Ovechkin passes Selanne,Super Mario,Yzerman and Messier for career goals. 2 more for 700 goal club.

[daver]

Yeah, why be just a goalscorer when you could be an all around offensive GOAT. Because we all know the purpose of offense is to ... score goals.

Yeah, elite playmaking has zero influence on getting the puck into the net.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

He is in the group with Hull, Wayne, Mario, Rocket Richard and Howe for GOAT. Each player has a pretty good claim. That OV doesn't have a peak season that contends for best ever holds him back from being the GOAT that his titles and career totals may place him.

I will always differentiate him from Wayne and Mario who were all around offensive GOATS, not just goalscorers.

Adjusted for era his 65 goal campaign is in the top 3 all time so no idea what you're talking about. Also, I believe his Art Ross/Hart trophy year the distance between him and second was higher than any year McDavid has had for instance when adjusted, there was a thread on this awhile back and I've misplaced it. Also in 07-08 only 11 of Ovechkin's 112 points were secondary assists, the rest were primary points.

Your insinuation his peak isn't the highest of any of the modern superstars is wrong.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

there, I agree. No one season is significant. But the body of work.. So, yes no GOAT, because no single season was AWE..that I agree. And yes, he is not exactly an assist machine

Again, I don't know what you guys are talking about. His 65 goal season is among one of the 3 best all time and his Art Ross win is an utterly dominant season where only 11 of 112 points were secondaries, this is domination the likes we haven't seen from another modern superstar.

 

[ottawa]

Lemieux (needs 7 more to pass him).

I predict he beats Lemieux this season as well, maybe even Yzerman with Messier being a long shot.

 

[Dingle]

Again, I don't know what you guys are talking about. His 65 goal season is among one of the 3 best all time and his Art Ross win an utterly dominant season the likes we haven't seen from a modern superstar.

I have never regarded these questions absolute. They are point of view. It is impossible to properly compare, so you rely on your personal perspective. Kind of liking "chocolate versus vanilla ice cream", is there really a right or wrong.

65 goals in an era that I believe was around 20% lower goal production by the league. So, that would mean 78 goals..if we assume an even larger % , say 30%, we get to 85 goals.

I could be mistaken, but that was exceeded on 3 or 4 occasions. So the original poster was right, no one season was dominating.

But, you saw my post, I believe his total goals should be considered to be ~823. ranking him, only a stone's throw from Gretzky and in theory, he will pass him, early next year. In my eyes, he is the most dominant goal scorer in history, without the one dominant season..his theoretical 85 goals would rank him 4th/5th.

 

[rh71]

Quick, someone post videos of flopping goalies who Wayne scored against. It's comical.

 

[Randyne]

Again, I don't know what you guys are talking about. His 65 goal season is among one of the 3 best all time and his Art Ross win an utterly dominant season the likes we haven't seen from a modern superstar.

And 56 goals season was also great. 110 points in 79 games sandwiched by Malkin and Sid which assisted themselves by 53 points. It's like almost win a Ross against Gretzky and Lemieux playing on the same team piling up their numbers.

 

[I am toxic]

Actually it's top 2.
NHL & WHA Single Season Leaders and Records for Adjusted Goals | Hockey-Reference.com

Every time I see that, I do a double take.

Brett Hull
Alex Ovechkin
Mario Lemieux
Cooney Welland
Phil Esposito
Wayne Gretzky

Who in the heck is Cooney Welland???

 

[Randyne]

Who in the heck is Cooney Welland???

Some guy who played in early NHL when seasons were 44 games long.
That's why I hate small sample sizes.

 

[Midnight Judges]

In 2000-2001 at the age of 35, having last played when he was 31, Mario Lemieux came out of retirement and scored 35 goals in 43 games.

35 goals in 43 games at age 35 coming out of retirement with the league g/pg average at 2.75.

Ovechkin has 28 in 47 at age 34 with the g/pg average at 3.07

Mario is the best.

So Mario was able to have a nice half season after 3 full years of rest in a circumstance where if anyone didn’t pass him the puck on the power play - even if they were a hall of famer - he’d have them traded away for a sack of potatoes. And after that he was negative 43 for the rest of his career.

There is a case for Lemieux, but it’s not based on his 30’s imo.

 

[I am toxic]

Some guy who played in early NHL when seasons were 44 games long.
That's why I hate small sample sizes.

