Will Ovechkin hit 20 goals this season?

[Midnight Judges]

The definition of a good team captain is a guy who lifts his team up and puts team success before personnal accomplishments.

Ovechkinn is a new breed of captain.

Bringing his team down by hogging quality ice time, barely being able to skate and letting teammates do all the hard work while he waits with his skate firmly planted to telegraph a shot.

He looks completely cooked. He'll be hard pressed to reach 20 and next season will be even worse. If he gets the Gretzky record, it will be at the expense of the Capitals' success because he requires too much maintenance from line mates.

You obviously aren't watching the games.



The pearl clutching and butthurt is nothing new - going on for Ovechkin's entire career.

Each and every time, the Don Cherry types have ended up with their feet thoroughly down their throats courtesy of #8.

Ovechkin is generating chances. The goals will come.

 

[RickyLafleur]

I said that he had a good shot at the record before the season started, but now he looked genuinely washed up.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

The only way he doesn’t hit at least 30 goals is if he gets injured for a significant period of time. Which, while possible especially given his age, has never happened to him before. So I wouldn’t bank on it now. Also, his current shooting percentage is due to normalize. He’s more likely to score 40+ goals than he is to miss 20.

Exactly. People are over-reacting to small sample sizes. Ovechkin is shooting 4.4% so far. It's essentially impossible for that to persist over the entire season. (He's averaged 14.7% over the past five years, and only once in 18 seasons has his shooting percentage dipped below 10%).

It's reasonable to expect his shooting percentage to drop somewhat below 14.7% (age & crappy team). Still, assuming he doesn't miss any significant time, he'll likely end up with 30-35 goals, which would put his career totals at ~860.

Ovechkin still has a good chance of breaking Gretzky's career record. (Note - based on any reasonable era adjustment, he's already well ahead). But it'll likely take place in the 2025-26 season.

 

[blundluntman]

Plot twist: Wayne Gretzky comes out of retirement and signs a 6 month contract with the Capitals. After a motivational pep talk, the two team up and Ovi scores 71 more goals this season to break the record. Gretzky fades away like a ghost after the last game and nobody ever sees him again.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

Give me a poll option Ovechkin will be on a 30 goal+ pace this season. Just needs a game where he scores 3.

 

[I am not exposed]

I hope he doesn't even break 20!

This guy will go on PTOs if it means breaking the record.

 

[Neil Racki]

I haven't watched a single Capitals game, can anyone comment on how he looks?

A year older.

He looks like a 38 year old player but in the year 1973, if that makes sense. There is no article titled '10 ways to stay in shape" with highlights and hand written notes on his end table.

I also think he eats Oreos, and you cant just eat one of those. You have to clear the row at least.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Ovi will score 20 before the new year bruv, no doubt, just wait watch an witness the greatness. Just full choppa no stoppa, my man is crazy. Lost a G in Backstrom, but now Ovi-homie is clappin pucks for his homie, nah mean?

 

[TGWL]

Some records are not made to be broken.

Alex Ovechkin "Hold my Vodka"

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Ovi will score 20 before the new year bruv, no doubt, just wait watch an witness the greatness. Just full choppa no stoppa, my man is crazy. Lost a G in Backstrom, but now Ovi-homie is clappin pucks for his homie, nah mean?

low key, no cap, frfr, he'll be bussin' by January 1.

 

[Calderon]

I, for one or even two, am confident he'll score at least 8 goals this season.

 

[Invalid cuz QoC]

He needs to channel his inner Bondra.

 

[Magic 8 Ball]

He looks a bit like he's trying to get his team engaged a bit more, and the team isn't there.

Is the team happy to be giving up everything just to help Ovie break a record? Is that their idea of a successful season?

 

[Bear of Bad News]

He looks like a 38 year old player but in the year 1973, if that makes sense.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

They should trade him somewhere.

Canes could use his skillset, couldn't take his full cap hit though

 

[nothingbeatshockey]

Post is a bit premature, eh?

Career shooting percentage is around 13%, he's a third of that now. Bounces come and bounces go, but tend to regress to the mean at some point.

Check in around US Thanksgiving.

 

[Machinehead]

I think he eventually gets hot, and yes, will break the record.

However, it may not be as easy as we thought it would be. It really puts into perspective what Gretzky accomplished.

 

[Zero Requiem]

Hopefully not.

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

The team is bad around him and he's not the player he once was. He'll probably get 20-25 but the record is very much in jeopardy unless he hangs around well past his prime just to play the PP.

 

[Canadiens Ghost]

Hopefully not but he'll probably end up somewhere in the 30's.

 

[tfwnogf]

he's scoring 40+

imagine doubting ovechkin after all the times he's proven people wrong

 

[Satans Hockey]

Seems like he always scores against us so I'm sure he'll at least get 1 tomorrow lol

 

[Iggys Dome]

Seems like yesterday he opened the season with back to back hat tricks.

 

[BE Friend]

Only 3 things matter this year:
Oilers in the tank.
More marchand tears.
895 is never reached.

 

[GRob83]

If he got to play against the Caps goalies he might already have 20...sigh.