One trick pony Ovechkin leading the league in ES assists

[Washed Up 29YearOld]

Yes. But scoring the goal is harder than setting it up.

Not really... It's more nuanced than that. If you're in a perfect position for a tap-in with an elite playmaker, just go in front of the net and it's fairly easy to score goals. Even at the NHL level. Goalies aren't SO good that they can flop and cover a wide open net consistently.

Playmakers have to be more creative in a game and pass the perfect pass to the perfect person at the perfect time with the vision to pull it off. It's probably not as easy as you think. The timing makes it more difficult than scoring a goal for a tap-in or a rebound. Like, I haven't skated in over a year and if I practiced a bit, I'm very confident that I can score a goal with Panarin on my line.

Overvaluing goals is what gets Jeff Skinner a 9 mil contract.

Obviously sniping from the blueline is probably harder, but simply scoring goals is probably a lot easier than you think if you have an elite playmaker. I mean, I don't know if you ever played competitive hockey or how old you are, but if you're in the right position being setup- I'm sure you can score a goal. Elite playmaking requires vision and it's not as easy as you may think. It's not NHL 22.

Just my 2 cents not trying to harass you but hope you have a gr8 day. (No pun intended.)

 

[Tender Rip]

Not just him, but a ton of Crosby fans scrambling trying to do something to downplay the great 8!

If the Pens forum is any indication, this season has been a veritable love-fest for AO.
He has been great, looks like he is lighter/faster and works harder off the puck, IMO.

 

[abo9]

Not just him, but a ton of Crosby fans scrambling trying to do something to downplay the great 8!

I'm reading a lot on hf, and on the multiple Ovy threads because I love the player, and have seen very, very few people downplaying what Ovechkin is doing.

I've seen posters trying to downplay Crosby though after his rough start.

 

[shtorm2005]

I'm reading a lot on hf, and on the multiple Ovy threads because I love the player, and have seen very, very few people downplaying what Ovechkin is doing.

It's when he will hit the slump they will get out

 

[BallardEra]

Not just him, but a ton of Crosby fans scrambling trying to do something to downplay the great 8!

Their latest angle is:

“It’s Russian PEDs!!!”

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Not just him, but a ton of Crosby fans scrambling trying to do something to downplay the great 8!

I only ever really see praise for AO from them?

 

[Randyne]

A much more bigger question how Hunter created from 1.5 PPG monster to 0.83 PPG player. It was a clear sabotage.

 

[Troubadour]

Playmakers have to be more creative in a game and pass the perfect pass to the perfect person at the perfect time with the vision to pull it off. It's probably not as easy as you think. The timing makes it more difficult than scoring a goal for a tap-in or a rebound. Like, I haven't skated in over a year and if I practiced a bit, I'm very confident that I can score a goal with Panarin on my line.

Timing a perfect pass is an art in itself, let alone the technical aspect of making it crisp, with just the right spin, landing just where it should.

How many times you see 2 on 1 and the passing player passing too late, too early, or just making it too predictable? Or 3 on 2 and the puck carrying guy getting lost and confused as to what to do and when, totally blowing it.

How about passing through a scrum? The passing lane may be even narrower than usual shooting lanes, hence timing it right and making it accurate requires way more skill than most shots.

How about backhand passing around a D that plays the body?

Elite playmakers should be valued higher than snipers.

 

[filinski77]

Timing a perfect pass is an art in itself, let alone the technical aspect of making it crisp, with just the right spin, landing just where it should.

How many times you see 2 on 1 and the passing player passing too late, too early, or just making it too predictable? Or 3 on 2 and the puck carrying guy getting lost and confused as to what to do and when, totally blowing it.

How about passing through a scrum? The passing lane may be even narrower than usual shooting lanes, hence timing it right and making it accurate requires way more skill than most shots.

How about backhand passing around a D that plays the body?

Elite playmakers should be valued higher than snipers.

You could make the same argument about how many 2-on-1s you see where the pass gets across but the shooter isn’t able to score.

The issue with comparing playmakers to goalscorers is this:
-> You can have the exact same breakout and 2-on-1 happen 10 times in a row, where the passer makes the exact same play. 9/10 times might result in 0 goals if the shooter doesn’t score. So even though one guy could do the EXACT same thing over and over, he doesn’t get 10 points, he only gets as many as the goal scorer can score.

Good passes and plays are useless if it doesn’t result in a goal. A shooter putting the puck in the net results in a goal 100% of the time though.

I think there is a difference in that if a goalscorer is only putting up high goal totals because of being surrounded by great playmakers, that’s easy to tell (Jeff skinner for example). But the same goes for guys that get a lot of assists from capitalizing on great goalscorers (players who play with Ovi/Matthews etc will inherently inflate their assist totals from getting assists on plays that wouldn’t normally lead to a goal).

