Alex Ovechkin scores 40 goals for the 10th season

[DrewGl]

McDavid made DC a big hockey market?

Yes...we can't get enough of him down here. Love the guy.

 

[cowboy82nd]

Yes...we can't get enough of him down here. Love the guy.

Okey Dokey. I did not know that McDavid made DC a big hockey market. You learn something new every day. I would still like to know how McDavid transformed the game according to another poster?

 

[SlickShot]

Ovechkin is a pure scorer.

 

[DrewGl]

Okey Dokey. I did not know that McDavid made DC a big hockey market. You learn something new every day. I would still like to know how McDavid transformed the game according to another poster?

I meant Ovi obviously, sorry for the misquote.

 

[cowboy82nd]

I meant Ovi obviously, sorry for the misquote.

Copy that. I have no doubt that Ovi made DC a big hockey market. My original post was from this quote:

I just don’t think Ovechkin transformed the game like Richard, Howe, Orr, Gretzky, Lemieux, Crosby and Mcdavid did.
It takes more than just goal scoring to be in that group of players IMO


So, I was wondering how has McDavid transformed the game? I'm not arguing about him being a great hockey player, but I would still like to know how he has transformed the game?​

 

[ER89]

Well the guys having a shit season, clearly.

 

[inthewings]

Looking forward to Ovie setting the goals record and people on HF still arguing that he's not generational.

 

[SpinningEdge]

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.

 

[Morbo]

Players like Ovechkin are why you watch hockey.

 

[Eisen]

What was the deal with Ovechkin in 2010-11 and 2011-12? I mean, why was he limited to 32 and 38 goals (not that either total is bad)?

Washington's goal-scoring seems to have dropped off a lot from 2009 to 2010, but with the same coach (Boudreau), so were there injuries to key players? Or was that when Ovechkin's girlfriend came to live with him for a while...? Just curious.

As far as I remember, Boudreau changed the system after another play-off loss.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

Generational goal scorer that’s for sure

No, generational player and it isn't even a question. Anyone saying different should be dismissed.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

Possibly beating an unbeatable all time goals record doesn't screen generational to you? Look up Rocket Richard winners since 2010.

10 40 goal seasons and counting=not generational

I guess being the greatest power forward in hockey history doesn't matter either. Disregard this bum.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

What was the deal with Ovechkin in 2010-11 and 2011-12? I mean, why was he limited to 32 and 38 goals (not that either total is bad)?

Washington's goal-scoring seems to have dropped off a lot from 2009 to 2010, but with the same coach (Boudreau), so were there injuries to key players? Or was that when Ovechkin's girlfriend came to live with him for a while...? Just curious.

The greatest knee jerk reaction ever that killed a team for years. It was an awful decision to something that needed minor tweaks on the back end, a shame really as I do think that team could've won with a better goaltender and not treating Mike Green like a 1A defensemen.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

Well guess it depends on what standards you have for generational. I see it like this a generational player is one whom would be the arguably best in pretty much any era. So by that logic there really only is the "big 4" with Hasek having a more or less legit argument aswell. Ovechkin is a generational goalscorer but not player in my book. Of course it's entirely subjective and depends on how you define generational.

Ovechkin would be the best goal scorer in any era, he'd be the best power forward in hockey in any era as well. He's objectively a generational player that's changed the game.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

I just don’t think Ovechkin transformed the game like Richard, Howe, Orr, Gretzky, Lemieux, Crosby and Mcdavid did.
It takes more than just goal scoring to be in that group of players IMO

Please tell me how Crosby and McDavid have changed the game of hockey? I'm not taking away from their talent but they've done nothing the NHL hasn't seen before while there has never been another player like Ovechkin. The combination of size, speed, power and goal scoring the like the game has never seen, he's changed the game more than either Crosby or McDavid.

There's a reason why Alexander Ovechkin continues even now to be the most popular player in the game and it isn't because he's more of the same.

 

[MartinS82]

I'm a total homer but it's just so automatic from that left circle. It's crazy.

People make fun of him for that spot on the ice, but no one has figured out how to stop it in 14 years! It's unreal.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

People make fun of him for that spot on the ice, but no one has figured out how to stop it in 14 years! It's unreal.

Thing is prior to 2011 he really didn't shoot from there a lot. Yes he did score there but it was even across the board, after which he's gravitated more and more to the left circle throughout the years to now. Ultimately, he's only scored 30% of his goals from the left circle so anyone that tells you that's all he can do it an idiot.

