What would peak Ovechkin look like in the 80's?

[underdog]

People are really overrating the physical demands of the 80's. I know Ovechkin would have to answer the bell few times if he ran around hitting like he did few years back. But that's it.

Jari Kurri, Mike Bossy and many more were much smaller and weaker than Ovechkin. Yet these guys fared just fine.

Kurri and Bossy didn't play Ovies physical style though, I'm thinking a comparable would be a Wendal Clark or Cam Neely style injury plagued career.

 

[InfinityIggy]

If you put him in a time machine, send him back as the player he was in his modern day prime, I have little doubt he would score 100+ goals.

If he was born in that era, trained in that era then he would probably be closer to what he is in the modern day NHL, 60-70 goal scorer.

 

[Plural]

Since we have stat adjustments to see how prior era scorers translate to now, couldn't we just do a reverse stat adjustment to project his numbers?

some people though are missing the point, this wouldn't be about him growing up in that area or anything. I think OP is saying if we magically transport current Ovechkin to that era and all else remains status quo (his health and fitness and equipment etc...) Then how would he do?

That basically means he would rip the NHL a new one.

He'd be easily the fastest, most well protected and hardest hitter in the league. He'd have massive advantage on his shot, it would be hardest shot in the league and it would be really accurate to boot. He would also be physically above almost everyone else, maybe even everyone.

Impossible to predict any numbers, but my uneducated guess would be 100+ goals. The amount of assists is harder to predict.

 

[Plural]

Kurri and Bossy didn't play Ovies physical style thought, I'm thinking a comparable would be a Wendal Clark or Cam Neely style injury plagued career.

I don't buy it. Ovechkin is really durable to this day. He might be bit more banged up, but I really don't see it being that big of an issue. Unless someone takes his knees out.

 

[underdog]

I don't buy it. Ovechkin is really durable to this day. He might be bit more banged up, but I really don't see it being that big of an issue. Unless someone takes his knees out.

Someone would take his knees out eventually.

 

[tfong]

That basically means he would rip the NHL a new one.

He'd be easily the fastest, most well protected and hardest hitter in the league. He'd have massive advantage on his shot, it would be hardest shot in the league and it would be really accurate to boot. He would also be physically above almost everyone else, maybe even everyone.

Impossible to predict any numbers, but my uneducated guess would be 100+ goals. The amount of assists is harder to predict.

Well that era did produce some of our historically best dmen though.

 

[Wayne Primeau]

30 g, 40 a, 100 pts

 

[Primary Assist]

Russia still would have lost the Miracle on Ice and Ovi wouldn't be allowed to defect for the NHL

 

[Asher]

Who cares about the 80s? What would Ovy look like in the 50's? A lot of dmen couldn't skate backwards back then. And while we're rewriting history, what about if Davey Crockett and his pals had AR-15's, rocket launchers, and a couple of tanks? Does The Alamo battle go differently?

 

[The Panther]

Who cares about the 80s? What would Ovy look like in the 50's? A lot of dmen couldn't skate backwards back then. And while we're rewriting history, what about if Davey Crockett and his pals had AR-15's, rocket launchers, and a couple of tanks? Does The Alamo battle go differently?

Exactly.

 

[Kurtz]

I don't know if he'd put up higher totals than a prime Bure, Mogilny or Selanee would in the 80's.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

He would have to keep his head up (which he still does today) to avoid having his knees destroyed by an idiot.
However, he would run other people through the boards easily.

Now, for scoring goals, he'd arguably be the best and would force drastic changes to the NHL in defensive systems.
Basically, teams would start trapping like the 90s Devils in order to stop Ovi from going on the rush. His slapshot would force everyone to wear a helmet.

His stat line would be something like this :
82 GP- 95 G 75 A 170 P

He'd be considered the best player in the world with Gretzky and Lemieux slightly ahead.

 

[123TripleDoge]

Assuming it was on goal, he'd score on almost every shot lol

The only thing limiting his goal scoring would be his effort level after he put his team in the lead. I doubt he'd have many assists though, because he wouldn't need to pass hardly

 

[supsens]

well if he didn't grow up back then I am not sure how he would handle guys hanging off his back every shift or or how he would deal with the right way to play D back then, clearing the net(crosschecking everyone like mad) he would also have to take off the heavy duty body armor and shoot with a wood stick.

 

[oil slick]

1950's: 130-100-230 (pro rated to 82 game season)
1980's: 90-70-160
2050's: 10-25-35 (4th liner)
2080's: minor leaguer

 

[Plural]

1950's: 130-100-230 (pro rated to 82 game season)
1980's: 90-70-160
2050's: 10-25-35 (4th liner)
2080's: minor leaguer

Are you serious?

 

[Moops]

Well technically he'd be stuck in the Soviet Union, so he'd dominate there and then miss out on the HHOF, Makarov-style.

 

[Johnny GODreau]

Well technically he'd be stuck in the Soviet Union, so he'd dominate there and then miss out on the HHOF, Makarov-style.

You forgot to mention he'd win the Calder at 31.

 

[authentic]

He would score over 200 goals easily, and that's not an exaggeration at all. 80's hockey is like a freakin beer league today.

 

[authentic]

Are you serious?

He can't be, Ovechkin would score way more than that in the 80's and especially the 50's.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

In the 80's? He'd be killing it... ...At CSKA and the Soviet national team. And probably chain smoking unfiltered Lucky Strikes.

 

[AvroArrow]

If he had the same size, skillset, training he has today and was moved back to play in the 80s ? Absolutely destroy it. 300 point seasons. If you're talking about athleticism, individual skill and talent, without taking into consideration what the competition is like, and you compare ovechkin with gretzky, ovi wins in all categories. Gretzky was better in comparison to his competition, but comparing their talent 1 on 1, not even close.

 

[DanZ]

Think about what Ovechkin does to goalies today. Nobody can score from where he routinely scores as consistently as he does. And against the best goaltending, on average, in history. He's also a physical monster. He would obliterate the 80s. 100+ goals.

 

[Plural]

He can't be, Ovechkin would score way more than that in the 80's and especially the 50's.

Actually, the 50's might prove to be more difficult than most of us understand. It was a different animal. I know OV is huge and faster/stronger than almost anyone that time. But the 50's really was the time when someone would literally knock you unconscious with his stick.



That ended up in 8 games suspension. Today, it's a lifetime ban with jail-time.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Actually, the 50's might prove to be more difficult than most of us understand. It was a different animal. I know OV is huge and faster/stronger than almost anyone that time. But the 50's really was the time when someone would literally knock you unconscious with his stick.



That ended up in 8 games suspension. Today, it's a lifetime ban with jail-time.

This type of stick work was still prevalent in the 70's and even 80's. Shoot even later (McSorely?) Which is why I have to laugh when people see a high stick in today's game and the claim "back in my day that never happened because players had respect. And they knew they'd have to answer to a goon." BS.