If Ovechkin manages to break Gretzky's record, would that make him jump in your all time rankings?

[Regal]

Breaking the record or not wouldn't change my opinion of him. I don't think milestones are that meaningful in themselves, it's how a player gets there. Adding more good seasons will add to his legacy, but whether he stopped 20 short or 20 past wouldn't really matter.

 

[Randyne]

Now:
Gretzky
Howe
Lemieux
Orr
Ovechkin

With 900G:
Gretzky
Ovechkin
Howe
Lemieux
Orr

 

[jetsforever]

Are we talking about the difference between 893 and 895 goals? That specific distinction shouldn't really matter in the all-time rankings
Did Marleau suddenly become a legend when he broke the GP record?

 

[jetsforever]

I mean if he plays 10 more years to barely get the record...then...no. But this is an unlikely as hell scenario.

He will most likely beat the record within 5 years. So yes it moves him up for me.

Orr
Gretzky
Lemieux
Ovi
Howe

Now:
Gretzky
Howe
Lemieux
Orr
Ovechkin

With 900G:
Gretzky
Ovechkin
Howe
Lemieux
Orr

There's at least one obvious omission in those lists

 

[Hockeyholic]

There's at least one obvious omission in those lists

Hasek? Crosby? Richard?

 

[Primary Assist]

Yes. Just like if a team scores one more goal than their opponent they are granted a win, I would consider an all time goalscoring record-breaking Ovechkin's career a win over a non-record breaking Ovechkin.

 

[Xspyrit]

No, that would make him drop significantly in my all time rankings

Let's be real

 

[T_Cage]

i'd say if he broke it, or even got realy close, it would move him up a little. Right now if i had to, i'd tier the greats like this (in Tiers, cause a 1-10 ranking is too hard imo). Goalies excluded

Howe
Gretz
Orr

Lemeiux

Jagr
Bossy
Ovi

Harvey
Lidstrom
Esposito
Crosby
Richard

If Ovi has a couple more good years, I'd probably put him up with Mario, and if he breaks the record (or comes really close), he's gotta be in that top tier. The difference in Goalscoring between Gretz/Marios time and now honestly already makes him the greatest goalscorer of all time, to beat Waynes total is a huge feat we may never see anything close to again

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

You need to rank Ovechkin higher if he's the all time leading goal scorer! It's as simple as that! You can't have Crosby above Ovechkin anymore after that! Especially since Ovechkin is the all time leader in both overtime goals and game winning goals as well! That's 3 out of the 11 all time great categories for Ovechkin once he hangs his skates up, with Gretzky having the other 8 records.

Shhhhh

 

[JackSlater]

No, and honestly I find it a pretty indefensible position to suggest that Ovechkin scoring more goals than Gretzky could suddenly elevate him above players other than Gretzky, for a variety of reasons. Barring a basically unprecedented late career peak he can't move much for me, though a few more elite seasons don't hurt. I could see him as high as 5 an as low as... 15 or so.

 

[Fataldogg]

Ovechkin too way too much money, in my opinion.

I think a 2nd Stanley Cup would improve his legacy almost as much as breaking the goals record.

He could have taken a run at both by taking a more team-friendly deal.

Way too much emphasis on a Cup.

Breaking Wayne Gretzky's all time goal record >>>>>>>>> winning a 2nd Stanley Cup.

I don't think those two achievements are remotely close.

 

[heretik27]

Yea, last part here doesnt make any sense. Do you expect player in future reach Gretzky in their prime/peak years? Because otherwise any player reaching this amount of goals will be doing that feat in their final years, and thus they are just hanging to steal that top spot, by your definition.

Gretzky only scored 91 goals in his last 362 games from 94-95' to retirement himself. It's a weird way to look at things for sure, but I can understand the reasoning when applied to something like MAF's games won throughout his career when it's more of a team accomplishment than individual.

 

[koyvoo]

It seems some of the comments suggest that certain people would have him ranked differently if he scores 895 goal than they would if he scores 850 or 875 or something?

Seems the same tier of player to me.

 

[nowhereman]

I came in here to say "yes", as I think that would firmly engrain him in the group right outside the top 4 (with Beliveau, Hull, and Crosby). He's one of the very best to ever play the game.

Then I got distracted by all the crazy shit I'm reading in this thread. OV #2 all time? Bossy ahead of Crosby and Esposito ahead of Beliveau?

 

[wetcoast]

I mean if he plays 10 more years to barely get the record...then...no. But this is an unlikely as hell scenario.

He will most likely beat the record within 5 years. So yes it moves him up for me.

Orr
Gretzky
Lemieux
Ovi
Howe

This isn't going to age well...at all

 

[wetcoast]

You need to rank Ovechkin higher if he's the all time leading goal scorer! It's as simple as that! You can't have Crosby above Ovechkin anymore after that! Especially since Ovechkin is the all time leader in both overtime goals and game winning goals as well! That's 3 out of the 11 all time great categories for Ovechkin once he hangs his skates up, with Gretzky having the other 8 records.

NHL Progressive Leaders and Records for Goals | Hockey-Reference.com

Seldom ever in NHL history has the NHL all time goal leader been considered the best player of all time, sometimes that leader isn't even a legit top 5 guy.

Nice try to triple count goals, why not bring up the goals created category as well?

Quick answer is because he won't even finish top 3 in this category.

 

[wetcoast]

No. He’s already the game’s greatest goal scorer. He’d be way closer to Gretzky without lockouts and COVID.

The big issue is the fact his prime as a complete force is minimal.

This is reality in a nutshell.

Other players simple ahs more impressive overall primes.

 

[Canadiens Ghost]

Wouldn't move him for me. It is an impressive accomplishment for sure, but a career stat for goals doesn't really change his abilities from what we already know.

Exactly. We already know what he brings to the game so unless he also becomes a Selke contender or show us something new, my ranking of him won't change.

 

[Mulletman]

NHL Progressive Leaders and Records for Goals | Hockey-Reference.com

Seldom ever in NHL history has the NHL all time goal leader been considered the best player of all time, sometimes that leader isn't even a legit top 5 guy.

Nice try to triple count goals, why not bring up the goals created category as well?

Quick answer is because he won't even finish top 3 in this category.

I was going by what NHL.com considers to be the top 11 records based on raw point totals that they list on their main stat page: NHL Stats
But I actually forgot that Ovechkin already leads in overtime goals as well. So that would make it 4/11 for Ovechkin once his career is over and 7/11 for Gretzky.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Seems like a lot of people would continue to rank Ovechkin under Crosby if Ovechkin ends up with 890 goals, but would rank Ovechkin ahead if he ends up with 895 goals.

 

[Mulletman]

This upcomming season is still going to influense Ovechkin's overall position on the all time list for many. If he can still pull off another Rocket win with 50+ goals, he will end up with 10 Rocket wins which would be super impressive on his resume. It would also tie Gretzky and Bossy in 50 goal seasons. Plus it would make Ovechkin the oldest player in NHL history to score 50 goals, breaking John Bucyk's record. This would all be stuff that pushes Ovechkin up on the all time rankings list for most people.

 

[DJJones]

He's already declining, we already know what he was.

It's a nice story to think he could have a Jagr like end to his career but won't make me think he was any better.

With or without the record he's the best goal scorer ever.

 

[Tutu to]

I voted yes but he still wouldn’t crack my top 5.

Mind blown at the people that would rank him #2 .

 

[Varan]

I voted no.

What a shocker LOL

 

[Varan]

He would move past Crosby in my eyes, both of his generation AND all-time