Is Ovechkin the greatest LW ever?

[Sinistril]

Nope.

The guy is less than 350 away and relatively young. He could be effective for the next decade. If there were no lockouts, he'd be less than 300 away. It is totally within reason to believe that he can reach 800. In fact, it might be a safer bet to say that he will (barring major injury or further lockouts) than to say that he won't. I think people are just so down on all the goal scorers that have regressed in recent years that they don't want to admit that it can be done.

 

[Grounded]

I think he'll finish his career 2nd all-time behind, but not too far behind, Bobby Hull.

I can't believe I'm even seeing names like Robitaille and Shanahan pop up in this discussion. Good lord...

 

[livewell68]

The guy is less than 350 away and relatively young. He could be effective for the next decade. If there were no lockouts, he'd be less than 300 away. It is totally within reason to believe that he can reach 800. In fact, it might be a safer bet to say that he will (barring major injury or further lockouts) than to say that he won't. I think people are just so down on all the goal scorers that have regressed in recent years that they don't want to admit that it can be done.

Jagr who was on a similar career trajectory when he was Ovechkin's current age, looked primed to score 800 goals. He's in the low 700's right now.

It takes so many things going your way to even get to 800 goals, consistency, health, luck, team factors.

Ovechkin could be one big injury away from not being as effective anymore.

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

He's getting up there for sure. Few wingers have been able to have his natural goal scoring talent and abilities

Pretty much. Not there, but already not out of place in the conversation (until it comes to the playoffs/winning). Three consecutive years of winning the Pearson while leading the league in ES goals (each time) is a pretty nice feather in the cap.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

Jagr who was on a similar career trajectory when he was Ovechkin's current age, looked primed to score 800 goals. He's in the low 700's right now.

It takes so many things going your way to even get to 800 goals, consistency, health, luck, team factors.

Ovechkin could be one big injury away from not being as effective anymore.

Jagr also was through 3 lockouts, one of them being a full season. He also spent 3 seasons over in the KHL.

Different scenario.

 

[Voight]

I can't believe I'm even seeing names like Robitaille and Shanahan pop up in this discussion. Good lord...

Robitaille is the highest scoring LW in NHL history. Obviously Ovy is better and more than likely will surpass him but he's not exactly chop liver. Its not wrong to include him in the discussion, he just doesn't come close to Ovy or Halls level.

 

[Voight]

A) Ovechkin is easily better than Robitaille.

B) He is no longer playing at the all-time great level he was his first 5 seasons (specifically 3-5) and unless he adapts his style and returns to that level he won't pass Hull.

Still won the Hart season before last and is a possible three-peat for the Richard. Nobody will argue he isn't as dominant as say 2008 but people are acting like he's regressed to Heatley levels. Aside from the lockout year, his major down year in 2012 and last year (79 points, pretty freaking close) he has never scored less than 85 points.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Bobby Hull was a really special player. To have Ovechkin even in a conversation as to who is greater is an honour.

Anyway, Ovie can definitely be top 2.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Jagr who was on a similar career trajectory when he was Ovechkin's current age, looked primed to score 800 goals. He's in the low 700's right now.

It takes so many things going your way to even get to 800 goals, consistency, health, luck, team factors.

Ovechkin could be one big injury away from not being as effective anymore.

Yeah but if we assume Ovechkin won't take a 3 year hiatus from the NHL that would support his chances.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

He is 2nd all time for me as a lw.

3 harts
3 lindsays
4 Richards
1 art Ross

Is serious hardware

 

[Mickey Marner]

I actually like Ovechkin but his apologists are too much.

You haven't watched Ovi in a couple of seasons, have you?

That's cute.

Have you watched him this year ? He's everywhere on the ice. He's become decent defensively, hustles on the forecheck and hits every thing he sees.

He has 17 ES goals and 14 PP goals.

Watch the games

Being competent at things every hockey player should be competent at is not a compliment and that's not an impressive ES/PP scoring split.

Wait, you're saying he needs to return to prime Ovi (which is impossible, as no 29 year olds are still able to play like they did when they were 23) to pass Hull....... but then call him a "glorified Hull". So he is better than Hull?

Bobby and Brett Hull are not the same person.

Still won the Hart season before last and is a possible three-peat for the Richard. Nobody will argue he isn't as dominant as say 2008 but people are acting like he's regressed to Heatley levels. Aside from the lockout year, his major down year in 2012 and last year (79 points, pretty freaking close) he has never scored less than 85 points.

His Hart in 2013 was a joke; he was invisible for the first 1/4 of the season and beat up on the south least teams for the remainder of the season. Once he didn't receive PP opportunities against the Rangers in R1 he was neutralized. I'd say he's similar (yet worse than) Ottawa-era Heatley. And that's a bizarre qualifier.

