Ovechkin KHL Bound?

[Kevs Security]

But what's the point of breaking Gretzky's record, really? If Ovechkin retires as the leading goal scorer, it doesn't really matter because 15 years go by and Laine breaks his record. What he's going to do then? Make a comeback in his 50's like Gordie Howe?

 

[Rich Nixon]

But what's the point of breaking Gretzky's record, really? If Ovechkin retires as the leading goal scorer, it doesn't really matter because 15 years go by and Laine breaks his record. What he's going to do then? Make a comeback in his 50's like Gordie Howe?

Yeah nah.

 

[Analyst365]

Oh man. The shoulda coulda woulda hypothetical "what if" Ovechkin threads would probably do me in.

 

[WingsFan95]

To beat it in 4 More Seasons, he'll need to average 71.5 goals per season (not happening)
To beat it in 5 More Seasons, he'll need to average 57.4 goals per season (possible but highly unlikely)
To beat it in 6 More Seasons, he'll need to average 47.8 goals per season (still plausible but a tough pace to maintain over 6 seasons)
To beat it in 7 More Seasons, he'll need to average 41 goals per season (a little more plausible)
To beat it in 8 More Seasons, he'll need to average 35.8 goals per season (barring injury, very plausible)
To beat it in 9 More Seasons, he'll need to average 31.8 goals per season (barring injury, highly likely)

I think the 7 season ask is looking most probable at this point as he is seemingly going to be +10-15 over that 41 average this year and maybe another +10 the following. Which means if he's hovering high 30s or low 40s for the following 3 years he's likely to get it by 2025.

 

[Calderon]

His Mom said there is no point in him playing past 35 so he's retiring after this contract likely. No reason for him to stay. He isn't Jagr.

His mom said this a looong time ago, like last decade. Is everybody still alluding to that interview or has she commented on Ovi's career path or the KHL more recently?

 

[ovythegiraffe]

There’s no point in him going to. KHL. He wants to be best at what he does at the best level. Domination KHL doesn’t mean a thing to him. Plus, he will be a legend no matter what when he goes back to Russia.

Plus, Ted Leonsis already said for what Ovi/Backstrom did building Caps franchise from nothing to a top tier organization/fan base, he’s opening the checkbook and he’s paying them basically whatever. He recently just said that.

Backstrom and Ovi I bet both sign for 5-8 more years and for a big chunk of money too. It’ll all work out well for those guys and KHL won’t even be a possibility. Only thing that will be a issue is if those two fall off production wise while having such a long-term deal.

Olympics is a big point for him to go to khl. To average Russian fans, winning olympic gold means infinitely more than any nhl merit. And he himself, I'm not sure if he's actually passionate about it or if it's more just to please the russian fans, but he has always been very vocal about wanting to represent his country in the international tournaments.

 

[Bank Shot]

He'll be 36. Is it possible he plays 2 years in the KHL or even just 1 to compete in Olympics then comes back?

The NHL will be in the Olympics in China. Take that to the bank.

 

[King Mapes]

There's very little chance he leaves..

 

[Taluss]

I think he will do whatever it takes to be in next Olympics... Regardless of what that would mean league wise

 

[KapG]

If I were him and win the cup this year, I think I would retire from the NHL and go home to play a few years in KHL, then retire and coach or something.

While having the all time goal scoring title within grasp?

That’s crazy talk

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

If I were him and win the cup this year, I think I would retire from the NHL and go home to play a few years in KHL, then retire and coach or something.

When you have a chance to become the best goal scorer in the NHL history? Well, that's why you are not Ovechkin. That would be giving up. He has a great chance here.. I hope he does it!

 

[Randyne]

But what's the point of breaking Gretzky's record, really? If Ovechkin retires as the leading goal scorer, it doesn't really matter because 15 years go by and Laine breaks his record. What he's going to do then? Make a comeback in his 50's like Gordie Howe?

In that scenario Laine has to jump from .51 to .64 GPG pace and keep it for 15 years
(895-105)/15/82=.64GPG

 

[BackToTheBasics]

His mom said this a looong time ago, like last decade. Is everybody still alluding to that interview or has she commented on Ovi's career path or the KHL more recently?

Ovechkin's parents congratulate son for scoring 600th NHL goal

Everybody always asks if you can beat Gretzky's career goals record. How many games did Wayne play? How many years did he play in the league? As we were told, Gretzky played nearly 1,500 games in the NHL. And you haven't even played a thousand yet. There's still time!

It's hard to say whether overtaking him should be your ultimate goal. Gretzky is Gretzky. He is a legend. Of course, if you manage to pass him, the moment will be truly historical. But you're right that you do not live just for the sake of overtaking Wayne. It's imperative that you know how to have fun playing hockey. It is such an important feeling. It is what allows you to score all these goals. That's what creates that drive in you, not the need to overtake someone. Otherwise it would feel like there is a stone tied around your neck, and that is certainly not a good way of catching anyone.

Of course, we would love for you to overtake Gretzky. Let America and Canada know that we also have a strong hockey school. Russia is a hockey country, and our son is its ambassador in the best league of the world.

As long as he's healthy and still has love for the game, they're going to encourage him to beat the record.

 

[FissionFire]

I always thought of Gretzky’s goal record as unbeatable. It would be amazing to see Ovechkin take the title in my lifetime.

 

[Habaneros]

I think OV wants to gun for some records. I see him playing out his whole career in the NHL. He seems like the type that wants his name to he remembered forever.

