Ovechkin with no missed games in the North Division

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Who knows but Ovechkin has 9 Richards already, he can let someone else win one. What will be interesting is assumig back to normal next year once the league is vaccinated, will a 36 year old Ovechkin reclaim the throne?

He has 13 in his last 16 at age 35 and could've pushed the high 50s last year if not for the season shutting down.

All depends on his passers. Without Backstrom and Kuzy ovechkins numbers would plummet. At this point and for awhile he doesn't have the ability to carry his own line. Usuay waits around while his linemates do the hard work then looks for the one timer

 

[LeafGrief]

It's actually incredible how hard people are spinning over Matthews leading the goal scoring race.

Ovi has 2 goals against the Sabres, 6 against the Devils, 5 against the Flyers, and 4 against the Rangers. Now the Islanders and the Bruins are pretty good defensively, he's only got 3 goals combined against them (and he's only played the Islanders 3 times), but if you're trying to tell me that the Sabres, Devils, Rangers, and Flyers are so much better defensively and in nets than what we've got in the north, I'm not buying that bridge. He has 1 goal against the Penguins. He's not going to have scored >33% more goals because of the f***ing North Division.

 

[MakeTheGoalsLarger]

The North division bashing will never stop won't it?

A few North division teams played horrible defense for the first 2 or 3 weeks. But eventually people will have to accept that the North division has some skilled shooters.

 

[ole ole]

If Ovechkin had no missed games and played in the North Division would he win the rocket this season?

Yes and while doing it he would smash Gretzky's record for most goals in a season. Probably would have hit 50 in 29 games and then pick up his goal scoring pace for the rest of the season ending up with over 150 +.

 

[filinski77]

All depends on his passers. Without Backstrom and Kuzy ovechkins numbers would plummet. At this point and for awhile he doesn't have the ability to carry his own line. Usuay waits around while his linemates do the hard work then looks for the one timer

2020/2021:
5 primaries from Backstrom
4 primaries from Kuznetsov
= 9/21 (43% of his goals were passes from the Caps 2 top centers)

2019/2020:
6 primaries from Backstrom
8 primaries from Kuznetsov
= 14/48 (29% of his goals were passes from the Caps 2 top centers)

2018/2019:
8 primaries from Backstrom
7 primaries from Kuznetsov
= 15/51 (29% of his goals were passes from the Caps 2 top centers)

Another day, another uninformed take by one of the biggest Ovi haters on this forum. Keep fighting the good fight.

For reference, the last couple years, McDavid ALONE has assisted on a higher % of Draisaitls goals than Backstrom AND Kuznetsov have for Ovi. Marner ALONE has pretty much assisted on the same % of Matthews goals over the last 2 years as Kuznetsov AND Backstrom have for Ovi. And McDavid and Marner are both much better offensively than either Backstrom or Kuznetsov. Guess Matthews and Draisaitl are scrub goalscorers too?

 

[Fataldogg]

If you put the Capitals in the North they would shred that division.

Capitals are busy playing the Bruins, Penguins, Islanders, Rangers, etc. Much tougher competition.

Put it this way, the North doesn't have one team remotely close to the defensive prowess of the Islanders, and the Capitals have to play them 8 times.

Would he be in front of Matthews? Maybe. Matthews has done very well. I can picture Ovechkin in the same range as Matthews, 25-30. It would be a coin flip for me.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Goals against per game.

North: 2.96
East: 2.93

What a difference! A whole 1% more goals per game.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

Yeah if only he didn't have to play against powerhouse teams with stalwart defenses like the Sabres, Devils and Flyers. Just imagine!

Ovi = overrated at this point

 

[Eternal Leaf]

I think this is one of those seasons where Matthews would still win.

It's like that Stamkos season with 60 goals.

 

[filinski77]

I think this is one of those seasons where Matthews would still win.

It's like that Stamkos season with 60 goals.

Agree with this.

Ovi is still one of the best goalscorers in the league, but Matthews was extremely close last year and is in his absolute goalscoring prime right now (and Ovi is another year older into his mid-30's), but this most likely would have been Matthews this year either way.

Hopefully we can have an interdivisional 82gp season next year, so we can see if Ovi has any gas left in his tank to compete with Matthews/Drai/Pasta/McDavid for the rocket.

 

[Fear]

He gets to play against the Sabres, flyers and Devils as is

 

[pcruz]

The cool thing is that after Ottawa, the next worst defensive Canadian team is Calgary - sitting 11th in GA in the league.

Maybe if the Leafs played Buffalo, Philly, Columbus, Detroit, Chicago, Anaheim, or the likes, Matthews would have had 40 goals by now.

 

[Dekes For Days]

The difference in scoring between the North and the East division is 0.02 goals per game. Give it up already.

 

[Fataldogg]

It's actually incredible how hard people are spinning over Matthews leading the goal scoring race.

Ovi has 2 goals against the Sabres, 6 against the Devils, 5 against the Flyers, and 4 against the Rangers. Now the Islanders and the Bruins are pretty good defensively, he's only got 3 goals combined against them (and he's only played the Islanders 3 times), but if you're trying to tell me that the Sabres, Devils, Rangers, and Flyers are so much better defensively and in nets than what we've got in the north, I'm not buying that bridge. He has 1 goal against the Penguins. He's not going to have scored >33% more goals because of the f***ing North Division.

The Rangers have Shesterkin. Not an easy goalie to play against. He is a 2.44GA and .921SV% in 22 games playing in arguably the best division in the NHL. When he is in net, the Rangers are tough to score against.

