Alex Ovechkin scores 40 goals for the 10th season

[Voight]

Or if Ovie had started his career as 18 year old in the NHL like Crosby. European players often are at slight disadvantage here, because rarely they have the chance to start career at 18 year old, imho.

They also have to adjust to the North American sized rinks

 

[Voight]

He may not play past 35.

Why not? Ovy absolutely loves playing hockey and enjoys like nobody else. His body can clearly take a lot of punishment and even in his late 30's, all he has to do is park himself at the face off dot and score 30 a year.

 

[pezpunk]

Just did some stats digging on Ovechkin that I'd like to share.

During his first 7 seasons he scored 339 goals in 553 games. He was scoring at a .613 goals per game rate.

At this point he was coming off a 32 goal season in year 6 and a 38 goal season in year 7.

He was 555 goals! behind Gretzky and people would laugh at the notion that he'd ever catch him. Most thought Ovechkin's best days were clearly behind him and that his 50 goal days were done.

In the next 7 seasons after that and up to today, he has scored 310 goals in 509 games. This is at a goals per game rate of .609.


He now stands at 245 goals behind Gretzky's record of 894.

interesting numbers. seems like statistically, Ovi hasn't really slowed down much at all. and you're right -- a few years back, the idea of him topping 894 was ludicrous. today it's still probably a stretch, but definitely conceivable. wow.

 

[BallardEra]

interesting numbers. seems like statistically, Ovi hasn't really slowed down much at all. and you're right -- a few years back, the idea of him topping 894 was ludicrous. today it's still probably a stretch, but definitely conceivable. wow.

He really hasn’t. If you take his last 7 year total of 310 goals over a total of 553 games that he played during his first 7 years you get 337 goals.

That’s 2 less goals than the 339 goals that he got over his first 7 years of his career during a 553 game span.

 

[BallardEra]

So if Ovechkin plays until 40 years old we can break his career down into 3 separate 7 year segments:

First 7 years: 339 goals
Middle 7 years: 320 (giving him 10 more goals this season to finish with 52)
Last 7 years: 235 goals needed to tie Gretzky

 

[Montrealer]

Anyone that claims Ovechkin isn't generational is clearly not thinking straight. The fact he's put up such incredible goal scoring numbers in what is compartively speaking a lower goal scoring era is stunning.

Look at this comparison using league-average-adjusted goals to compare him against other generational goal scorers:

 

[Sky04]

What is this dumb logic that Ovechkin isn't generational because Crosby is, you people know 99 and 66's career overlapped too right?

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

Since entering the league he has won just about every award his player type can. MVP’s multiple times, Rocket soon to be 8th time, Conn Smythe. That’s about all a winger can do.

Since entering the league he has 211 more goals than anyone else during that time. He has 1 more point than Crosby and up over 150 points and 200 points VS 3rd and 4th on that list Add in what he does physically - he’s a beast.

I think Caps since the time he has been named Captain have the most team wins too.

He’s generational. No one comes close to him as a winger lately. Look at guys even like Kane and Kucherov. Kane 915 points in 880 games. Kucherov 428 points in 424 games. Ovi 1189 points in 1061 games.

Crosby and Ovi are 1A and 1B of their generation and no one else is even in the discussion. It’s amazing we got to see two different type players over the past decade and a half. They’re both ridiculously awesome.

Patrick Kane deserves to be in the discussion i would think.