi has been extremely suspect this season - watch a Caps game and you'll see 95% of the passes to Ovi are hitting him in his skates rather than being anywhere near his wheelhouse.

Without having a great setup man (so far) this season it's causing Ovi to struggle, and he isn't able to create as much space for himself as he used to (obviously, he's 38 lol) so it's been tough sledding so far.

His shot percent is in an absolute crater right now, though. It'll come up as the team gets more comfortable in the system and he'll be okay. He's still leading the team in points which is absurd given his age