Ovechkin Breaks Nose, Scores Four Goals!

[esteef 2,679]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=280131023

Holy crap!

esteef

[Duck Guy 86]

fifth-fastest player to reach 40 goals since 1995-96. 5 points and a broken nose sounds like a busy night .

[interminded 1]

The dude breaks his nos, gets stitches, come back to score the OT goal.

Man, I'd love to have him in Detroit.

He's worth every dollar.

[Spongewingredpants 75]

no way, he, like Zetterberg and Dats is one of those soft euro players. we need more Canadians in the NHL!!!!

The dude breaks his nos, gets stitches, come back to score the OT goal.

Man, I'd love to have him in Detroit.

He's worth every dollar.

[SweWings 45]

The guy is gonna carry the Caps to the playoffs...

[Guest LivingtheDream]

no way, he, like Zetterberg and Dats is one of those soft euro players. we need more Canadians in the NHL!!!!

LOL! Yea, and those Russians are lazy too!

[interminded 1]

The guy is gonna carry the Caps to the playoffs...

Probably.

But 'to the playoffs' is one thing.

Being 'in the playoffs' is another.

[FinWing 26]

What a game for Ovie! 43 goals for the season already! He must be the most dynamic player in the league but frequently gets lost in all the Crosby-hype.

[Spongewingredpants 75]

i constantly shake my head with the Crosby hype when i compare Ovechkin to him. Ovie is amazing. and he has a sense of humor....

What a game for Ovie! 43 goals for the season already! He must be the most dynamic player in the league but frequently gets lost in all the Crosby-hype.

[SweWings 45]

Probably.

But 'to the playoffs' is one thing.

Being 'in the playoffs' is another.

True. But it's a start.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

i constantly shake my head with the Crosby hype when i compare Ovechkin to him. Ovie is amazing. and he has a sense of humor....

If I could have either, I'd probably go with AO because of his goal scoring and ability to drop bombs from the point on the PP.

Is Ovie amazing but Crosby isn't amazing? Why do you shake your head at the Crosby hype?

3 years in the league for each:

Crosby

Games: 206

Goals: 95

Points: 285

PPG: 1.38

+/-: +24

Hart Trophy

Pearson Trophy

Art Ross Trophy

Ovechkin

Games: 215

Goals: 141

Points: 268

PPG: 1.25

+/-: -3

Calder Trophy

I think you could argue that they're so close statistically that they should get equal billing as far as league exposure. But on paper Sid has done more and accomplished more than AO thus far.

I'd still take AO but this is NA, they're gonna make this kid carry the game just like they had Gretzky carry the game. They're not going to focus and put all their effort here in the states and Canada pumping up a Russian player as the leader of the league. And I get that. At least Crosby is putting up the numbers though to warrant the attention. It isn't like he's been a bust or anything.

[BeeRYCE 2]

- 05/06 - I thought Ovechkin was better than Crosby.

- 06/07 - I thought Crosby was better than Ovechkin (With absolutely NO comparison, Crosby was in his own league).

Now Ovechkin is on pace for 68 goals, and could very well up that pace with another hatty or two. It's phenomonal and unheard of for this day in age. The Crosby/Ovechkin comparisons are gonna fly once again, and for a good reason. I don't know who's better now though. I'm pretty biased towards points I guess.

[BeeRYCE 2]

Oh and if Ovechkin plays the same number of games Gretzky did, he would be on pace for 975 goals. That pace is possible too, the way I see it, he hasn't even entered him prime yet.

[toby91_ca 620]

fifth-fastest player to reach 40 goals since 1995-96. 5 points and a broken nose sounds like a busy night .

I'm surprised it's only the 5th fatest, seeing as there really hasn't been any huge goal scorers during that period. Bure had 2 seasons in the high 50's, but other than that, the leading scorer during that span was only high 40's/low 50's.

[puckloo39 5,686]

I don't know who's better or who will end up the "best," of Crosby and Ovie. I like them both and they're both amazing and good for the game.

There's just something about Ovechkin that screams superstar hockey player to me. I love to watch him. Plus, he's funny and clever.

[BeeRYCE 2]

I'm surprised it's only the 5th fatest, seeing as there really hasn't been any huge goal scorers during that period. Bure had 2 seasons in the high 50's, but other than that, the leading scorer during that span was only high 40's/low 50's.

Yeah, I'm surprised too.

He might have meant, the 5th fastest ever... and the fastest since 95/96. Then again, there have been 70+ goal seasons on more than 5 occasions. I don't know, that statement doesn't seem right to me though.

[Reds4Life 51]

Ovy is awesome, if Caps make playoffs, he's got to be MVP.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

It's been 12 years since anyone hit 60 goals, so I hope he does it this year.

[toby91_ca 620]

Oh and if Ovechkin plays the same number of games Gretzky did, he would be on pace for 975 goals. That pace is possible too, the way I see it, he hasn't even entered him prime yet.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves though.

If Ovechkin keeps up this pace and scores 68 this year, his first 3 years in the league would look like this:

245gp, 166 goals.

