895 goals

[alta]

I think OV can do it in 5 full seasons. But given what is garunteed do to be a short 2021 season, it will be 6 seasons, baring any major injuries. That means he plays until he's 41, which is also highly possible. Chara I believe is the current oldest active player at 43

https://www.si.com/hockey/news/the-great-goal-chase-ovechkin-shooting-for-gretzkys-all-time-nhl-record



I may have to go down to the sports book to see what the odds are of him passing Hull this season

[BlackIce]

I think OV can do it in 5 full seasons. But given what is garunteed do to be a short 2021 season, it will be 6 seasons, baring any major injuries. That means he plays until he's 41, which is also highly possible. Chara I believe is the current oldest active player at 43

https://www.si.com/hockey/news/the-great-goal-chase-ovechkin-shooting-for-gretzkys-all-time-nhl-record



I may have to go down to the sports book to see what the odds are of him passing Hull this season

Forget it.  The odds of Ovie passing Gretsky are vanishingly small and getting smaller with each additional obstacle thrown in his way.  This will be the 3rd season of Ovie's career with a significant loss of league games due to whatever.  These reductions add up when you are trying to climb a mountain like Gretsky's goal-scoring record.  It figures that sooner or later Ovie is going to have some regression in goal-scoring.  Father Time IS undefeated. 


To me, the really unfortunate situation is the record that Ovie EASILY could have had but for schedule reductions.  He has 8 fifty-goal seasons, and has had two more taken away by reduced schedules:  One likely, and this past season almost certainly.  That would have eclipsed Gretzky and Hull for the top spot.

[zerofox]

If not for COVID shortening last season and potentially next season as well as the 1.5 seasons he lost to lockout earlier in his career, I'd say he was guaranteed to pass #99.

He still has a good shot at passing the record as long as COVID doesn't royally screw things up. After all, Ovie relies on his SHOT to get goals. Not necessarily breakneck speed. His shot is probably going to stay with him as he gets older, even if his legs slow down a bit.

But yeah I think it takes 5 seasons...

I do think he is practically guaranteed at least the #2 spot. And when you're THAT close to the Great One and when you factor in era and lockouts and COVID I think there's 0 argument anyway who's best.

[richkrt99]

If not for COVID shortening last season and potentially next season as well as the 1.5 seasons he lost to lockout earlier in his career, I'd say he was guaranteed to pass #99.

He still has a good shot at passing the record as long as COVID doesn't royally screw things up. After all, Ovie relies on his SHOT to get goals. Not necessarily breakneck speed. His shot is probably going to stay with him as he gets older, even if his legs slow down a bit.

But yeah I think it takes 5 seasons...

I do think he is practically guaranteed at least the #2 spot. And when you're THAT close to the Great  One and when you factor in era and lockouts and COVID I think there's 0 argument anyway who's best.

Fixed it for you 


(sorry...didn't mean any disrespect to the Great One or to your post)  Just bored....stiff 


I agree.  Ovi is a better pure goal scorer.  Gretzky was and will always be the Great One and forever changed the face of the game....not to mention open it to whole new markets.  I don't see how anyone will EVER catch him in points, but he played in a completely different era, so it's not a fair comparison.  But then nobody said it was fair....the records will only remember who scored the most goals.


Gretzky, Bondra, Ovi...my favorite hockey players of all time (so far).  (yes, I know I'm a homer). 
I remember Bondra when he first hit the scene and thought....this guy is going to be great.  He skated so bent over at the waste, but man he had some wheels. 


I think Ovi will get there (for sure if he hadn't missed so much time) if he continues to enjoy playing.  You can see when he has that fire and when he's really enjoying it.  If he gets to a point where he's just not loving it (like the whole team appeared during the Covid Cup) then he won't get there.  Age wise....I think he has enough time left to get there.  He could conceivably play 7 more seasons if he had to.  The question is who could afford to keep/pay him those last few years?  If he is willing to play for cheap in order to get the prize, then okay, but if he wants 8 million when he's 40 then you have to wonder.


How about in 4 years....Ovi scores the game winning goal in the SC final game 7 OT to win the game, THE CUP (his 3rd) and break Gretzky's goal record all at once?   


(told you I was bored)

[alta]

five more years will put him right close ...


https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2020/11/05/alex-ovechkin-says-he-could-play-up-to-five-more-years-with-capitals-will-retire-with-dynamo-moscow/

[richkrt99]

Connor McDavid money? 
Ovi says it's not about the money at this point, but he wants Connor McDavid money?  From a cash-strapped team?  I'm sorry but a 35 year old Alex is not worth a 24 year old McDavid at this point.
From a marketing standpoint he's probably worth 12.5m but that's +3mil MORE in cap hit per year the Caps already can't afford.  You'd basically have to subtract one more 3 mil dollar player from current roster to make that work.  And that's with us currently paying Samsonov peanuts which will HAVE to change in a couple years.


Mostly I like Ovi's comments and sentiments in the RMNB article which is nice to hear.


Is a 35-40 year old Ovi affordable at 12.5 million for five years to THIS broke ass team?  And I mean Cap space broke ass.

[alta]

i wouldn't have given mcdavid $12.5M a year, and now that the cap is frozen for a couple three years those contracts are going to hurt bad

[alta]

I know he can, the only question is wether or not he does it in D.C.

https://novacapsfans.com/2020/11/23/jaromir-jagr-believes-alex-ovechkin-can-break-wayne-gretzkys-record/

[richkrt99]

 

[richkrt99]

Is it weird that three of the top 7 goals scorers in history played for the Caps?

[alta]

I hope you aren't counting that dickhead jagr, he may have been here but it's a stretch to say he played

[richkrt99]

I hope you aren't counting that dickhead jagr, he may have been here but it's a stretch to say he played

Well technically...yes.  Although we all agree the Caps years were not the best of his career and I'd think he'd agree with that at this point.  He was a spoiled prima donna while here and a huge failed trade.


I was just a little surprised that three of the NHL's most prolific goals scorers in history have come through Washington.  I know Mike played elsewhere but a big portion of his career was here.  Not so much with DH jagr, but he did pass thru.






How about I revise and say ....Is it weird that TWO of the top 7 most prolific goal scorers in NHL history were drafted and developed by The Washington Capitals?

[alta]

The best thing to come of the jagr experiment was getting all of the games broadcast. Before Ted signed him we still only got at best half the season televised. That was the great business acumen of Abe, try and grow a fan base but refuse to get all the games televised for the fans to watch.