Greatest goal scorer ever? Ovy or?

[AD1066]

Bossy in a modern context is like a guy who scores 40+ every year and 50+ a few times. His GPG is inflated by his early retirement and the streak of 50 goals seasons is partially a function of the era in which he played. Gretzky, Lemieux, and Ovechkin all peaked higher.

 

[ESH]

Lots of love for Ovechkin but is he? Both Gretzky and Bossy had 5 seasons of 60 plus goals.
Both had nine 50+ goal seasons. Ovy has one 60 goal season and 6 50 goal seasons. Bossy scored 50+ goals nine straight seasons. Gretzky 8. I say GR8 is great but not the greatest nor will he be.
Who has your vote and why?

How can you have Bossy and Crosby as choices but not Hull or Richard?

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

being the only elite scorer in your generation <> being the best of all time.

not exactly hard to rack up Ross wins when only a handful of players top 40 each year.

 

[SotasicA]

Bobby Hull. 600+ goals in the NHL and another 300+ in the WHA.

Best shooter, best skater, strongest, fastest, bestest. Bobby. Also a shitty husband.

 

[dr robbie]

Has anyone ever claimed Crosby to be the best goal scorer ever? Cause that's just a weird addition to this list.

Regardless, I have my number 1 for goal scoring as Gretzky right now. Ovi is sure trying to make that claim though.

 

[newfy]

Ovechkin has take the number one title. Hes better than Crosby (Why is he in this poll?), Bossy, Lemeiux (didnt play enough to have that number one title), and I think he has officially passed Gretzky as well. Gretzky has the 92 goal season but if youre looking at adjusted goals for the era (this isnt a perfect stat either), 92 goals adjusts to 68 while Ovehkins 65 goal year is 72.

Ovechkins 65 goal peak is arguably higher than Grettzkys 92 but even if you want to call it even, Gretzky only led the league in goals 5 times while Ovechkin is now looking at number 8 this year which would be the most all time

 

[Regal]

True, but had an excellent rate of production through a low-scoring era and for that reason has more adjusted goals than any other modern-day player. It depends on what one wants to emphasize, peak or longevity.

I guess I just don't see how longevity can matter so much to completely override peak and prime. I can understand putting someone who was great for say 10 years over someone greater for only 5, but Jagr's numbers are mainly the result of having a great but clearly lower prime than other goalscorers, but then playing forever. I find it really hard to put someone who was never considered the best goalscorer in the league at any point in time over someone who was for several years. Also, adjusted stats favour DPE players because of how large a percentage of goals were scored on the PP (where star players play more)

 

[ESH]

Gretzky's got the record only because he played his peak during an exceptional high-scoring era, he doesn't belong to this discussion. Ovechkin, Hull, Jágr, Selänne.

What did Selanne and Jagr do to be considered better goal scorers than Gretzky?

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Lemieux. Imagine if he stopped being such a wonderful playmaker and just focused on goalscoring.

 

[Neutrinos]

Gretzky was only 23 the last time he lead the league in goals per game

It defies logic that the very best goal scorer ever couldn't lead the league in that category after the age of 23

Lemieux, on the other hand, came out of a 3 year retirement and lead the league in goals per game at the age of 35

 

[wetcoast]

Howe, Bobby Hull, Esposito, and Brett Hull should be added.

Agree along with Bure and Maurice Richard. Can't really speak to players I haven't seen before though.

Crosby shouldn't be on this list really.

 

[bobholly39]

Greatest? I voted Gretzky.

He's great because he did all the big things. Broke the single season record. Most playoff goals. Career goals.

I think Ovechkin will get there, i just don't think he's there yet.

Lemieux is *not* the greatest, but if the question was "best" I'd probably vote him.

The top 3 names for greatest should be Gretzky, Ovechkin and Bobby Hull in some order.

 

[ImpartialNHLfan]

Where the hell are the Hull's?

 

[Golden_Jet]

Bobby Hull for me, and he's not even an option.

 

[Vaporwave]

Bossy in a modern context is like a guy who scores 40+ every year and 50+ a few times. His GPG is inflated by his early retirement and the streak of 50 goals seasons is partially a function of the era in which he played. Gretzky, Lemieux, and Ovechkin all peaked higher.

Why try and minimize what Bossy did?

Over a thousand guys played in his era yet he was the only one to score 50+ goals 9 years in a row and score 17 goals in the playoffs 3 years in a row winning cups.

The 12 Best Clutch Goalscorers in NHL History

 

[BenchBrawl]

Lemieux

 

[amnesiac]

Ovie
Hull sr
Gretzky
Mario

 

[Cloned]

Greatest? I voted Gretzky.

He's great because he did all the big things. Broke the single season record. Most playoff goals. Career goals.

I think Ovechkin will get there, i just don't think he's there yet.

Lemieux is *not* the greatest, but if the question was "best" I'd probably vote him.

The top 3 names for greatest should be Gretzky, Ovechkin and Bobby Hull in some order.

What's the delineation between "greatest" and "best"?

 

[amnesiac]

Why try and minimize what Bossy did?

Over a thousand guys played in his era yet he was the only one to score 50+ goals 9 years in a row and score 17 goals in the playoffs 3 years in a row winning cups.

The 12 Best Clutch Goalscorers in NHL History

did you not read what he wrote?

 

[Panthaz89]

Gretzsky easily...not too mention while putting up ridiculous goal totals was more focused on getting assists in his career.

 

[RMimagery]

Bossy did things that no one else did.

 

[ole ole]

As of today,Easily The Great One.He has the stats to prove it.

 

[Vaporwave]

did you not read what he wrote?

I'll take hockey writer's opinions over random Hfers. Here's another article in case you missed the other one above...

The NHL's 25 Best Pure Goal Scorers of All Time

Again, not saying best ever because of his back/shortened career, but it was enough to create enough damage reg season/playoffs to be top 3 in a lot of writer's lists.

In his 10 years...http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?agg...ameType=2&filter=gamesPlayed,gte,1&sort=goals

 

[BowDownToVasilevskiy]

Ovechkin

 

[amnesiac]

Bossy did things that no one else did.

one the greatest? yes

top 5, maybe? Clearly behind Ovie, Hull sr, Gretzky, Mario, and maybe Espo

could argue Howe