Will Ovechkin hit 20 goals this season?

[WaitingForThatCab]

I think Ovechkin will hit 20 goals this season, but I wouldn't bet on him doing it next season, and I do not think he is going to break the record.

He looks like he's reached the point of physical deterioration (it happens to all of us, I am sad to say) and it's not going to get better from here.

 

[Garbageyuk]

That means he needs 35 goals in 65 games, 64 games if he doesn't score this 3rd period. Not sure how you think it's realistic to put up around a 50 goal pace

It’s not realistic for a guy who scored at a 47 goal pace just last season, and hit 50 the year before? Ok.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Its too soon to count him out.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

and OV looks kind of the same

I think they need to try something new (ex. Ovi in the bumper position), add some variety to the PP formations.

 

[Lukin1978]

And because of this thread he'll probably get a hattrick next game.

 

[Matty Sundin]

I feel like people saying give him time will still be saying give him time in march..
Yes I know it early and yes I know players go through slumps or have slows starts but there’s a difference with that and just being washed if you watch his game and that’s what he looks. He’s starting to get cooked and it doesn’t get better.

 

[Toby91ca]

It’s not realistic for a guy who scored at a 47 goal pace just last season, and hit 50 the year before? Ok.

Perhaps not....how gradual or how quick a player declines is not known, but decline is 100% guaranteed.....some players fall off a cliff. He's been incredibly consistent into his late 30s, but there is a big difference from 36 to 38 actually.

It's obviously way too early to say and I won't make any predictions other than to say I wouldn't be surprised if we see a significant decline this year.....I won't be surprised if he picks up the pace either....but scoring 40+ this year would surprise me (even though he did it last year).

 

[MikeK]

Too soon to count him out. But he definitely looks like a guy whose clock has finally caught up to him. He looks old and tired. I do not think he'll break the record.

 

[DrDangles]

He'll score 20 goals just on the PP this season and over 30 total. His shooting % is down dramatically, things will balance out.

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

Gretzky just turned 33 when he passed Gordie Howe in goals, he scored only 91 the rest of his career

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

You know the Capitals will take every chance they have to get him empty net goals. I bet he has at least 10 of those by the end of the season.

He should easily be able to get another ten throughout the year.

I think Ovechkin will hit 20 goals this season, but I wouldn't bet on him doing it next season, and I do not think he is going to break the record.

He looks like he's reached the point of physical deterioration (it happens to all of us, I am sad to say) and it's not going to get better from here.

The Capitals, as long as Ovechkin wants to play, will throw his corpse out there until he’s 45. That’s basically what they have to look forward to at this point.

 

[POVERTY]

Nope, he is now a 4.4% shooter, despite shooting under 10.5% only once in his career; 13 years ago where he scored just 32 goals (sad).

The Monstars have won.

 

[Dicky113]

He reminds me of Phil kessel when he hit the wall. He won’t score 10

 

[Video Nasty]

Speaking as someone who would prefer him not to break the record and also thought he would decline every season until I gave in a few years ago, I noticed that going into this season, more than ever before, most (again including myself) gave him the benefit of the doubt to keep it going (well earned mind you) and that assumption that he wouldn’t age out just yet is probably at its overwhelming peak.

When the masses all pile in blindly like that, it is often a sure sign that the end is coming and quickly.

It’s still a little hard to imagine him plummeting under 30 goals, but then again, he did only pot 32 goals in 79 games at age 25 (yeah I know the reasons why, so don’t bother telling me), and 33 in 82 games at age 31 after 4 consecutive Rockets.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

He should have six or seven by now. He’s hit a few posts and had one overturned (the Caps have had six goals overturned on challenges this year which seems insane considering they’ve only played 11 games). He’s looked a lot more like himself the past half dozen games than he did the first few games.

I predicted 35 before the season started and I’m sticking with that prediction. Would be floored if he hit 40 and I think high 20s is his floor.

 

[george14]

2 goals in 11 games is a tad concerning, but it’s more concerning he has yet to actually beat a goalie with his patented shot. One was an EN and the other was a tap in on an open net.

I think he ends up with around 30 goals. He will go on a streak.

 

[CarolinaBlueJacket]

Last year, I said that breaking the goal record was a 100% certanty. Saw him in DC last week and he was INVISIBLE. I don't think he breaks the record.

 

[DRW895]

Irrelevant. Right question gonna be: will Ovechkin hit 45 goals in 2023/24 campaign?

 

[Javaman]

Small sample sizes, blah, blah.

I just don't want to see Ovechkin break the goal scoring record.

So I'm happy to see the slow start.

 

[DRW895]

Last year, I said that breaking the goal record was a 100% certanty. Saw him in DC last week and he was INVISIBLE. I don't think he breaks the record.

He failed to score against weak CBJ team in 2 games out of 4 last season. In recent game only miracle saved CBJ from 2 Oveckin goals and after that you write things like this. Very strange

 

[Johnnybegood13]

You know the Capitals will take every chance they have to get him empty net goals. I bet he has at least 10 of those by the end of the season.

He should easily be able to get another ten throughout the year.



The Capitals, as long as Ovechkin wants to play, will throw his corpse out there until he’s 45. That’s basically what they have to look forward to at this point.

Are the Caps good enough to have a lead late in that many games?

 

[ijuka]

Shooting at 4.4%, last year 14.3%, year before 15%. Assume he triples this to 13.2% and that would make for 44 goals during the season with his current shooting pace. Now, I'm not expecting him to get to that number, but 20 goals should be trivial.

Of course, we could also just draw conclusions off tiny sample sizes as well.

 

[BruinLVGA]

He‘ll get his 30-40 goals by the end of the season. He always does.

 

[mighty Stanley Duck]

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.

He will broke Gretzky's record, if not during this contract, then next one. He is gonna play until that record is broken.

 

[sr edler]

He should have six or seven by now. He’s hit a few posts and had one overturned (the Caps have had six goals overturned on challenges this year which seems insane considering they’ve only played 11 games). He’s looked a lot more like himself the past half dozen games than he did the first few games.

If you don't want goals overturned perhaps don't throw yourself into the net like Ovi did on that Bäckström goal against Toronto. Perhaps Ovi got so frustrated with not scoring he mistook himself for the puck, and that's why he jumped into the net like that?