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

Bure was a RW. Ovechkin is a LW. The thread is will ovechkin go down as the best LW. Also, Ovechkin>Bure.

You never saw Bure in his prime if you believe this to be true.

Most electrifying player I've ever seen

 

[BackToTheBasics]

I actually like Ovechkin but his apologists are too much.



That's cute.

Reading stats and making conclusions based on those stats, that's cute. 24. The number of posts Ovi has hit this year and he still has 31 goals.

 

[SladeWilson23]

Ovechkin has tweaked his game to better accommodate his team. To compare him to Heatley is laughable.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Reading stats and making conclusions based on those stats, that's cute. 24. The number of posts Ovi has hit this year and he still has 31 goals.

It amazing to think that if he had scored on, say, 16 of those, he'd have 47 goals in 50 games. Considering that goal scoring is down these days an almost 50 goals in 50 games would be incredible.

 

[ResilientBeast]

I think he'll finish his career 2nd all-time behind, but not too far behind, Bobby Hull.

I can't believe I'm even seeing names like Robitaille and Shanahan pop up in this discussion. Good lord...

They just aren't on that level, not even close.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Reading stats and making conclusions based on those stats, that's cute. 24. The number of posts Ovi has hit this year and he still has 31 goals.

If you're going to construct a strawman it might as well be a big one.

 

[Crosbyfan]

He is certainly in the running with Hull and Mahovlich as the most talented.

Dickie Moore and Ted Lindsay were on another level of smart, but were not as physically gifted.

 

[ResilientBeast]

Based on the HOH boards top wingers, he's already the second best LW of all time he does have a shot to catch Hull.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I actually like Ovechkin but his apologists are too much.



That's cute.



Being competent at things every hockey player should be competent at is not a compliment and that's not an impressive ES/PP scoring split.



Bobby and Brett Hull are not the same person.



His Hart in 2013 was a joke; he was invisible for the first 1/4 of the season and beat up on the south least teams for the remainder of the season. Once he didn't receive PP opportunities against the Rangers in R1 he was neutralized. I'd say he's similar (yet worse than) Ottawa-era Heatley. And that's a bizarre qualifier.

No need to be an apologist in Ovechkin's case, he's proven time and time again that he's the best at what he does. Comparing him to Heatley is laughable.

 

[Dr John Carlson]

I agree he will continue to score at a healthy pace until he retires.

I do not agree with the 800 goal statement. Ovechkin has not scored at the pace Wayne did when he entered the league and will not play forever like Howe.

The problem is that Wayne only scored roughly 200 goals after turning 30. Ovechkin should be able to easily clear that by enough to get close to 750-800.

 

[Devil Dancer]

His Hart in 2013 was a joke; he was invisible for the first 1/4 of the season and beat up on the south least teams for the remainder of the season. Once he didn't receive PP opportunities against the Rangers in R1 he was neutralized. I'd say he's similar (yet worse than) Ottawa-era Heatley. And that's a bizarre qualifier.

Man, this is a really terrible post. Heatley? Ovie's a better playmaker in his sleep than Heatley has ever been, and he's much more dominant without the puck, due to his physicality. Not to mention the fact that Ovie's a generational talent, unlike Heatley's merely very good career. Overall, their styles are so different, Heatley is a terrible (and vastly inferior) comparator to Ovechkin.

Plus any user who uses terms like "south least" instantly loses credibility.

 

[Saul Goodman66*]

Ovechkin IS the best LW of all time. Lucky Luc has nothing on OVY. Luc was riding shotgun with Gretzky and Kurri while OVY is the boss in Washington.

80's fanatics can flame me now.

 

[Plural]

His play has noticeably regressed. He no longer attacks the net or drives possession like he used to. Which has made his once excellent forechecking somewhat neutralized. And when his defensive play without the puck could be, at the best of times described as not a liability, then the its a big deal. He has failed to adapt his play and remain dynamic since the loss of his explosiveness. Instead taking his game to the perimeter and capitalizing on PP opportunities as they come. While still physical, he no longer possesses the ability to throw game-changing hits, due to forechecking/explosiveness regression. Stats may still look nice, but being a glorified Brett Hull leaves a lot to be desired.

This is not accurate at all. Ovechkin is on pace to set career high in hits. You haven't seen the guy play for a second this season, have you? He might be playing the best hockey of his career right now.

 

[Plural]

Jagr who was on a similar career trajectory when he was Ovechkin's current age, looked primed to score 800 goals. He's in the low 700's right now.

It takes so many things going your way to even get to 800 goals, consistency, health, luck, team factors.

Ovechkin could be one big injury away from not being as effective anymore.

Well, Jagr lost out 5 seasons (three lockouts and 3 seasons in the KHL) and he is not as good goal-scorer as Ovechkin (although Jagr is no slouch in that area either.)

I don't believe Ovechkin will hit 800. But Jagr is not the best comparison here.