Will Ovechkin hit 20 goals this season?

[Fantomas]

Ovechkin's status as a great player and as a winner is fully secure. People talking trash here are only making themselves look bad.

 

[Randyne]

It’s why he doesn’t actually win.

What do you mean?
with Ovechkin WSH P%=.613
w/o Ovechkin WSH P%=.464

 

[YippieKaey]

A lot of them yes.

It’s why he doesn’t actually win.

Im not sure how to tell you about something that happened a couple years back.

 

[Caps8112]

I would say that's kind of disrespectful, by you. Your math is a little off.

The vast majority of NHL clubs in the 1980s scored between 3.5 and 3.9 goals per game.

Yes, we all know that the goaltending position has improved greatly, regardless.
_________

About Ovechkin, I think he's fine. Before the season, I predicted he'd score around 35 goals, and maybe now I'd dip that down to about 30. But he'll still get his goals.

The issue he's now facing -- as I predicted a couple of years ago -- is that the Capitals appear to be going into the basement a bit. (They don't totally suck or anything, but I'd be surprised if they're truly competitive for the next few years.) So, Ovechkin's choice is to keep playing in his "hockey senior" years for a non-competitive club of guys 10-20 years younger than him, or to retire before he knows if he's truly done and/or has a chance to break the goals record.

Many all-time greats have faced the same dilemma, of course.

Gretzky scored 637 goals in the 80s in the easiest time ever to score goals. Look at the all time points/goals leaders in league history. They all played in the 80s. If that can’t be said, not sure where the comparison goes from there. The goaltending and defense were a joke compared to todays game. Gretzky still scored all those goals which no one has come close too and it’s taken consistency by ovi rather then 4 monsters years, just to come close now.

 

[SkinsFan09]

What do you mean?
with Ovechkin WSH P%=.613
w/o Ovechkin WSH P%=.464

In the past two seasons they are .549 with Ovechkin and .143 without.

But definitely no impact on winning.

 

[Bocephus86]

Its pretty embarrassing for a team to sell out for a personal record. Maybe OV is struggling this year seeing an entire franchise change their objective from winning to getting a player a personal record. Or maybe he's grown a conscience and he feels bad about celebrating a war criminal.

As a fan of competitive sports, I am embarrassed for Washington fans.

 

[Fantomas]

Its pretty embarrassing for a team to sell out for a personal record. Maybe OV is struggling this year seeing an entire franchise change their objective from winning to getting a player a personal record. Or maybe he's grown a conscience and he feels bad about celebrating a war criminal.

As a fan of competitive sports, I am embarrassed for Washington fans.

The clown makeup crew is all here.

 

[Nasti]

Gretzky scored 637 goals in the 80s in the easiest time ever to score goals. Look at the all time points/goals leaders in league history. They all played in the 80s. If that can’t be said, not sure where the comparison goes from there. The goaltending and defense were a joke compared to todays game. Gretzky still scored all those goals which no one has come close too and it’s taken consistency by ovi rather then 4 monsters years, just to come close now.

No they didn’t.

 

[Hanji]

Its pretty embarrassing for a team to sell out for a personal record. Maybe OV is struggling this year seeing an entire franchise change their objective from winning to getting a player a personal record. Or maybe he's grown a conscience and he feels bad about celebrating a war criminal.

As a fan of competitive sports, I am embarrassed for Washington fans.

Try again. No NHL locker room would put up with that.

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

The Don Cherry fan club is out in full force in this thread!

 

[stephenball]

Its pretty embarrassing for a team to sell out for a personal record. Maybe OV is struggling this year seeing an entire franchise change their objective from winning to getting a player a personal record. Or maybe he's grown a conscience and he feels bad about celebrating a war criminal.

As a fan of competitive sports, I am embarrassed for Washington fans.

If the Capitals have done one thing wrong it’s been being overly connected with the players that they won the cup with. If they traded 3 first round picks for Nylander, that would be mortgaging their future in pursuit of the record. The way I see it they’re in a soft rebuild, they’re playing a lot of young players (although part of that is due to injuries), and of course Ovechkin still gets a lot of PP time and offensive zone starts, the man has over 800 goals. Who do people want to get that time instead, TJ Oshie?

There’s going to be plenty more mediocre years ahead for the Capitals. For now the fans have something positive to root for, a once in a lifetime chance to break an “unbreakable” record, as we move forward to a transition to a post Ovechkin Capitals world. So I would say you don’t have to be embarrassed for Capitals fans. Our team has many flaws, but wanting their best player and the best player in franchise history (and probably DC sports history) to be at the top of that leader board isn’t one of them.

 

[Cats2TheCup]

Gretzky scored 637 goals in the 80s in the easiest time ever to score goals. Look at the all time points/goals leaders in league history. They all played in the 80s. If that can’t be said, not sure where the comparison goes from there. The goaltending and defense were a joke compared to todays game. Gretzky still scored all those goals which no one has come close too and it’s taken consistency by ovi rather then 4 monsters years, just to come close now.

The only reason the 80s were the easiest time to score goals is because that’s when the Great One arrived on the scene.

You might be ignorant of the “Four-Minute Mile Barrier.” Sir Roger Bannister was the first person to run a mile in under four minutes in 1954, breaking a perceived barrier. After that achievement, others began to achieve the same feat, illustrating the psychological impact of surpassing perceived limits.

 

[Fantomas]

The only reason the 80s were the easiest time to score goals is because that’s when the Great One arrived on the scene.

This is not true.

 

[filinski77]

Its pretty embarrassing for a team to sell out for a personal record. Maybe OV is struggling this year seeing an entire franchise change their objective from winning to getting a player a personal record. Or maybe he's grown a conscience and he feels bad about celebrating a war criminal.