Rangers have also played very well defensively this year. This is not the Rangers team from the last couple of years. Its not the Rangers team under AV. Its the best defense I've seen this team play since 11-12 under Tortorella. They also have an elite penalty kill crew.

I would say the Rangers, Islanders, Capitals, Bruins and Penguins are not easy teams to score against [they have all had their bad moments, but that is the rarity not the rule]

The easiest teams to score against in that division are probably the Flyers and Sabres. Even the Flyers, a bad defensive team, has a .538P%, same as the Rangers, and with less competition they would both probably have a playoff position in the North.

I don't think people realize how competitive the East is.

 

[Dekes For Days]

I don't think people realize how competitive the East is.

People realize that it's pretty much exactly the same and the difference has been massively exaggerated.

 

[Fataldogg]

People realize that it's pretty much exactly the same and the difference has been massively exaggerated.

Goals scored and competition are two different things. The North isn't a competitive division. I follow them pretty closely because I watch the Oilers regularly. Its a few good teams running over the bottom of the division.

Goal scoring may be nearly identical, but winning in the East is much more difficult. It has more parity. I have no doubt both the Rangers and Flyers would be in a playoff position over there.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Goal scoring may be nearly identical, but winning in the East is much more difficult. It has more parity.

You have absolutely nothing to support that. You're merely ignoring the facts, in favour of what you want to be true.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Man there are some Americans on here that better hope the winner of the North division doesn't win that 3rd round the way it has been talked about this year

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Goals against per game.

North: 2.96
East: 2.93

What a difference! A whole 1% more goals per game.

Why you gotta bring facts into it ?

You gotta let the plebs believer their fantasy world.

 

[TheDoldrums]

Goal scoring may be nearly identical, but winning in the East is much more difficult. It has more parity. I have no doubt both the Rangers and Flyers would be in a playoff position over there.

lol, Flyers are awful. This is delusional, they've actually been insanely lucky to even have that mediocre record. They've been outscored by 25 goals this year already!

 

[Fataldogg]

lol, Flyers are awful. This is delusional.

Flyers are a .538 playing 40 games against the Capitals, Bruins, Penguins, Rangers, Islanders and 16 games against the Devils and Sabres.

Teams like Montreal are a .581 playing 27-28 games against the Canucks, Senators and Flames.

The Flyers are extremely mediocre, and AV is a terrible coach, but they would likely be in a playoff position in the North.

50% of your schedule in the North is against teams ranked 25th, 26th and 30th. 50% against teams that are not competitive.

The East has 28% of their schedule against teams ranked 27th and 31st.

Its not comparable, I don't know how people don't get this.

 

[Fataldogg]

You have absolutely nothing to support that. You're merely ignoring the facts, in favour of what you want to be true.

The % of games against competitive teams is a real thing. They only have 6 competitors in the North, of those, three of them are ranked in the bottom-6 of the entire NHL. 50% of their schedule is against teams that are not competitive.

In the East you face off against 7 competitors, of those 5 are above a .500 point percentage, only 28% of the games are against teams in the bottom-6 in the NHL.

That means that games are more difficult to win in the East because there is more parity. To me that is pretty clear. What is your argument that the North is as competitive as the East.

Better yet, do a poll asking that question, what division is more competitive. I would guarantee you the vast majority of members on this forum will say the East.

 

[snipes]

It’s so funny how the North gets shit on, but let’s be serious the North has the best elite offensive talent of any of the divisions.

No division matches a top 4 of offensive talent like McDavid, Draisaitl, Matthews, and Marner. Then you have guys like Pettersson (when healthy), Schiefele, etc.

 

[LeafGrief]

The Rangers have Shesterkin. Not an easy goalie to play against. He is a 2.44GA and .921SV% in 22 games playing in arguably the best division in the NHL. When he is in net, the Rangers are tough to score against.

Rangers have also played very well defensively this year. This is not the Rangers team from the last couple of years. Its not the Rangers team under AV. Its the best defense I've seen this team play since 11-12 under Tortorella. They also have an elite penalty kill crew.

I would say the Rangers, Islanders, Capitals, Bruins and Penguins are not easy teams to score against [they have all had their bad moments, but that is the rarity not the rule]

The easiest teams to score against in that division are probably the Flyers and Sabres. Even the Flyers, a bad defensive team, has a .538P%, same as the Rangers, and with less competition they would both probably have a playoff position in the North.

I don't think people realize how competitive the East is.

Good for the Rangers. Ovi scored 2 of his goals on Georgiev and 1 each on Shesterkin and Kinkaid.

I believe you somewhat when you tell me that the Rangers aren't bad defensively. I don't think the East is a bad division at all, the point is that it's not some magical land of tight defenses and stout goalies in any sense that you could think Ovi is going to score 33%+ more goals in a season. It's outrageous. Sure, the Jets and Canucks have trash D, but Hellebucyk is a top2 goalie in the league and Demko is pretty good too. The Habs are good defensively, the Leafs are good defensively, there's a couple of great goalies, and the Sens and Flames aren't any worse than the Sabres and Devils. Even if you think there's truth to the weak North Division narrative, this thread is still a complete and utter joke.

 

[snipes]

The North division bashing will never stop won't it?

A few North division teams played horrible defense for the first 2 or 3 weeks. But eventually people will have to accept that the North division has some skilled shooters.

Didn’t the West have several consecutive games with teams scoring 8 goals on another team this last week or so?

If only McDrai and the Leafs duo got to beat up on the California teams and some of those bottom feeders in the West.