What does Kucherov need to do to surpass Ovechkin and become the greatest Russian player to ever play in the NHL?

[Ghost of Murph]

Until a Russian player unseats Ovi's goal output, no Russian player should be in the conversation of the greatest. Kucherov is an awesome player, but Ovi is well ahead of him as greatest Russian player. Assuming Ovi sets the goal record he will surely be in the top 10 all-time greatest players. Kucherov won't ever be in that realm.

 

[kp61c]

Doesn't change that Kucherov isn't a clutch player who got out played by Ovechkin when it mattered most

every game matters in the playoffs. kuch is a much more successful playoff performer than ovechkin. it's not close.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

every game matters in the playoffs. kuch is a much more successful playoff performer than ovechkin. it's not close.

Nah, Kuch can't just get it done in the real playoffs.

Ovechkin might not have alot of success but his one year winning the Conn Smythe is greater than anything Kucherov has

 

[kp61c]

Nah, Kuch can't just get it done in the real playoffs.

Ovechkin might not have alot of success but his one year winning the Conn Smythe is greater than anything Kucherov has

nah, Ovechkin's conn smythe is a joke. it belongs in the same narrative you all are propagating here. kuch is not one trick pony and makes players around him better. that's why his team usually gets it done without having to play the seventh game.

 

[Oneiro]

Meh, as far as winning goes...I'd take prime Kucherov every time. Let's see how his career ends up but I would not be surprise if he is a much better player at the same age as Ovy now.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Nah, Kuch can't just get it done in the real playoffs.

Ovechkin might not have alot of success but his one year winning the Conn Smythe is greater than anything Kucherov has

Kucherov should have at least one Conn Smythe, though, and Ovechkin shouldn't get that Conn Smythe, it was all Kuznetsov's...

 

[Randyne]

Kucherov should have at least one Conn Smythe, though, and Ovechkin shouldn't get that Conn Smythe, it was all Kuznetsov's...

a goldfish memory...
Kuzy missed a game in the finals and WSH still won. Backy missed 4 games and WSH won.
W/o Ovi's physical presence all over the ice WSH would lose.
Sid's smythes were jokes. Kuch is nothing w/o Stamkos Hedman Vasilevsky Point. TBL plays better w/o him.

 

[Kshahdoo]

a goldfish memory...
Kuzy missed a game in the finals and WSH still won. Backy missed 4 games and WSH won.
W/o Ovi's physical presence all over the ice WSH would lose.
Sid's smythes were jokes. Kuch is nothing w/o Stamkos Hedman Vasilevsky Point. TBL plays better w/o him.

Do you actually mean the right hockey? Not some different one?

 

[Randyne]

Do you actually mean the right hockey? Not some different one?

What do you mean by right? Just be specific without any voodoo

 

[ref19]

Assuming Kucherov wins the Art-Ross/Hart/Lindsey this season (most deserving anyways), what else would he need to add to his resume to be able to catch OV and become the greatest Russian player to play in the league?

His playoff resume is already above OV's and you could now argue that his peak also is.

There isn't anything he can do. Ovi in a different stratosphere.

 

[Goose]

The recency bias is strong with this thread.

 

[Henry Miller]

Ovechkin just has that je ne sais quoi that Kuch doesn’t have, but in Kuch’s defense very very few players do. Ovechkin will always be spoken of when discussing all time great players before Kucherov is mentioned

 

[Kshahdoo]

What do you mean by right? Just be specific without any voodoo

I mean the hockey we all watch and talk about here.

 

[wetcoast]

every game matters in the playoffs. kuch is a much more successful playoff performer than ovechkin. it's not close.

The thing is that 2 things can be true at the same time.

Ovi is the guy I would want in a game 7 but that doesn't take away the fact that Kuch has the better individual playoff resume right now and is adding to it slightly while Ovi isn't.

 

[wetcoast]

a goldfish memory...
Kuzy missed a game in the finals and WSH still won. Backy missed 4 games and WSH won.
W/o Ovi's physical presence all over the ice WSH would lose.
Sid's smythes were jokes. Kuch is nothing w/o Stamkos Hedman Vasilevsky Point. TBL plays better w/o him.

