Who will win the Rocket Richard in 2017-18?

[Zamuz]

Age.... 32 this year only scored 33 last year.

10-11 he scored 'only' 32
11-12 he scored 'only' 38

After that he won 4 rockets in a row

 

[34]

OV or Matthews will win it. BOOK IT!

 

[Apotheosis]

Can't bet against Ovechkin here.

 

[Sojourn]

Age.... 32 this year only scored 33 last year.

And prior to that he scored 50 three straight years.

Not really your best counter point. It’s not like he’s five years removed from a 50 goal season. Look a little deeper.

 

[Sojourn]

10-11 he scored 'only' 32
11-12 he scored 'only' 38

After that he won 4 rockets in a row

Thank you. I thought this would go without saying, but apparently not.

And to elaborate, one of the reasons it wasn’t four straight 50 goal seasons is because one of those seasons was the lockout. He “only” scored 32 goals in 48 games that year.

 

[StrangeVision]

Who’s the one guy that said Matthews?

Is Matthews a bad choice? Tied for second in his rookie year with 40. Third so far this season. Seem like a perfectly reasonable choice.

 

[Sojourn]

Is Matthews a bad choice? Tied for second in his rookie year with 40. Third so far this season. Seem like a perfectly reasonable choice.

Shooting 32%.

He’s a pretty questionable choice right now, especially with Ovechkin and Kucherov leading the way. OV is also shooting high, but no where near as high, and he has a history of getting it done. Kucherov is shooting about 30% too, which is why Ovechkin is the safer bet. I would just pick Kucherov ahead of Matthews right now, because he’s shooting slightly less than him, and already has three more goals. Also, and Matthews was tied for 2nd. With Kucherov.

Really, Ovechkin is the guy who is the best bet right now, both in terms of what we’ve seen this season and what Ovechkin has accomplished in the recent past. So, no, Matthews isn’t a bad choice, exactly, but he is definitely a “fan” choice.

 

[42]

Kucherov with the art ross and rocket.

My prediction too. 55 goals.

 

[StrangeVision]

Shooting 32%.

He’s a pretty questionable choice right now, especially with Ovechkin and Kucherov leading the way. OV is also shooting high, but no where near as high, and he has a history of getting it done.

Kucherov at a svelte 29.4%.

 

[Sojourn]

Kucherov at a svelte 29.4%.

Yes, which is why Ovechkin is the easy choice here.

Things could change. Maybe Ovechkin drops off entirely. I’d say maybe Matthews goes on a tear, but let’s face it, that’s what this is. Matthews is on a tear, and he’s still behind Ovechkin. Kucherov is on a tear too, and he’s tied with Ovechkin.

Ovechkin is on a tear, but not quite as drastic. He has a smaller fall ahead of him. He’s just, well, Ovechkin.

 

[StrangeVision]

Yes, which is why Ovechkin is the easy choice here.

Ovechkin is the easy choice, yes. My other post was referring more to the sneering at someone picking Matthews.

There's nothing wrong with picking Matthews here.

 

[Sojourn]

Ovechkin is the easy choice, yes. My other post was referring more to the sneering at someone picking Matthews.

A player who is already three goals behind the top two guys, and shooting at an incredible 32% is an unlikely choice, IMO. Maybe not sneer worthy, but questionable. If he were leading the way, I think there’s an argument. Already behind? Less so.

My feeling is that you only need to ask if Ovechkin looks like he’s in form, and since the answer is yes, he’s the guy you pick. There is only one player in the NHL you could argue is a consistent 50 goal player when on his game.

 

[42]

Kucherov at a svelte 29.4%.

Yes but he has 10 goals in 9 games, which is a pace for 91 over 82 games, so there is room for S% to normalize and still score 50+

 

[Sojourn]

Yes but he has 10 goals in 9 games, which is a pace for 91 over 82 games, so there is room for S% to normalize and still score 50+

Exactly. Even then, you still have Ovechkin in the mix as the more likely choice. It’s just at this stage, if you’re playing the numbers, Kucherov is a solid number two choice. Less to fall, and already a leg up.

I guess the best argument for Matthews is we only have one season to look at for his shooting percentage, but even then he’s shooting so high right now that it almost doesn’t matter. At 32%, even if he ends up shooting a couple percent higher than last season, you’d still be looking at his percentage cutting in half.

 

[Yackiberg8]

Kucherov seems more likely to me. He is in the prime of his career, had 40 last year, and seems to have unreal chemistry with Stamkos.

Ovechkin is in the backend of his career and had 33 last year. They are both off to great starts and will both likely have great years but I give the edge to Kuch.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

The simple answer is Ovechkin.

44 goals is not going to win you a Rocket most years, and Ovechkin is the biggest reason why. He’s a 50 goal scorer. When Ovechkin is in form, he consistently gives you that number. Like clockwork. So it seems likely that Matthews will not just need 4 more goals, because Ovechkin has come to play, and unlike Matthews there is no “he could be that one day” argument. We know what Ovechkin can do.

If I were a betting man, I’d put money on 50 goals happening this season, and Ovechkin is the guy who I’d expect to do it. In this league, he’s the only one you can really say that about.

Well said. Last time anyone not named Ovechkin scored 50 goals, it was Malkin and Stamkos 6 years ago.
Can you imagine, only one 50 goal scorer in the past 6 years, and he did it 3 years in a row with 4 consecutive scoring titles.

Ovechkin is in a class of his own, there are maybe one or two players in the history of the game who dominated a category as much as Ovechkin dominated goalscoring.

 

[Trilliann]

Ovechkin 50+

 

[Morgs]

Kuch has scored 30 goals in his last 33 games. That's a 74 goal pace.

I mean, the guy has 11 in 10 games this season... He's obviously scoring 90 goals because he's that good.

What person in their right mind would pick Ovechkin?

 

[Pi]

I think it's going to be between Ovechkin, Kucherov, and Matthews. If I had to bet right now, I'd go Kucherov. Ovechkin has had a hot streak where he got 6 out of his 10 goals. He hasn't been consistent game to game like Matthews or Kucherov. He scores in bunches and I think those bunches are going to be far and between for the Capitals this year. They don't look like a good team and they have to deal with injuries on top of that.

Father Time catches up to everyone and I'd be shocked if Ovechkin ended up with 50 goals this year. If he couldn't do it on a much better team last year, there is very little chance of his hot streak ending up with 50 goals at the end of the season.

Rocket winner probably has 45 goals this year.

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

assuming Stamkos stays healthy, I'll go with Kucherov. Coin flip between him and Ovi imo

 

[Paris in Flames]

Ovi and I think this season we have multiple hit 50 goals.

 

[SotasicA]

Anything can happen, it's so early.

In fact, I think Kucherov will break his leg in his very next game. It's possible all of these players listed here will break their legs.

Or, you know, a 10 game scoring drought.

 

[Scorcho]

Kuch 1st, ovie 2nd

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

It'll be one of Kucherov or Ovechkin unless Matthews really improves

 

[Bedards Dad]

Ovi with 58.