Ovechkin with no missed games in the North Division

[SkinsFan09]

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

The majority of Ovechkin's goals have been primarily-assisted the past several years by players not named Backstrom and Kuznetsov but keep trying.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

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?

Watch the guy play lol

 

[The Podium]

Is the North bad defensively, or good offensively?

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

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.

In regards to the topic of Matthews versus Ovechkin, I don't think bringing up Toronto being good defensively makes any sense when defending Matthews' goal scoring since he plays for them. Toronto's not one of the teams he plays against. It's the other 6 teams that you'd have to focus on whether or not Matthews benefits from playing against them.

 

[LeafGrief]

In regards to the topic of Matthews versus Ovechkin, I don't think bringing up Toronto being good defensively makes any sense when defending Matthews' goal scoring since he plays for them. Toronto's not one of the teams he plays against. It's the other 6 teams that you'd have to focus on whether or not Matthews benefits from playing against them.

Yeah, for sure. But Ovi would have to play against Toronto, which is why I included the Leafs in that particular comment.

On the whole, I think any argument about the North being weak is pretty silly to begin with, but even if there are kernels of truth giving a 33% handicap is completely absurd.

 

[Dekes For Days]

They only have 6 competitors in the North, of those, three of them are ranked in the bottom-6 of the entire NHL.

That's not even true. The North has two teams in the bottom-6 of the entire NHL. The East has two teams in the bottom-5 of the NHL, including the worst team in the league. By your faulty logic, the East is weaker. You have nothing to substantiate any of your claims; you're just blindly claiming whatever fits your narrative.

 

[Fataldogg]

That's not even true. The North has two teams in the bottom-6 of the entire NHL. The East has two teams in the bottom-5 of the NHL, including the worst team in the league. By your faulty logic, the East is weaker. You have nothing to substantiate any of your claims; you're just blindly claiming whatever fits your narrative.

Canucks 25th
Flames 26th
Senators 30th
50% of schedule

Devils 27th
Sabres 31st
28% of schedule

This isn't a narrative, thats a fact.

Genuinely, how do you figure it is AS COMPETITIVE when 50% of the games are against the bottom tier of the NHL? Its not, you asked for evidence, I provided it.

You're the one creating a narrative that the North is some rock solid division. Go ahead, do a poll, see what the results are. I'll wait.

28 games against bad teams is a better situation to be in than 16 games against bad teams. It just is, I dont see how anyone can argue it.

28 games vs teams below .500 vs 16 games vs teams below .500. Which one has more parity?

 

[Dekes For Days]

Canucks 25th
Flames 26th
Senators 30th
Devils 27th
Sabres 31st

This isn't a narrative, thats a fact.

Actually, that's not a fact. Your rankings are wrong, as you're using raw points instead of point percentage to misrepresent Vancouver (who has played less games due to their Covid situation) as a worse team than they are. What you're doing isn't a measure of "competitiveness" anyway, even if you were doing it right. And you're completely ignoring the defensive tire fire that Philly has been, even with a flattering record. The two divisions are scoring at essentially the exact same rate. There's no justification for thinking Ovechkin would be scoring any differently in a different division.

 

[Machinehead]

Folks, the North is, in fact, still the NHL.

 

[ole ole]

Canucks 25th
Flames 26th
Senators 30th
50% of schedule

Devils 27th
Sabres 31st
28% of schedule

This isn't a narrative, thats a fact.

Genuinely, how do you figure it is AS COMPETITIVE when 50% of the games are against the bottom tier of the NHL? Its not, you asked for evidence, I provided it.

You're the one creating a narrative that the North is some rock solid division. Go ahead, do a poll, see what the results are. I'll wait.

28 games against bad teams is a better situation to be in than 16 games against bad teams. It just is, I dont see how anyone can argue it.

28 games vs teams below .500 vs 16 games vs teams below .500. Which one has more parity?

Worst GA.


Ott
Buf
Flyers
NJD
Flames.
Nucks

You have 3 of the top 4 worst teams for GA involving the 2 division.
Seems that Matthew would have easily a few more if he played in the East.

 

[filinski77]

Watch the guy play lol

Classic response when you have nothing to back up your biased hate.

Of course Ovi is not the play driver that he was 10 years ago, but he's still one of the best shot producers in the league, and still the best at actually scoring goals and producing offence. Doesn't matter how much you drive play if the results don't come out from it.

 

[hairylikebear]

He he missed no games, played in the North, and scored the most goals in the league, then yes.

Without the condition of scoring the most goals in the league, no.

 

[Not My Tempo]

It’s so weird to have these cross divisional comparisons, especially when 3 point games exist. Does the East have more parity, or is it just that the bottom 3 teams in the east have 18 loser points between them while the bottom 3 in the North only have 10?

 

[nturn06]

Can you imagine playing in a division with Sabres and Devils and thinking that the north would be easier?

Only Ottawa in North allowed more GA than Flyers, Devils and Sabres....

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Illpucks likes to watch the world burn eh?

First making threads about whether Matthews would have a better career than Ovi as a goal scorer.

Now you’re asking everyone if Ovi would just shred the North division if he was there and lock up the Rocket?

Pick a lane man @illpucks

 

[ViD]

Lmao it really hurts some of you that badly that Matthews is the best goal scorer in the league

Fantasy world is your only hope I suppose

The best goal scorer with zero Rocket Richard trophies? Let’s hope he wins it this year

 

[Spargon]

Ovi plays in the division with Buffalo losers of 18 straight, but no no huur durr North no play da defens score lots of da gols

 

[Namikaze Minato]

The best goal scorer with zero Rocket Richard trophies? Let’s hope he wins it this year

Just got another 3 through 2 periods, league lead up to 8.

 

[Spargon]

Fun fact, Washington would have the second worst goals against in the "no defense North" ahead of only Ottawa, 1 more than Calgary. In fact 4 teams would be second only to Ottawa (153), Philly (143), Jersey (127), Caps (125), Buffalo (141). After Ottawa the North drops down to Calgary (124).

So seems like Ovi has been in the better opportunity as is.

This narrative that the North is this massive black hole of defense compared to the rest of the league needs to die, every division has bad teams.

 

[Regal]

Is the North bad defensively, or good offensively?

Both

 

[Mrb1p]

Yes obviously, he'd probably get 10 PP goals against the habs alone since they can't PK.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

It’s so weird to have these cross divisional comparisons, especially when 3 point games exist. Does the East have more parity, or is it just that the bottom 3 teams in the east have 18 loser points between them while the bottom 3 in the North only have 10?

I agree comparing this year's numbers is pointless since each division is self contained. The closest we have to gauging division strength is how the teams did last year. In that case the east has 5 of the top 11 teams in the nhl from last year. Whereas the highest placing north team was 12th. No way to prove it but most likely the east is significantly better.

 

[ricky0034]

It’s so weird to have these cross divisional comparisons, especially when 3 point games exist. Does the East have more parity, or is it just that the bottom 3 teams in the east have 18 loser points between them while the bottom 3 in the North only have 10?

is one division having almost twice as many games tied at the end of regulation as the other somehow not indicative of parity?

you're kinda making the opposite point of what you think you are here....

 

[Dust]

He wouldn't get to play the Sabres, Flyers, or Devils, so no he wouldn't. He'd probably be right around where he is now.

 

[SkinsFan09]

It is Matthews' year -simple as that. Ovechkin would not have won the Rocket if he was in the North. But he's probably still going to finish second in the league at age 35, nothing to scoff at.