What kind of logic is this exactly?

It's not like Kuz wasn't the top scoring player in that playoff run or that Backstrom didn't have a strong playoffs or that other guys that year also played really well.

For all the arguments against Crosby for his Conn Smythes the same group simply doesn't want to be consistent with Ovi's Conn Smythe.each player received their Conn Smythe in part to their being the captain of the SC winning team

Kuch doesn't have a Conn Smythe but he has 2 Conn Smythe worthy post seasons and the has the better playoff resume as well.

 

[MikeK]

I feel like people always have short term memories in conversations like these. Prime Ovi was about as dominant as I've ever seen from a Russian player and the best pure goal scorer I've ever seen. Kucherov has a long way to go in my books to surpass Ovi.

 

[Planetov]

nah, Ovechkin's conn smythe is a joke. it belongs in the same narrative you all are propagating here. kuch is not one trick pony and makes players around him better. that's why his team usually gets it done without having to play the seventh game.

Why stop at just his Conn Smythe? We can invalidate his three Lindsay’s because players can’t be trusted to know hockey. We can invalidate this three Hart’s because Crosby was cheated in ‘08 and ‘13—same with his Art Ross. As for the one in ‘09, let’s just invalidate it because Ovechkin is selfish. Same for his nine Rocket’s. Selfish.

And his Stanley Cup? Well it was against a first-year expansion team. So that doesn’t count. Since he tries too hard to score, I say we invalidate his 853 goals.

So, zero goals, no Cups, and just a measly Calder Trophy that rightfully belonged to Crosby.

 

[Randyne]

I mean the hockey we all watch and talk about here.

So?

 

[Planetov]

Kucherov should have at least one Conn Smythe, though, and Ovechkin shouldn't get that Conn Smythe, it was all Kuznetsov's...

What if I told you that each and every Cup run has multiple players who performed at a Conn Smythe level? And that maybe, just maybe, that is what is required for teams to win the Cup. One player being more deserving is not the same thing as another being undeserving.

Why in god’s name can’t posters refrain from diminishing players’ accomplishments?

 

[TheGoldenJet]

He missed 10 games. He was suspended for 4. That means he missed 6 games with injuries - only 1 fewer than Malkin missed. This is some season-defining distinction to you?

The 2 games he missed for the Gleason knee on knee injured him anyway. He probably misses those games regardless.

Nah, Ovechkin was already on the ice and skating the next morning, and returned immediately after the suspension was up, which gave him a nice, long 6 day breather.

Again, sitting out while healthy can artificially inflate points per game average. It allows rest, and in Ovechkin’s case it allowed bruises to heal that other guys had to play through. It’s not a difficult concept to understand.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

You think he is going -66 the next two years?

Ovechkin is only +45 on his career, so a -46 over the next couple seasons would make him a minus player, which would be fitting with his shoddy defensive play (particularly at his peak). He was -22 this year in 79 games, so if he stays healthy and continues his downward trajectory, he could absolutely slide into the minus range.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Until a Russian player unseats Ovi's goal output, no Russian player should be in the conversation of the greatest. Kucherov is an awesome player, but Ovi is well ahead of him as greatest Russian player. Assuming Ovi sets the goal record he will surely be in the top 10 all-time greatest players. Kucherov won't ever be in that realm.

So Eiserman is thé best 2024 with your logic

 

[HolyHagelin]

Ovechkin is only +45 on his career, so a -46 over the next couple seasons would make him a minus player, which would be fitting with his shoddy defensive play (particularly at his peak). He was -22 this year in 79 games, so if he stays healthy and continues his downward trajectory, he could absolutely slide into the minus range.

You missed the follow up exchange to this post obviously, i misread something, or there was a glitch on a page, or something.

 

[Outl4w]

There’s nothing he can do to pass Ovechkin or even be a tier near him

Kuch is better at getting generating offense for his team and better at producing in the Playoffs yoffs . Ovi is better at scoring goals and playing physical.

 

[powerbomb]

All Kucherov must do is register a single playoff point in his age 38 season, then he shall leapfrog Ovechkin for sure!!