Gretzky's first 3 years:

239gp, 198 goals

Gretzky was also 2 years younger.

The only thing Ovechkin has going for him in that race is that he is a pure goal scorer and Gretzky was a playmaker. As Gretzky got older, his goals tailed off as he was much more of a pass first guy, actually, he was always that way. Even when he had insane goal totals, his assist totals were much higher.

Anyway, Ovechkin will slow over time, it's natural law really. Also, you have to wonder if his game evolves over time as he matures, which could take some focus off of shoot, shoot, shoot.

Now, if Mike Bossy could have stayed healthy and played 1,500 games or so, that would have been something.

[b.shanafan14 733]

so far this season, if Ovechkin keeps pace and the Caps somehow make the playoffs, you have to believe AO should get the Hart.

I have liked Ovechkin since second one, because he definately embodies the term "superstar". He is a goal scoring maniac who you can tell genuinely LOVES to be on the ice whether he is scoring or his teammates and he has many times the personality of Crosby. As someone else had said, if Ovechkin was born in Canada he would get much more attention.

[toby91_ca 620]

Ovy is awesome, if Caps make playoffs, he's got to be MVP.

If he keeps his production up and is in the top 5 point getters or so, he should definately be a front runner.

However, I wonder if he'll get consideration regardless. If they miss the playoffs again, I don't hink he should get consideration unless he is running away with the scoring title, which I think is doubtful. Ovechkin is not the type of player that will run away with a scoring title, most goal scorers are not.

[irishtemper14+25 11]

man i love AO so much

[BeeRYCE 2]

Let's not get ahead of ourselves though.

If Ovechkin keeps up this pace and scores 68 this year, his first 3 years in the league would look like this:

245gp, 166 goals.

Gretzky's first 3 years:

239gp, 198 goals

Gretzky was also 2 years younger.

The only thing Ovechkin has going for him in that race is that he is a pure goal scorer and Gretzky was a playmaker. As Gretzky got older, his goals tailed off as he was much more of a pass first guy, actually, he was always that way. Even when he had insane goal totals, his assist totals were much higher.

Anyway, Ovechkin will slow over time, it's natural law really. Also, you have to wonder if his game evolves over time as he matures, which could take some focus off of shoot, shoot, shoot.

Now, if Mike Bossy could have stayed healthy and played 1,500 games or so, that would have been something.

What you said was correct, but the bolded part is what makes me think this. Ovechkin is on pace for 975 goals, and his goal scoring prime is not over and will probably not end until, well, his contract is done (13 or so years). Gretzky's goal scoring fiasco ended by the time he was 26, maybe before then depending on how you look at it. I predict Ovechkin to score a max of 75 goals twice, maybe three times in his career... Sky's the limit. I just wish the lockout never happened. You can add another 50 goals to his arsenal.

Plus Ovechkin has the physique and the ability to protect himself to play a longer, healthier career than Gretz. He'll probably wind up playing more games, and I could see him netting a career 900 goals at least, and that's taken into account the fact that he could get hurt and/or slow down at a point in his career.

I'm going to spare the "OMG IF HE HAD A PLAYMAKER WITH HIM OMG HE'D BE SO GOOD OMGOMFG" argument, because Backstrom is doing just fine in that department. So that argument is done for.

I agree with everything you said, but I'm not getting too ahead of myself with the 975 possible goals statement. Goal scoring is Ovechkin's ability, and the shoot first thing probably won't die.

At the end of the day, Gretzky's 894 goals is the most touchable (big) record he has. His season totals, his career assists, points... Untouchable. It's not too far fetched to say guys like Kovalchuk, Ovechkin, and maybe even Tavares can break the 894 goal mark.

Edited February 1, 2008 by BeeRYCE

[toby91_ca 620]

At the end of the day, Gretzky's 894 goals is the most touchable (big) record he has. His season totals, his career assists, points... Untouchable. It's not too far fetched to say guys like Kovalchuk, Ovechkin, and maybe even Tavares can break the 894 goal mark.

His goal total of 894 may seem like the most touchable, but really, no one is even close to that at this point. Howe had 801, which is a long way from 894 and he played almost 1,800 games. There is only like 10 or 11 guys in the history of the league that have played more than 1,500. Chelios is 46 and hasn't hit 1,600 yet.

The next closest is Hull with 741. That gap of 153 goals is pretty huge. Hull was a little older before he started putting up the big totals though.

In any event, I suggest we defer this discussion for another 5 years, it is way too early to think he has any reasonable shot at getting 900.

[BeeRYCE 2]

His goal total of 894 may seem like the most touchable, but really, no one is even close to that at this point. Howe had 801, which is a long way from 894 and he played almost 1,800 games. There is only like 10 or 11 guys in the history of the league that have played more than 1,500. Chelios is 46 and hasn't hit 1,600 yet.

The next closest is Hull with 741. That gap of 153 goals is pretty huge. Hull was a little older before he started putting up the big totals though.

In any event, I suggest we defer this discussion for another 5 years, it is way too early to think he has any reasonable shot at getting 900.

True dat.