Why is Ovechkin not shooting more?

[steve141]

Ovechkin is the most prolific shooter ever. He has had the most shots in the league ten times (the previous record was four). He has 45% more shots than any other player since he entered the league.

This year he only has the third most shots. That might not seem like a big step down, but being the top shooter is his most defining feature.

For the people that watch him play daily, is he playing differently from previous years?

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[Alexander the Gr8]

Ovechkin is the most prolific shooter ever. He has had the most shots in the league ten times (the previous record was four). He has 45% more shots than any other player since he entered the league.

This year he only has the third most shots. That might not seem like a big step down, but being the top shooter is his most defining feature.

For the people that watch him play daily, is he playing differently from previous years?

He's not moving his feet IMO. Hard to be 1st in shots and scoring chances if you don't make the effort to get there.

Also, he's getting less ice time this year. I think he wants to coast through the regular season and perhaps turn it on later.

 

[Seanaconda]

He's not moving his feet IMO. Hard to be 1st in shots and scoring chances if you don't make the effort to get there.

Also, he's getting less ice time this year. I think he wants to coast through the regular season and perhaps turn it on later.

Ehh he could probably keep his shots up if they still run the pass it to ovechkin powerplay. Probably has more to do with having a player that doesn't pass on his wing this year.

Hasn't really scored much on rushes the last couple years.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Ehh he could probably keep his shots up if they still run the pass it to ovechkin powerplay. Probably has more to do with having a player that doesn't pass on his wing this year.

Hasn't really scored much on rushes the last couple years.

Which player is that?

 

[Seanaconda]

Which player is that?

I assumed oshie was on the top line. If it's Williams replace with doesn't have a very good winger .

If anything I would assume Washington isn't doing the 2 minutes of pass ovechkin the puck powerplay anymore if his shots are down alot. Not footspeed

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I assumed oshie was on the top line. If it's Williams replace with doesn't have a very good winger .

If anything I would assume Washington isn't doing the 2 minutes of pass ovechkin the puck powerplay anymore if his shots are down alot. Not footspeed

Ovechkin's on the second line with Kuznetsov and Williams. Kuznetsov is an excellent passer, Williams is decent. Overall, that line and the Caps as a team have been cold offensively since the beginning of the season. On the PP, Ovechkin plays 1:00 to 1:30 per PP. The PP doesn't try to force the puck to Ovechkin as much as it did the previous years. Even then, Ovechkin hasn't been his usual self on the PP, but I find his ES numbers are suffering because he doesn't make the effort to create scoring chances in the offensive zone.

He doesn't lack the speed, but he just doesn't use that speed to his advantage anymore.

 

[Pyromaniac]

He saw Laine's shot and lost all confidence in his own.

 

[yay]

He's also had a shoulder injury this season that could still be bothering him.

 

[Dr John Carlson]

He visibly doesn't care right now, so it makes sense.

 

[HockeyThoughts]

He visibly doesn't care right now, so it makes sense.

Yeah the other night he just coasted right into Slater Koekkoek, he doesn't even care enough to say excuse me!!

 

[Knave]

We all start out with a certain amount of shots we can take in life. He's running out and is conserving.

 

[Harmonica1]

Passing the torch for Laine.

 

[Treb]

Passing the torch for Laine.

Laine is tied 35th in SOG, so no. He would be passing the torch to Brent Burns who has 16 shots more than anyone else.

 

[RageQuit77]

That endless jargon of SOG-cultists is becoming increasingly irritating...

You can have zillion SOGs and it doesn't mean a **** alone.

 

[mostunderratedposter*]

meh i don't blame him. I would save my energy for the playoffs too. But i want him to beat Gretzkys goal record so get going Ovi!!!

 

[Evergreen]

That endless jargon of SOG-cultists is becoming increasingly irritating...

You can have zillion SOGs and it doesn't mean a **** alone.

Wow, relax. I don't see anyone here saying otherwise. But when a guy who normally shoots a ton is now taking far fewer shots, it certainly raises some questions.

 

[Grandrift145]

Ovi will have 24 goals after 50 games, then he will score 26 in the next 30 games

 

[Kamiccolo]

Remember when he had a few off years and he was done? I bet he picks it up again if not soon then next season.

 

[Super Hans]

Insert a joke about him being a Russian national working in the nation's capital.

 

[RageQuit77]

Wow, relax. I don't see anyone here saying otherwise. But when a guy who normally shoots a ton is now taking far fewer shots, it certainly raises some questions.

I apologize. I Have had my share in those struggles already.

While I have no doubts Ovi will continue to contribute high level for years to come, it's still only natural if - when he start show symptoms of decline. What he has managed to do already is something ridiculously awesome ("Ovi" actually transformed to be sort of general linguistic term for describing great hockey goal scorers), but as it has been also makes it easy to get blinded with expectations about him. Nothing last forever.

That said. He will still have his fair share from goals... and SOGs.

ADD: Ovi projects to 38 Goals and SOG 320, that neither constitute "Decline" against his hockey curriculum vitae.

 

[RageQuit77]

Remember when he had a few off years and he was done? I bet he picks it up again if not soon then next season.

Ovi's "off years" seems to me pretty solid for goal scorer.

The overwhelming majority of that fellowship would happily take few of those as their top years.

Ovi's Top 3 Off-years 38G/78GP, 32G/79GP, 32G/48GP (Lockout)...
Next worst: 46G/82GP

 

[Sky04]

meh i don't blame him. I would save my energy for the playoffs too. But i want him to beat Gretzkys goal record so get going Ovi!!!

Only to exit in the 2nd round. Sounds like an effort problem to me, great example he's being.

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

Only to exit in the 2nd round. Sounds like an effort problem to me, great example he's being.

it absolutely is