Around the NHL 2019-2020 | Offseason Edition

[ricky0034]

That track seems reasonable. But he is 34. Not a lot of 35-year-olds go around scoring 40 goals. Gretzky did it once in his 30s.
Howe did it, but it was a different game.
Jagr last topped 40 with his 54-goal season at the age of 33. Never topped 27 after that. Hull never hit 40 after the age of 32. Dionne last topped 40 goals at the age of 33.
Esposito did it at the age of 36 - but the 70s were a different era.
So Howe and Espo are the only guys. They did it in an era when goalies sucked and forward took 3-minute shifts.

while this is true you could say the same thing about 34 year olds or 33 year olds etc

since Esposito did it a few times 45+ years ago playing with Orr literally the only player other than Ovechkin to lead the league in goals at the age of 30+ is Lemieux(who did it once,24 years ago,at 30)

Ovechkin did it at 30,32,33,and there's a pretty decent chance he'll do it again this year at 34

he could do it again next year or he could finally fall out of contention for what is almost exclusively a young mans award but if there's one thing he's proven it's that he's beyond predicting and an exception to a lot of rules

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

The bigger one with Ovie is it looks like he is going to hit 50 again. When we talk about this we are already reducing the amount he needs to score expecting some regression, people were talking 40 this year. If Ovie hits 50 the next two years, we start to talk about him only needing to average 30 in the final three years it gets more palatable. The longer he remains truly elite the closer this reality becomes. He needs to stay healthy still for half a decade, but this is starting to look like it could possibly be done which is incredible.

Regardless of him actually getting to Gretzky's number, Ovie for me is easily the greatest goal scorer of all-time already, so actually hitting that doesn't matter to me when you look at the eras they played in. I think he already wears that crown.

 

[Frk It]

 

[The Zermanator]

When are we going to get another one of these players?

 

[Bench]

When are we going to get another one of these players?

Maybe this year!

 

[Frk It]

When are we going to get another one of these players?

MGOBlue on Twitter

 

[A II R]

Ken Holland just gave Zack Kassian 4 years at 3.2m per:

 

[Winger98]

"McDavid taking less." Dude is making $15m this year and has a cap hit of $12.5m. The percentage of the cap he took up when he signed (16.67%) is higher than the contracts of Panarin, Matthews, Crosby, Malkin, Kane, Toews, and Eichel (these are the only ones I checked).

I can get ragging on the Kassian deal because the guy doesn't exactly have a big track record of putting up points like this. Holland is taking a tiny little risk there with a pretty fair contract. But don't try telling me McDavid left all of this cash on the table and the Oilers have squandered his generosity. The guy got paid, and it looks like was paid more handsomely than any player in the league.

 

[Frk It]

Current Abby and future Kassian

 

[TheMule93]

14 goals in Ovi's last 7 games... 3 hat tricks in that span. I love him, so glad he finally got a cup.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

14 goals in Ovi's last 7 games... 3 hat tricks in that span. I love him, so glad he finally got a cup.

11 seasons with 40 goals, one short of Gretzky.

Ovie is one of my favorite players of all-time.

I am curious with the pursuit of Gretzky already becoming a marketing theme, Ovie does have a hammer for the PA that no other player really has with his contract up in 20-21. He can take the year off to pursue Gold in the Olympics something we know is important to him, but would make the record hard, maybe not impossible but it will be interesting if he starts talking about it at some point this summer.

For the record I blame the IOC first and foremost in this debate as there should absolutely be content sharing to hold a multi-billion dollar league on hold in the middle of the season. However, I wonder what kind of number the league would put on him chasing Gretzky and losing the greatest goal-scorer of all-time to the Olympics and KHL for at least one season possibly forever.... You have to think as much as the Owners and Bettman don't want to go for nothing, that is an ugly thing for the league to endure and something you really couldn't name in terms of scenarios when the last Olympics were being thought about.

 

[Winger98]

Let him take the year off. The NHL will survive.

 

[chances14]

choosing between getting gold for your country and becoming the all time NHL goal scorer. That's a tough one

The hockey fan in me really hopes he breaks howe's record. Dude is probably my favorite non red wings player of all time

 

[Winger98]

Given recent history Ovi's best hope of winning a medal is if the NHL doesn't let its guys go.

 

[14ari13]

After this season he might be around 180 goals behind Gretzky. It is 5 seasons.

 

[Claypool]

Outside of a major injury there's nothing stopping him from Gretzky's record. I don't see how anyone could argue otherwise.

 

[TheMule93]

Outside of a major injury there's nothing stopping him from Gretzky's record. I don't see how anyone could argue otherwise.

He's 34 and he still needs ~200 goals. Theres the threat of a lockout looming so he may miss a year. Its a lot to ask and i can see how someone can argue otherwise. Definitely doable.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

This is me watching the Leafs season...

Seriously they are in big trouble at this point.

 

[Red Stanley]

This is me watching the Leafs season...

Seriously they are in big trouble at this point.

Lolol

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

This is me watching the Leafs season...

Seriously they are in big trouble at this point.

Made this before realizing my buddies cousin was just traded there last night...

Well I still hate the Leafs even with Jack Campbell. I hope he plays well and their offense dries up I guess.

 

[14ari13]

Is it true the jackets goalie has 5 SOs in last 8 games?

 

[MBH]

XO was called up to Montreal and had an assist.

Great to see him get another look.

 

[MBH]

Holy shit.
The Penguins traded a 2020 1st, Galchenyuk and Addison for Jason Zucker?

 

[HisNoodliness]

Holy ****.
The Penguins traded a 2020 1st, Galchenyuk and Addison for Jason Zucker?

He has term on his contract which apparently matters a ton these days, and he's having a pretty good year this year. That being said I would absolutely hate that trade if I was a Pens fan.

 

[Bench]

He has term on his contract which apparently matters a ton these days, and he's having a pretty good year this year. That being said I would absolutely hate that trade if I was a Pens fan.

Penguins were chasing Zucker before, too, but Kessel rejected that trade. He's a guy they specifically think is perfect for their team, so it seems they were willing to pay whatever it takes for that. Zucker is like AA without the perceived attitude and effort issues.

The Pens are better today than yesterday. As long as Malkin and Crosby are still elite players, moves like this will make sense. Their window is today, not whenever that late 1st round pick hits the NHL in 3+ years. I understand and agree with their mindset, but we'll see if Zucker is that difference maker for them.