Is Ovechkin A Top 10 Forward In NHL History?

Is Ovechkin a top 10 forward in NHL history?


  • Total voters
    101

KoozNetsOff 92

Hala Madrid
Apr 6, 2016
8,567
8,229
Yes he is. Only guys that are 100% ahead are Gretzky, Howe and Lemieux. After that it's preference with (no order)

Ovechkin
Hull
Jagr
Crosby
Richard
Beliveau
 

GlitchMarner

Typical malevolent, devious & vile Maple Leafs fan
Jul 21, 2017
9,712
6,432
Brampton, ON
I wouldn't call him a top 10 player (yet) even if he wins the Cup, but he's a possible top 10 forward.

Definitely better:

Gretzky
Howe
Lemieux


Next group:

Hull
Beliveau
Richard
Crosby
Morenz
Jagr
Ovechkin

Mikita
Esposito
Messier
Lafleur


Next:

Trottier
Clarke
Sakic
Yzerman
Dionne
Bossy
Malkin
Mahovlich
Forsberg
Lindsay
Kelly
Conacher
Apps
Dickie Moore
Malone
Lalonde
Schmidt
Henri Richard


He's somewhere in the second group. I would put him ahead of Mess if he wins the Cup and possibly ahead of any or all of Espo/Mikita/Lafleur. Possible top 10.
 
Last edited:

daver

Registered User
Apr 4, 2003
25,820
5,710
Visit site
Thought it was Top Ten player, not forward. Should have voted Yes.

I think he and Jagr are in the #8 to #10 spot with Morenz. Like Crosby, can move up before his career is over.

What he is doing is great but one also wonders what he could have done if he played this focused and well rounded a game earlier in his career.
 
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Spirit of 67

Registered User
Nov 25, 2016
7,061
4,938
Aurora, On.
I'm right on the fence here. I voted no and the names I'd use are mentioned. But I could probably vote yes on a different day.

He's right there for sure.
 

Dominance

99-66-4-9-87/97
Sep 30, 2017
7,821
12,251
The Land of Hockey
Whoops, voted no as I thought it was top-10 players, not just forwards.

Gretzky
Lemieux
Howe
Crosby
Jagr
Richard
Hull
Bossy
Messier
Beliveau

are fairly clearly ahead in my eyes. He’s in (and perhaps at the forefront of) the next group with (other) Hull, Esposito, Lafleaur, etc. The problem with Ovechkin is that his sole major claim to fame is his incredible goal scoring abilities, but Richard, Hull, and Bossy may all be argued as equal or better than him in that regard, with better secondary resumes. Unless he keeps scoring 40+ goals for many years - which is entirely possible - he’ll likely never be ranked ahead of them, not to mention Gretzky, Lemieux, and Howe.
 

Fantomas

Registered User
Aug 7, 2012
13,243
6,558
I wouldn't call him a top 10 player (yet) even if he wins the Cup, but he's a possible top 10 forward.

Definitely better:

Gretzky
Howe
Lemieux


Next group:

Hull
Beliveau
Richard
Crosby
Morenz
Jagr
Ovechkin

Mikita
Esposito
Messier
Lafleur

I think Esposito has a very good argument to be in this second group. So I guess one can justify having Ovechkin 11th.

But I don't think he can be lower.
 

Connor McConnor

Registered User
Nov 22, 2017
5,243
6,011
Whoops, voted no as I thought it was top-10 players, not just forwards.

Gretzky
Lemieux
Howe
Crosby
Jagr
Richard
Hull
Bossy
Messier
Beliveau

are fairly clearly ahead in my eyes. He’s in (and perhaps at the forefront of) the next group with (other) Hull, Esposito, Lafleaur, etc. The problem with Ovechkin is that his sole major claim to fame is his incredible goal scoring abilities, but Richard, Hull, and Bossy may all be argued as equal or better than him in that regard, with better secondary resumes. Unless he keeps scoring 40+ goals for many years - which is entirely possible - he’ll likely never be ranked ahead of them, not to mention Gretzky, Lemieux, and Howe.