As a fan of competitive sports, I am embarrassed for Washington fans.

They’re literally 11th in the league in points, with Ovi leading the team in points.

This is despite their whole team being pretty crap on paper, so much to the point that most people had them in the bottom 6-8 teams in the league at the start of the season.

The only thing embarrassing is your inability to make a competent argument that isn’t fueled by obvious hate.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Its pretty embarrassing for a team to sell out for a personal record. Maybe OV is struggling this year seeing an entire franchise change their objective from winning to getting a player a personal record.

As a fan of competitive sports, I am embarrassed for Washington fans.

But they are actually playing pretty competitively and are in a playoff spot 15 % of the way through the season.

 

[moropanov]

I think its reasonable to say Ovechkin might be NHL's worst player atm if we are talking about absolute hockey playing ability. If same kind of player came to random NHL team's training camp without status he propably wouldn't get to team /wouldn't get contract with his condition/skills/play if his status would be 25 year old Swedish or Finnish league rookie and same play level as he is atm. He will get still good amount of goals this season but it doesnt tell about his skill its just forced almost any NHLforward could get atleast 30 goals if he would be used that way excluding goons and pure playmakers/defensive forwards. Player like Kasperi Kapanen would propably get 40-50 goal's if switched with Ovezkin;D same role and set up.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Its pretty embarrassing for a team to sell out for a personal record.

What exactly is it you think they've sold?

They aren't sacrificing future draft picks to put talent around Ovechkin like the Pens have.

They are winning games right now despite a not-great roster.

Their record without Ovechkin over the past couple seasons is putrid (.143) and significantly better when he plays.

The Capitals were a lottery team when Ovie came to Washington and they've won the 3rd most games over his time in the NHL and a Stanley cup.

Might it be possible that Ovechkin scoring goals somehow actually helps the team?

 

[stranger]

Father Time is undefeated.

People in here thinking he was going to continue some 30-40 goal seasons.

I'll say 16 goals. Next year a dozen. Then done.

Possibly more depending on how many empty net chances Washington gets. That's when he kicks into gear.

 

[moropanov]

Heh i argue there's no other player in NHL whose stats are more twisted compared to his level as a hockey player than Ovechkin's i dont think he would be good player even in European pro leagues with his level of play maybe second tier half professional leagues he would be better than average. lets say France league or Germany's second league, but without priviledges i dont see realistic that he would get lets say 30 points in NLA or SHL if he would be expected to play short shifts and good defense he could be usable 3-4 liner in NLA or SHL maybe still but for top line role's theres much more dynamic and skilled guys. Players like Antti Suomela Matej Stransky Toni Rajala or Brian O'Neill are almost certainly much better at hockey nowadays than old Ovezkin.

 

[powerbomb]

The worst of both worlds, collide!

 

[moropanov]

Ovechkin's status as a great player and as a winner is fully secure. People talking trash here are only making themselves look bad.

Ovechkin's status as a most overrated hockey player in history is fully secure heh its comical when Messi or stars like that meet Ovechkin and think that this is top tier of hockey;D most of his goals at older age are only because of his stats padding usage in Washington it doesnt reflect his skills/abilities very much. In normal setting he aint better in hockey than Nikita Gusev or Prokhorkin/Slepishev etc same level as Yakupov.

 

[Planetov]

I think it’s reasonable to say Ovechkin might be NHL's worst player atm if we are talking about absolute hockey playing ability. If same kind of player came to random NHL team's training camp without status he propably wouldn't get to team /wouldn't get contract with his condition/skills/play if his status would be 25 year old Swedish or Finnish league rookie and same play level as he is atm. He will get still good amount of goals this season but it doesnt tell about his skill its just forced almost any NHLforward could get atleast 30 goals if he would be used that way excluding goons and pure playmakers/defensive forwards. Player like Kasperi Kapanen would propably get 40-50 goal's if switched with Ovezkin;D same role and set up.

My guy over here writing a manifesto. I’m quite interested in this Ovezkin character. I picture an evil twin of Ovie with a sinister handlebar mustache.

 

[Fantomas]

Ovechkin's status as a most overrated hockey player in history is fully secure heh its comical when Messi or stars like that meet Ovechkin and think that this is top tier of hockey;D most of his goals at older age are only because of his stats padding usage in Washington it doesnt reflect his skills/abilities very much. In normal setting he aint better in hockey than Nikita Gusev or Prokhorkin/Slepishev etc same level as Yakupov.

Why would you out yourself as a person of low intelligence like this

 

[KnockHobbler]

Why would you out yourself as a person of low intelligence like this

Do you really think someone would do that? Go onto the internet and tell lies?

 

[BallardEra]

Player like Kasperi Kapanen would propably get 40-50 goal's if switched with Ovezkin;D same role and set up.

 

[Caps8112]

The only reason the 80s were the easiest time to score goals is because that’s when the Great One arrived on the scene.

You might be ignorant of the “Four-Minute Mile Barrier.” Sir Roger Bannister was the first person to run a mile in under four minutes in 1954, breaking a perceived barrier. After that achievement, others began to achieve the same feat, illustrating the psychological impact of surpassing perceived limits.

Understand the concept but all of a sudden Gretzky comes along scoring at a pace no one ever had and that somehow unlocked the 80s to the ridiculous scoring that happened. I disagree. What’s more likely is the pendulum swing so far with wide open hockey and mediocre d and goaltending that it had to swing the other way with the devils, the trap and the dead puck era. Gretzky was absolutely amazing but the 80s saw a lot of players scoring 50 regularly where in ovis era he was pretty much the only one for long stretches of time. D and goaltending cause that. Doesnt have to be insulting,one of the issues of today