Ovy is goona play till age 87

 

[shello]

I think people forget the guy was NHL obsessed growing up. He wants to be the best and break records. He wants his name remembered. I can't see him going to the KHL when there's still records to be broken or extended

 

[Kevs Security]

In that scenario Laine has to jump from .51 to .64 GPG pace and keep it for 15 years
(895-105)/15/82=.64GPG

Nope. It's going to take at least 6-7 years for Ovechkin to break Gretzky's record if he's going to do it. I can safely assume that during this time Laine will score ~45 goals on average during each season. So it's (895-105-at least 270)/15/82 = .42GPG. He'll be 25 by then, and will break the all time goals scored record by the time he celebrates his 40th birthday - 15 years after Ovechkin retired as the record holder.

 

[604Fan]

It’s not gonna happen the Russian economy is tanking right now the ruble is worth much less than before. Heck several teams aren’t even paying their players. Even kovalchuck came back to the NHL

 

[Atas2000]

No way. He'll want to get to repeat like Crosby did and even get a 3rd like Crosby did, which is not impossible at this point.

He wants an award he doesn't have. And it means a lot to him and his family. If Gary continues to sabotage hockey I can see Ovechkin doing what North Americans might consider unthinkable.

 

[GodEmperor]

I don't get why Ovie would go over when he can still play, the K is obviously much worse than the NHL, he could probably still rack up 10 goals there in his mid 40s and you know the coaches will just let him do what he wants to and play the full PP.

 

[SpinningEdge]

He wont be. It so happens that NHL success means even less for Russian casual fan than "dominating KHL" means for Ovi. He will be and he already is a very respected player among Russian fans, but a legend? No, he definitely isn't. Unless something incredible would happen (like him to be best scorer in next Olympic and scoring winning goal) he'll never achieve same status among Russian fans as even Fetisov or Tretiak (let alone as real legends like Kharlamov).

He won’t be a legend? Ovi already is the most popular hockey player on the planet that currently plays.

Yes, Ovi is a legend in Russia.... No, he doesn’t have to prove anything in KHL. Plus, he’s chasing records and will get a huge long term deal next contract. He’s going to retire from hockey from the NHL.

 

[TheNuge]

But what's the point of breaking Gretzky's record, really? If Ovechkin retires as the leading goal scorer, it doesn't really matter because 15 years go by and Laine breaks his record. What he's going to do then? Make a comeback in his 50's like Gordie Howe?

Laine has to put up some big career scoring years in the next decade to come close... Not gonna happen.

Laine is 12 behind the Gr8 one... How are you going to run a deficit year over year and surpass what might be the greatest goal scorer of all time?

 

[third man in]

Nope. It's going to take at least 6-7 years for Ovechkin to break Gretzky's record if he's going to do it. I can safely assume that during this time Laine will score ~45 goals on average during each season. So it's (895-105-at least 270)/15/82 = .42GPG. He'll be 25 by then, and will break the all time goals scored record by the time he celebrates his 40th birthday - 15 years after Ovechkin retired as the record holder.

Oh god, you're serious? Laine isn't better than Ovechkin in any dimension and you're projecting Laine to beat the all time goals record. We don't even know of Ovie can pull it off and he's a hell of a lot closer and he's had multiple rockets and 50 goal seasons.

 

[Kevs Security]

Oh god, you're serious? Laine isn't better than Ovechkin in any dimension and you're projecting Laine to beat the all time goals record. We don't even know of Ovie can pull it off and he's a hell of a lot closer and he's had multiple rockets and 50 goal seasons.

Two lock-outs during Ovechkin's career, might be a third one coming. NHL wasted 1,5 seasons of prime Ovechkin. Without those lock-outs, it's possible that he might've had ~710 goals by now. That's only 185 more goals to tie Gretzky as the all time greatest goal scorer. And that's something we all know he could do, rather easily even considering he's still the most efficient scorer in the league today despite his age.

Now, if Laine is lucky, he'll miss no games because of lock-outs. Let's say he stays relatively healthy and plays until he's 40-years old. During the next 20 years, he'll play, um, let's say 1540 of the possible 1640 games. His GPG is .507. That kind of production seems sustainable, given that Ovechkin for example sits at .611 right now. Laine isn't as gifted, so he'll need more games.

I know what you're thinking. "But he's going to get older and his goal totals will drop". Yeah, without a doubt a 36-year old Laine isn't going to score at this rate. But the thing is... we haven't even seen Laine in his prime yet. He's only 20-years old, and has already scored 36, 44 and what seems like a ~40 goals this season. Who knows how many goals he'll score during the next ten years, you know, in his prime. The 55-goal seasons will even out the 30-goal seasons. It's safe to say that he's going to finish his career as at least a .507GPG player.

So, 1540 games. 781 goals. Add the 105 he already has. That's 885 goals. By then, he'll be 40-years old. 9 goals away from the Gretzky record. Will he bolt back to Sweden at this point, or will he play one more season and try and break the record. Only time will tell.

Call me crazy, but I believe in Patrik Laine. He might be the worst hockey player I've seen in the NHL since late Wade Belak, but man can he shoot the puck. He'll go down in history as the worst player to win the Rocket Richard trophy. He sucks ass, to be honest. But he has that deadly slapper, no doubt about it. And 20 years from now, all the little boys and girls in Sweden have forgotten the names "Forsberg", "Sundin" and "Kronwall". All they talk about is Patrik Laine. And that's because Laine will break the record that is unbreakable.

 

[HabsQC]

He wants an award he doesn't have. And it means a lot to him and his family. If Gary continues to sabotage hockey I can see Ovechkin doing what North Americans might consider unthinkable.

Are you referring to the Olympics when you say sabotage hockey. Because as much as I dislike Bettman, I have to admit he did a pretty good job over the years.