Since coming into the NHL, has Ovi EVER been the best player in the world?

[nowhereman]

I've always liked Crosby's game, as the all-around playmaking pivot, a bit more than OV but a case can definitely be made that #8 was the best in the league. IMO, it was a 1A/1B-type of situation, as I did feel that OV had better linemates (Backstrom/Semin vs. Geurin/Armstrong/Ekman/Malone). A lot of coaches, GMs and analysts had Sid #1, with OV a close second but even that was starting to change in 10-11.

 

[Sky04]

2008 and 2010, undisputed.

 

[King Mapes]

I don't like AO but the hate he gets is annoying. At least admire his talent. You're talking about the best goal scorer in a long long time. 65 goals one year which given years is one of the best years for a goal scorer in history. Yes... He was.. In 07-08 he led in goals AND points

 

[Steve]

This seems to be uncommon response but I would never have traded Crosby for him during any season even during the concussion scare.

IMO he was a very close #2 for one or two years.

 

[King Mapes]

This seems to be uncommon response but I would never have traded Crosby for him during any season even during the concussion scare.

IMO he was a very close #2 for one or two years.

He was the best at one point though. I would never have traded Sid for him because I didn't think his peak would last and felt eventually he'd hurt himself with the style he plays (ironically it was Sid who got hurt).

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

He never was far and away the best player, if that's what you're asking.

When Crosby got his ankle sprain in 07-08, he was the leading scorer by quite a bit if I recall correctly. Ovechkin ended up scoring 65 goals that year, but Crosby was still first before getting hurt.

Malkin was better than both of them in 08-09.

Ovechkin was better in 09-10.

Crosby and Zetterberg were tied for first when Crosby went down in 07-08. He wasn't running away with it that year.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Before crosby hurt his ankle he was the consensus best. Even after 07-08 many still saw crosby as the best

 

[TopShelfYzerman]

Media tried to hype the rivalry between Sid and Ovie and as being 1a, 1b.. after the 07-08 season I believed him to be the best up until 09-10 which was also when he was named Captain. During that span he scored 171 goals in 233 games for a .73 gpg average.

 

[Sarcastic]

At worst for Ovechkin, you are literally arguing over inches. Even if you believe Crosby was the best during Ovi's peak, he was still really really good and the difference between the two would have been minuscule at best.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

People seem to forget just how good Ovechkin was at his peak. It was insane. If he wasn't better than Crosby, he was definitely right on his level for that time period.

 

[Brooklanders*]

Yes arguably.

 

[cupface52]

While he wasn't great defensively, he never had to be, Washington had the puck whenever ov was in the ice, was +47 one year. Hit like a mack truck, players bounced right off of him when they went for the hit. He forced players to create turnovers, players shyed away from physically confronting him.

 

[Appleyard]

For 3 years at the end of last decade I had him better than Crosby... I think most others would as well.

 

[illpucks]

LOL if this is a serious thread. He was the best from 05-10.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

I always thought he was better and had a bigger impact than Crosby did, right up until 2010-2011.

He has always been a significantly inferior player to Crosby at even strength. Ovechkin's stats benefited greatly from the PP and generous amounts of ice time.

 

[Deluded Puck]

From 2008-10, with Malkin tying him in 2009.

Was just an absolute wrecking ball of a player back then, like a genetic cross-breed of Pavel Bure & Eric Lindros.

 

[Samuel Culper III]

He has always been a significantly inferior player to Crosby at even strength. Ovechkin's stats benefited greatly from the PP and generous amounts of ice time.

Sounds like revisionist history to me, where "always" translates to post 2010. It's true that Ovie eventually was nearly relegated to a PP one-timer machine, but that was NOT "always" the case.

 

[Dynamo81]

I'm not talking about a hot streak, or whatever. In any of his seasons, has he ever been the best player in the world the way Crosby has considered?

If not, will he ever?

Crosby is the best player post 04-05 lockout, however, 07-08, 08-09, 09-10 Ovechkin was the best. He was not from this planet.

 

[Acoustic]

He has always been a significantly inferior player to Crosby at even strength. Ovechkin's stats benefited greatly from the PP and generous amounts of ice time.

Yeah, Lidstrom and Pronger got so many points because they played 30 min a game. What bums, their points per 60 isn`t nearly as good as other guys.

 

[Merci Saku]

Ah the ''what have you done for me lately syndrome''

 

[Dynamo81]

He has always been a significantly inferior player to Crosby at even strength. Ovechkin's stats benefited greatly from the PP and generous amounts of ice time.

What a load of ********

During Ovechkin's peak/prime when he was the best player in the World (07-08, 08-09, 09-10) he did not benefit greatly due to PP especially in comparison with Crosby.

Here are some facts, backed with actual evidence.


2007-08 Ovechkin led the league in Even Strength Goals (41) and Even Strength Points (73).

2008-09 Ovechkin led the league in Even Strength Goals (34) and was second in Even Strength Points (61), Malkin was first with 68

2009-10 Ovechkin led the league in Even Strength Goals (37) and was second in the league in Even Strength Points (73) behind Sedin, that season he had more Even Strength Goals and Even Strength Assists than Crosby, and Ovechkin played 10 less games than Crosby.

Heck, even when Ovechkin began regressing, in 2010-11 he was 5th in the league in Even Strength Points (58, 4 behind first).

Remain seated champ.

P.S in Crosby's best ever season points wise (2006-07) when he had 120 points, only 59 came at Even Strength (Which put him 10th at Even Strength Points).

 

[SkinsFan09]

By .07 PPG.

Whether that made up for the overall game of Crosby or not is what made the Ovechkin/Crosby debates what they were back then. He also played on one of the best offensive teams of the modern NHL, with far more support than Crosby and Malkin ever had,

It was always up for debate at that point, but he had a legitimate argument for being the best back then, just like Crosby and Malkin did.

In 2007-08 when Ovechkin had 65 goals, 112 points the next closest was Backstrom with 69 points and Semin with 26 goals. Ovechkin carried that team by himself.

There was no debate when Ovechkin had 89 points in 54 games prior to the 2010 Olympics. The players thought he was the best in the game 3 years in a row, that's all that matters.

 

[SkinsFan09]

He has always been a significantly inferior player to Crosby at even strength. Ovechkin's stats benefited greatly from the PP and generous amounts of ice time.

Umm no. From 2007-2011 Ovechkin was an even strength machine.

 

[SkinsFan09]

He never was far and away the best player, if that's what you're asking.

When Crosby got his ankle sprain in 07-08, he was the leading scorer by quite a bit if I recall correctly. Ovechkin ended up scoring 65 goals that year, but Crosby was still first before getting hurt.

Malkin was better than both of them in 08-09.

Ovechkin was better in 09-10.

No. Ovechkin led the league in points per game and if he doesn't miss 3 games that year he wins another Art Ross and may have a second straight 60 goal season since 4 goals in 3 games back then for him would've been easy.

 

[SkinsFan09]

Im 16 myself but I hav watched ovi for a long time and no doubt he was the best or second best in the nhl since 07/08-09/10 and a top 3 player offensively during the lockout. The guy is crazy underrated , the only thing I would like to see from him is a bit more passion, and desire, its like ovi does not care about being the best player in the world, talent wise he is a top 3 player probably 2nd after sid, its just he doesnt give 100% evry game.

It's come full circle. He used to jump into the glass and celebrate every goal like a kid and people jumped on him for it. Went 100% every shift and he's a dangerous player who needs to grow up. Now he acts like he's been there before and doesn't hit like a wrecking ball and he doesn't show desire.

Hysterical.