Ovechkin Top 5 Goal Scorer all time?

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

Wanted to do something different and get away from the Bab madness. Where do you guys/gals think Ovi finishes all time in goals scored? Do you think he will catch Greztky? He is 29 years old, currently has 475 goals in his career (.063 GPG) and he would need to average 40 goals for the next 10 years to get to Gretzky. Even if you take Gretzky out of the equation, is Ovi better then Bobby Hull, Howe, Bossy etc?

He is durable so barring injuries late into his career I think he can finish 2nd place.

Here is a chart of his dominance against his peers since he joined the league.

Top Scorers GP Goals GPG

Alex Ovechkin 758 475 0.63

Jarome Iginla 763 336 0.44

Rick Nash 707 320 0.45

Ilya Kovalchuk 589 309 0.52

Patrick Marleau 769 302 0.39

Sidney Crosby 624 301 0.48

Eric Staal 762 301 0.40

Marian Hossa 702 298 0.42

Thomas Vanek 741 298 0.40

Corey Perry 720 296 0.41

Edited May 25, 2015 by darkmanx

[Rivalred 630]

I need to see the Corsi stats first

[FifeHockeyNut 57]

I've been thinking about this too, was listening to MvsW the other week and they said Ovi was 9th in scoring since 1992 (NHL debut in 2005), fair to say he doesn't reach Gretzky but he might reach Bossy and Hull. Even if he doesn't, in an era where scoring is down, goalie pads are bigger etc he will surely go down as one of the greatest scorers the game has ever seen.

[HelmFan 84]

You know who's got the record for most consecutive 40 goal seasons? Wayne Gretzky with 12.

I love reading about Gretzky's records. The magnitude of them always seem so unreal and definitely, untouchable.

I predict, that one day the NHL will do it's best to encourage the game back into it's mid-80's style. Imagine the hype if the newest phenom was scoring at Gretzky's pace?

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I've been thinking about this too, was listening to MvsW the other week and they said Ovi was 9th in scoring since 1992 (NHL debut in 2005), fair to say he doesn't reach Gretzky but he might reach Bossy and Hull. Even if he doesn't, in an era where scoring is down, goalie pads are bigger etc he will surely go down as one of the greatest scorers the game has ever seen.

He also lost a season and a half to lockouts.

Where he ends up scoring wise depends on if the trend of allowing interference continues of if the league heads back to where it was after the lockout. He's certainly one of the greatest goal scorers the game has ever seen though.

[Helmethead 235]

The fact that Ovie has a legit shot at catching Gretzky is amazing in itself.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

If you adjust for stats, he's easily top 5. The fact that he's scored so many goals, despite two lockouts and goalies who wear giant pads and stop everything, is remarkable.

He has led his team in goals and points every year in his career. To date, I don't believe any player in NHL history has ever done that.

[Richdg 267]

He is one of the best ever. If his health holds, plays another 10 years, doesn't go back to Russia etc.... he should end up top 3 somewhere. He is the best of this generation without a doubt. Just think, there have actually been many debates on this forum by people that wouldn't want him on the RW's......

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

If he was still playing disconnected controller defense all the time, I wouldn't want him anywhere near our young and impressionables.

Edited May 25, 2015 by jimmyemeryhunter

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

If he was still playing disconnected controller defense all the time, I wouldn't want him anywhere near our young and impressionables.

LOL. What?

[marcaractac 3,963]

He is one of the best ever. If his health holds, plays another 10 years, doesn't go back to Russia etc.... he should end up top 3 somewhere. He is the best of this generation without a doubt. Just think, there have actually been many debates on this forum by people that wouldn't want him on the RW's......

Probably a case of can't have him, so don't want him

[Euro_Twins 4,476]

LOL. What?

[FireCaptain 563]

What Bro? I can't hear you! LOLZ.

[arag 308]

Ovi coping with two big loses.

Edited May 25, 2015 by arag

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

LOL. What?

I Wouldnt want that as a leader in any form on our team, and he'd probably only score half the goals here anyway.

I'd take him on the team for as long as dats and z were Here, and I'd take him with the level of commitment to defense

He showed last season...

But anyways, he is the best goal scorer of this generation hands down.

I said fourth.

LOL. What?

Ha.

Crosby's a s*** leader anyway.

[Nightfall 871]

Ovechkin really didn't play a great two way game last season, or ever in his career until this season. Barry Trotz really kicked his ass and look at the results this year.

I remember watching Steve Yzerman play before Bowman came to Detroit. He really didn't play a two way game either until later in his career.

As for if Ovechkin can make the top 5, I believe he can.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

So you're not a leader unless you play a two-way game?

I guess that means Gretzky wasn't a good leader. I like a two-way game also, but it's not necessary for greatness or leadership. Many of the best goal scorers in NHL history didn't have a two way game. I can fill up an entire page naming those players.

Who gives a crap?

I Wouldnt want that as a leader in any form on our team, and he'd probably only score half the goals here anyway.

I'd take him on the team for as long as dats and z were Here, and I'd take him with the level of commitment to defense
He showed last season...
But anyways, he is the best goal scorer of this generation hands down.
I said fourth.
Ha.
Crosby's a s*** leader anyway.

Are you one of those posters that wouldn't trade Zetterberg for him straight up? (providing Washington would ever make that trade).

Edited May 26, 2015 by GMRwings1983

[Mckinley25 677]

So you're not a leader unless you play a two-way game?

I guess that means Gretzky wasn't a good leader. I like a two-way game also, but it's not necessary for greatness or leadership. Many of the best goal scorers in NHL history didn't have a two way game. I can fill up an entire page naming those players.

Who gives a crap?