Edit: Japer's Rink put together a year by year heat chart for Ovechkin's goals and it's awesome, I'm going to find them and post them when I have some time.

 

[txpd]

Copy that. I have no doubt that Ovi made DC a big hockey market. My original post was from this quote:

I just don’t think Ovechkin transformed the game like Richard, Howe, Orr, Gretzky, Lemieux, Crosby and Mcdavid did.
It takes more than just goal scoring to be in that group of players IMO


So, I was wondering how has McDavid transformed the game? I'm not arguing about him being a great hockey player, but I would still like to know how he has transformed the game?​

In order to transform the game a player must be able to have his skill and style replicated. Bo Jackson didn't transform baseball or football because no following player could do what he did.

Frankly that's true of all the players above except for Orr who changed the basic nature of how defensemen were used in the structure of the game.

 

[Nsjohnson]

So they have 23 games left. He will play a total of 81 games this year if he stays healthy, which is probably the case.

In the last 10 games he has 7 goals. If you do the math, apply it to 23 games, he should get another 15-16 goals.

But, he scored a hatty too.

So do the ten before that. He got 4/10 games. That's about 9 goals over the next 23 games.

If you apply his goal % to the entire season, then he will score (40g in 58gp) 15 over the next 23 games.

Either way, unless the team, or he, really falls off or stops trying, which I don't think will be the case as the race there is tight with the rest of the division and conference, he gets 50. There are a few teams they play down the stretch that it seems Ovechkin always scores 1 or 2 against.

Last year he scored 14 goals over the last 23 games.

Wouldn't it be something if he put up 14 more goals and had the best season he's had in ten years as far as scoring goals goes (he was on fire during the lockout too but it was sadly a short season)?

 

[MartinS82]

Thing is prior to 2011 he really didn't shoot from there a lot. Yes he did score there but it was even across the board, after which he's gravitated more and more to the left circle throughout the years to now. Ultimately, he's only scored 30% of his goals from the left circle so anyone that tells you that's all he can do it an idiot.

Edit: Japer's Rink put together a year by year heat chart for Ovechkin's goals and it's awesome, I'm going to find them and post them when I have some time.

Of course, just like Gretzky got assists that weren't from him curling at the blue line hitting the late man or from behind the net. But those are definitely his signature plays. OV's is the one-timer from the circle - and there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Pip]

Beast

 

[Dondini]

Copy that. I have no doubt that Ovi made DC a big hockey market. My original post was from this quote:

I just don’t think Ovechkin transformed the game like Richard, Howe, Orr, Gretzky, Lemieux, Crosby and Mcdavid did.
It takes more than just goal scoring to be in that group of players IMO


So, I was wondering how has McDavid transformed the game? I'm not arguing about him being a great hockey player, but I would still like to know how he has transformed the game?​

I actually think Mcdavid transformed the game more than Sid did. Although not all credit to Mcdavid for the speed of the game but no doubt since Mcdavid has entered the league guys are much more aware about speed and how important it is. Game just seems to have entered a new level this year in terms of speed. Is it coincidence? Maybe. But this speed trend is gonna continue and I think Mcdavid is one of the biggest reasons and I don’t see this trend slowing down anytime soon ( pun intended)

 

[CokenoPepsi]

I don't think either Ovechkin or Crosby changed the game.

I think they both generational

 

[txpd]

People make fun of him for that spot on the ice, but no one has figured out how to stop it in 14 years! It's unreal.

Except its not just the left circle. Even on the power play. I just watched all his playoff goals from last season. He does score from his office but his office is from the left wing goal post to the center blue line.

The thing is that he can beat a good goalie clean with a wrist shot from 40ft out.

 

[cowboy82nd]

I actually think Mcdavid transformed the game more than Sid did. Although not all credit to Mcdavid for the speed of the game but no doubt since Mcdavid has entered the league guys are much more aware about speed and how important it is. Game just seems to have entered a new level this year in terms of speed. Is it coincidence? Maybe. But this speed trend is gonna continue and I think Mcdavid is one of the biggest reasons and I don’t see this trend slowing down anytime soon ( pun intended)

I have to disagree. The game has been gearing to speed for awhile now. That's why the "goon" role is also leaving. I don't think McDavid had anything to do with it. He is just benefiting from the fact that he is the fastest player now. Yes, he is also one of the best but the trend has nothing to do with McDavid. IMO.