And his teammate "Dit Clapper" is right up there with him.

Mario and Jagr

Gretzky and Kurri

Cooney and Dit

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

I'll be pretty sad when he passes Mario but it was bound to happen. Dude has stayed stupidly healthy. Mario .. uhh .. less so :p

I will, however, be happy when he passes Wayne though. No disrespect to Wayne but he has enough records. Another player can steal one :p

Oh, for the stupid brigade .. gotta keep them happy as well so: i hate Ovi. He sucks. No good. Blah blah.

 

[Video Nasty]

Consider this, no other 80s born player is within 200 goals of Ovi.

It’s as impressive individually for Ovechkin, as it is pathetic for the rest of the league during his time in the NHL. Pretty much zero competition.

 

[Video Nasty]

33 yo Ovechkin scored 32 in 43 and that without Jagr assisting him 2/3 of his goals (Jagr won 4th Ross in a row).
Ovechkin is the best.

Jagr sucked and was sleepwalking through that season until Mario returned. Little remembered fact.

 

[pcruz]

Lost over a season to the lockout as well.

That’s what I meant.

 

[alphabetical]

I predict he beats Lemieux this season as well, maybe even Yzerman with Messier being a long shot.

Ovechkin getting 37 goals this year is a long shot? In what world does that make sense?

 

[OppositeLocK]

I dunno if we'll ever have someone with OV's combination of physicality and scoring prowess for a long time.

Also have to take into consideration that goals are a lot harder to get than they were when the old timers played.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

It’s as impressive individually for Ovechkin, as it is pathetic for the rest of the league during his time in the NHL. Pretty much zero competition.

Or you know, it's way harder to score goals in Ovechkin's era than pretty much ever in the sport and he's just better than everyone comparatively. Or just go with the whole "Players are all worse now lol competition is terrible" argument, whatever works...

 

[JasonRoseEh]

Jagr sucked and was sleepwalking through that season until Mario returned. Little remembered fact.

Jagr is the GOAT if he sucked and still messed around and won an Art Ross.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

I'll be pretty sad when he passes Mario but it was bound to happen. Dude has stayed stupidly healthy. Mario .. uhh .. less so :p

I will, however, be happy when he passes Wayne though. No disrespect to Wayne but he has enough records. Another player can steal one :p

Oh, for the stupid brigade .. gotta keep them happy as well so: i hate Ovi. He sucks. No good. Blah blah.

Don't be sad.

It'll be a good day for hockey.

BTW, happy to see Crosby's back.

 

[Cotton]

[MOD]

Or you know, it's way harder to score goals in Ovechkin's era than pretty much ever in the sport and he's just better than everyone comparatively. Or just go with the whole "Players are all worse now lol competition is terrible" argument, whatever works...

Actually no, he's played in an era where there have been several rule changes that have allowed scoring to increase. In his rookie year, for example, the league had the highest goals per game average its seen since pre-DPE in the early 90's - this year it's even higher. On top of that, players pretty much have free real-estate to do what they want now, no Scott Stevens waiting for him at the blueline, nobody riding his back, no Probert to answer to when he starts running around.

 

[KCC]

That's crazy. And the fact that he's doing it in the modern NHL is even more ridiculous. Rooting for him hard to pass The Great One in the end. It's going to be difficult but it would be an awesome moment and one of the best sports moments in history.

 

[ottawa]

Ovechkin getting 37 goals this year is a long shot? In what world does that make sense?

I don't really like to predict beyond 1 goal, anything can happen to anyone. This is a physical sport after all.

He can score a goal or two, maybe even three in his next game which is assured he will play...but who's to say he'll play in the following game? All of this is dumb speculation until it happens at the end of the day.

 

[alphabetical]

I don't really like to predict beyond 1 goal, anything can happen to anyone. This is a physical sport after all.

He can score a goal or two, maybe even three in his next game which is assured he will play...but who's to say he'll play in the following game? All of this is dumb speculation until it happens at the end of the day.

So it's a long shot for him to play in the games? You have no reason to hold your view that it's a long shot to pass messier, beyond dumb speculation?

Cool?

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

Don't be sad.

It'll be a good day for hockey.

BTW, happy to see Crosby's back.

Ha. That it will. Would prefer Mario to stay ahead but if someone is gonna pass him, glad its Ovi.

He's back and with a 4pt night. Wooo.