Are you one of those posters that wouldn't trade Zetterberg for him straight up? (providing Washington would ever make that trade).

I think in today's game you need to be defensively responsible to be a leader, because you're leading, and that means succeeding at what you want the rest of the team to do. You need to be clutch on both ends of the ice. I suppose there are examples to the contrary, but it's how the Wings succeeded, also the Hawks with Toews.

It was a bit different in Gretzky's day.

[Helmethead 235]

Back in Gretzkys Oilers hay day they didn't back check because they had the puck all the time. They scored 446 goals in 80 games one season. Lol. However come playoff time the oilers did back check more. I recall Sather hiring Roger Nielson to break down the oilers opponents video tape. Those Oilers teams were unreal. Scoring was so easy for them. Different era but still...they were fun to watch.

Edited May 26, 2015 by Helmethead

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I think in today's game you need to be defensively responsible to be a leader, because you're leading, and that means succeeding at what you want the rest of the team to do. You need to be clutch on both ends of the ice. I suppose there are examples to the contrary, but it's how the Wings succeeded, also the Hawks with Toews.

It was a bit different in Gretzky's day.

The era has changed, but I wonder where and when that came about? I'd say somewhere at the end of the 1990's and early 2000's.

To me, I don't mind if my superstar player scores tons of points and doesn't play defense. If other guys on his line are defensively responsible and our 3rd line is a good shutdown line, I'm fine with it.

There's plenty of good two-way players in the game. There's only two or three guys in the whole league that seem capable of scoring 50 goals, though. I'll take a special player like Ovechkin over a Toews or Zetterberg.

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

So you're not a leader unless you play a two-way game?

I guess that means Gretzky wasn't a good leader. I like a two-way game also, but it's not necessary for greatness or leadership. Many of the best goal scorers in NHL history didn't have a two way game. I can fill up an entire page naming those players.

Who gives a crap?

Are you one of those posters that wouldn't trade Zetterberg for him straight up? (providing Washington would ever make that trade).

Of course I'd trade him for z straight up.

But wed still have pavs and kronner here.

And as soon as Pavs was done I would ship him out to the highest bidder.

Its not that you have to be a 2way player to be a leader, but Crosby is a bad leader, his teams lose control and take stuoud penalties.

And to be a leader on this team, you should be a 2way player, because that's the way things are done here.

Ovechkin is a great, great player, but I wouldn't trust him to hand down the same knowledge thats been passed from yzerman, to lidstrom and z, pavel and kronner.

To be fair, I'm not entirely sure who get the torch next, but ovi can be dominant without caring, something I wouldn't want getting into the heads of the kids we draft.

Its not that I wouldn't want him on my team, i just wouldn't want his attitude around my team.

Cockiness has a weird way of spreading, and we don't draft high enough to get players skilled enough to have the same approach as him.

Just my opinion.

And I would probably change my tune if I had money on the line.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Ovechkin frequently plays like a man possessed. It's true he doesn't backcheck, but he does forecheck, unlike Jagr, Bossy, Lafleur, Bure and other great scorers. Has their ever been a great goal scorer that forechecked like Ovechkin does and looked to initiate hits?

That's the kind of thing that teammates like about him. He's always looking to score or hit someone on every shift. That motivates the rest of his team. There's other ways to lead besides being great defensively.

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

Ovechkin frequently plays like a man possessed. It's true he doesn't backcheck, but he does forecheck, unlike Jagr, Bossy, Lafleur, Bure and other great scorers. Has their ever been a great goal scorer that forechecked like Ovechkin does and looked to initiate hits?

That's the kind of thing that teammates like about him. He's always looking to score or hit someone on every shift. That motivates the rest of his team. There's other ways to lead besides being great defensively.

I actually don't mind his leadership, he is one of my favorite players.

He's amazing to watch, I just don't think he'd be a good leader in our organization for some reason.

I could very easily be wrong, but who knows.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I actually don't mind his leadership, he is one of my favorite players.

He's amazing to watch, I just don't think he'd be a good leader in our organization for some reason.

I could very easily be wrong, but who knows.

Not that Ovehckin is having lots of playoff success, but "our organization" is not that special anymore. There's nothing special about our leadership that the top teams around the league don't have plenty of.

Where Ovechkin differs from other Wings is that he's brash, outgoing and frequently arrogant. In that, he's wildly different than Zetterberg, Datsyuk or Kronwall. But that also doesn't make him any less a leader. In fact, being extroverted is frequently an attribute you see in leadership. Just not in the NHL, I guess, with guys like Yzerman, Sakic and Beliveau being humble, quiet leaders.

But I think Ovechkin would be a good leader here. As long as he still brings it on every shift and tries to either score a goal or hit someone through the boards, his teammates would admire him anywhere.

Edited May 26, 2015 by GMRwings1983

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

Not that Ovehckin is having lots of playoff success, but "our organization" is not that special anymore. There's nothing special about our leadership that the top teams around the league don't have plenty of.

Where Ovechkin differs from other Wings is that he's brash, outgoing and frequently arrogant. In that, he's wildly different than Zetterberg, Datsyuk or Kronwall. But that also doesn't make him any less a leader. In fact, being extroverted is frequently an attribute you see in leadership. Just not in the NHL, I guess, with guys like Yzerman, Sakic and Beliveau being humble, quiet leaders.

But I think Ovechkin would be a good leader here. As long as he still brings it on every shift and tries to either score a goal or hit someone through the boards, his teammates would admire him anywhere.

Its not really about him being more vocal than those guys, its more about play styles

Idk.

Maybe he would be great here, it would be a change of pace from what were used to which could be good in the locker room.

I just don't want younger players thinking they can get away with the things he does.