The comparison comes when you have 2 similar quality players, I think the one with higher goal totals is more valuable since they’re directly influencing the scoreboard more.

 

[authentic]

A much more bigger question how Hunter created from 1.5 PPG monster to 0.83 PPG player. It was a clear sabotage.

His downfall to a roughly point per game player began after the Olympics in 2010, before that he was dominating with his best points per game ever. Funny enough this is another Olympic year, seems like Ovechkin gets motivation from the anticipation of it and some extra playmaking abilities?

 

[authentic]

Timing a perfect pass is an art in itself, let alone the technical aspect of making it crisp, with just the right spin, landing just where it should.

How many times you see 2 on 1 and the passing player passing too late, too early, or just making it too predictable? Or 3 on 2 and the puck carrying guy getting lost and confused as to what to do and when, totally blowing it.

How about passing through a scrum? The passing lane may be even narrower than usual shooting lanes, hence timing it right and making it accurate requires way more skill than most shots.

How about backhand passing around a D that plays the body?

Elite playmakers should be valued higher than snipers.

This is exactly why I think Forsberg vs. Ovechkin is closer than people imagine, except when it comes to health.

 

[authentic]

For the people who watch him regularly I wonder how much of his overall offensive dominance is coming from being relied on to carry the puck more without Backstrom? I wonder if all these years he would've had higher point totals without him.

 

[Troubadour]

You could make the same argument about how many 2-on-1s you see where the pass gets across but the shooter isn’t able to score.

The issue with comparing playmakers to goalscorers is this:
-> You can have the exact same breakout and 2-on-1 happen 10 times in a row, where the passer makes the exact same play. 9/10 times might result in 0 goals if the shooter doesn’t score. So even though one guy could do the EXACT same thing over and over, he doesn’t get 10 points, he only gets as many as the goal scorer can score.

Good passes and plays are useless if it doesn’t result in a goal. A shooter putting the puck in the net results in a goal 100% of the time though.

Unless the shooter gets the pass, they will not score. You can say that with as much certainty. What may happen though is... the playmaker decides to shoot themselves, and... score themselves. Or... pass to someone who can score.

The fact that your single-purpose hypothetical Mr. Hand-of-Stones potentially could waste so many good plays will not elevate the value of competent shooters and it will not decrease the value of competent playmakers, sorry.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

One of the things that separates the all time greats from the very good players is their ability to adapt as they age. We saw it with Gretzky and others. Ovechkin is still an amazing goal scorer but he’s also looking to pass a lot more than he used to, given the absence of Backstrom

 

[Frosty415]

I only ever really see praise for AO from them?

Apparently some think he's in steroids lol

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

He's probably going to play till he's 50.

 

[HanSolo]

I wonder what your obsession will be after Crosby and Ovi retire.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

For the people who watch him regularly I wonder how much of his overall offensive dominance is coming from being relied on to carry the puck more without Backstrom? I wonder if all these years he would've had higher point totals without him.

He’s having more puck touches all around. Teammates aren’t force feeding him and they shoot more, so he gets many more assists.

Coverage on him is very high and he doesn’t have a lot of room to shoot. He’s been able to give more time and space to linemates.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

He's probably going to play till he's 50.

He said recently in an interview with his wife that he’s retiring from the NHL when his new contract expires.

 

[Sentinel]

Interesting that you think assists are now valuable given your disregard for them in other threads.

I value them less than goals, but when it's a supposedly "one-dimensional scorer" also exceeds two of the best young players in assists, that's pretty darn impressive, and don't you pretend you are not impressed!

Your boy led the league in assists once and that's all he has to hang his hat on.

 

[TooManyHumans]

I wonder what your obsession will be after Crosby and Ovi retire.

Discussing Ovi vs Crosby in the past tense. It is so tiresome.

 

[Sentinel]

This is exactly why I think Forsberg vs. Ovechkin is closer than people imagine, except when it comes to health.

Forsberg never scored more than 30 goals in a season, and you're comparing him to a 9X Richard winner. This take is so hot, I had to open my window.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

He said recently in an interview with his wife that he’s retiring from the NHL when his new contract expires.

Maybe from the NHL. Might just play in the KHL if he wants to continue.

 

[authentic]

Forsberg never scored more than 30 goals in a season, and you're comparing him to a 9X Richard winner. This take is so hot, I had to open my window.

Funny enough their goals per game in the playoffs aren't so drastically different and of course we know what made Forsberg the player he was were his playmaking abilities and all around dominance. Peak Forsberg would hold his own against a peak Ovechkin no doubt.

 

[HTFN]

Funny enough their goals per game in the playoffs aren't so drastically different and of course we know what made Forsberg the player he was were his playmaking abilities and all around dominance. Peak Forsberg would hold his own against a peak Ovechkin no doubt.

Lol the f*** is that comparison.