Pretty confused how you think guys like Hull or Bossy were better goal scorers than Ovi. Ovi was better than both in almost every single facet of the game offensively, other than Hull's shot. Bossy had 9 50-goal seasons yet led the league in scoring twice. He played in an era where 50 goals was like scoring 30 nowadays. Other than Hull's shot, what are these "secondary" resumes that puts them ahead? Tough for me to argue one way or the other against the Rocket since it's before my time, but it's hard to believe a guy as dominant as him won the MVP once compared to Ovi's 3 (in a time period that included generational competition like Crosby and Malkin).

Sidenote, it's people like you that keep the narrative going that Ovechkin's simply a goal-scorer and nothing more. He brought so many other elements to his game that we hadn't seen in a long time when considering his combination of size, speed and skill. This is a guy who would truck you at the blueline, beat two guys down the flank and dangle the goalie all in one play.
 
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GlitchMarner

Typical malevolent, devious & vile Maple Leafs fan
Jul 21, 2017
9,712
6,432
Brampton, ON
Whoops, voted no as I thought it was top-10 players, not just forwards.

Gretzky
Lemieux
Howe
Crosby
Jagr
Richard
Hull
Bossy
Messier
Beliveau

are fairly clearly ahead in my eyes. He’s in (and perhaps at the forefront of) the next group with (other) Hull, Esposito, Lafleaur, etc. The problem with Ovechkin is that his sole major claim to fame is his incredible goal scoring abilities, but Richard, Hull, and Bossy may all be argued as equal or better than him in that regard, with better secondary resumes. Unless he keeps scoring 40+ goals for many years - which is entirely possible - he’ll likely never be ranked ahead of them, not to mention Gretzky, Lemieux, and Howe.

Unless you put a lot of emphasis on team accomplishments and longevity that isn't terribly impressive in terms of quality (Messier's post 1997 years), I don't really see an argument that Messer is better than Ovechkin.

Yes, Messier was a great playoff performer individually, but I prefer Ovechkin's regular peak to his and to me he just stands out more as an individual talent.

It's questionable whether Bossy is better than Ovechkin as well.
 

DannyGallivan

Your world frightens and confuses me
Aug 25, 2017
7,561
10,107
Melonville
Saw a post saying most wouldn't consider him a top 10 forward all-time and it made me think...

If you think he isn't, please list 10 forwards you would rank higher.

Off the top of my head for the top NHL forwards of all time (and in order)...

  1. Lemieux
  2. Gretzky
  3. Howe
  4. Believeau
  5. Bobby Hull
  6. Richard
  7. Jagr
  8. Lafleur
  9. Crosby
  10. Mikita

11. Messier
12. Ovechkin
13. Esposito
14. Yzerman
15. Dionne
16. Bossy
17. Trottier
18.Hawerchuk
19. Selanne
20. Bobby Clarke/ Ron Francis

Of course, in defense of Ovechkin, he still has several years left most likely. There's a good chance that he'll catapult into the top 10 at some point.
 

From The Couch

Registered User
Jan 14, 2014
194
102
West PQ
Off the top of my head for the top NHL forwards of all time (and in order)...

  1. Lemieux
  2. Gretzky
  3. Howe
  4. Believeau
  5. Bobby Hull
  6. Richard
  7. Jagr
  8. Lafleur
  9. Crosby
  10. Mikita

11. Messier
12. Ovechkin
13. Esposito
14. Yzerman
15. Dionne
16. Bossy
17. Trottier
18.Hawerchuk
19. Selanne
20. Bobby Clarke/ Ron Francis

Of course, in defense of Ovechkin, he still has several years left most likely. There's a good chance that he'll catapult into the top 10 at some point.

Bruh, Crosby top 3, belee dat
 

DannyGallivan

Your world frightens and confuses me
Aug 25, 2017
7,561
10,107
Melonville
Bruh, Crosby top 3, belee dat

I'm not sure what you said. I've put it into my "young white guy pretending to be an urban hip hop artist translator" and I think you said that you'd put Crosby in the top 3? From a guy with a Beliveau avatar. Hmmm. I like Crosby, but no, I wouldn't put him in the top three. We'll check in again once he retires. Another one or two Art Ross/Hart/Conn Smythe/Stanley Cups can change a lot of things.
 

McBaevid

Lottery Dynasty
Oct 3, 2010
4,142
550
Edmonton, AB
Absolutely, if he stayed in peak 100+ point form longer this wouldn’t even be a debate. He’s still the best goal scorer in the world and will likely retire as the greatest ever
 

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