dappleganger
Active member
Nik the Trik said:
I think it's possible. One thing I like about his chances is as he gets older and his mobility starts to wane, he can still stand on the left side on the PP like he does now.
2015-2016 NHL Thread
- Thread starter Peter D.
- Start date
I think it's possible. One thing I like about his chances is as he gets older and his mobility starts to wane, he can still stand on the left side on the PP like he does now.
hockeyfan1
New member
I believe destiny calls for Gretzky's record to stay intact.
Unless Ovechkin was any younger, then maybe, yeah, it would be possible. However, envisioning him to keep pace well after 6/7 years afterwards, it's doubtful. I expect Ovechkin to come close.
Unless Ovechkin was any younger, then maybe, yeah, it would be possible. However, envisioning him to keep pace well after 6/7 years afterwards, it's doubtful. I expect Ovechkin to come close.
L K
Active member
Nik the Trik said:
Ovechkin plays in a lower scoring era. Ovechkin lost parts of two seasons to lockout at the start and prime of his career. In comparison Gretzky only scored 178 goals from the age of 31-onward. He retired at 38.
I think it's possible, but it would be incredibly tough. A rule change to shrink goaltending equipment or slim down the posts to create a little more net space might give him a nice helping hand.
Hockey-Reference has a pretty basic formula for their era adjusted scoring but it would actually have the goal scoring title well in Howe's hands.
1. Gordie Howe* 925
2. Jaromir Jagr 824
3. Wayne Gretzky* 758
4. Teemu Selanne 741
5. Brett Hull* 738
6. Jarome Iginla 692
7. Brendan Shanahan* 672
8. Phil Esposito* 671
9. Maurice Richard* 653
10. Luc Robitaille* 652
20. Alexander Ovechkin - 596
LuncheonMeat
New member
One thing that might work in Ovechkin's favor is his durability. In 11 seasons he's only missed about 25 games. Another factor is what the league plans to do, if anything, to increase scoring (larger nets/smaller pads?). If changes are made, maybe a guy like Ovechking scores another 10 goals/year?
dappleganger
Active member
Ovechkin has a higher goals-per-game than everyone above him on the all-time goals list. Health will be key.
WhatIfGodWasALeaf
Active member
L K said:
This clip led me down a little youtube nostalgia trip, Tucker attacking the Sens bench, the hit on Kapanen and Sundin's gtg against the Canes.
Good times.
hockeyfan1
New member
Down memory lane...Mats! Mats! Mats! GO LEAFS GO!!!
dappleganger
Active member
Nik the Trik said:
I think Mario is the best goal scorer all-time with Bossy being a close second. Ovechkin is right behind them.
Kin
New member
Dappleganger said:
I think I'm a little lower on Bossy than that. You notice Bossy isn't on that list of adjusted scoring and I think he's someone who's probably more inflated because of the conditions he played in than anyone else. Just as an example, he only lead the league in goals twice. Compare that to 5 times for Ovie, 6 for Esposito, 5 for Howe. Bossy's GPG is just superficially good because he retired just at the point when most guys numbers decline. Gretzky's GPG, for instance, is significantly higher as an Oiler than Bossy's was for his career and Gretzky led the league 6 times.
Another guy who deserves consideration is Bobby Hull. 604 goals and 7 goal scoring titles in 1036 NHL games and then 304 goals in 411 WHA games. I don't know how to fold WHA numbers into this but he almost certainly scores 800+ NHL goals if he doesn't bolt the league.
L K
Active member
Nik the Trik said:
Yeah, I think I'd agree with that on Lemieux. His goal scoring in 95-97 and coming back in the 2000s really made it clear to me that he would have had no trouble scoring 50-60 goals/year had he not gotten sick/injured. Those would have been the years where scoring would have been adjusted in his favour and you likely see him at the top of the list.
Just to give some perspective when you adjust that list to goals/game (using on a select few because I don't want to do the math):
Howe - 0.523 G/Game
Jagr - 0.519 G/Game
Gretzky - 0.510 G/Game
Bossy - 0.613 G/Game
Sundin - 0.445 G/Game
Ovechkin - 0.745 G/Game
Lemieux - 0.673 G/Game
I think the big thing for me is that when you look at Bossy (and Ovechkin's) stats at this point is that their production stats don't include the 30s of their career when scoring pace slows down and brings the numbers more in line with a full career. That is what is so impressive about Lemieux's stats. They dwarf the other stars despite playing games injured. Despite playing games in his mid-30s after coming back for years. His stats really didn't suffer for it.
Bossy was a great scorer but his career ending at 30 shifts his scoring pace stats and as you see with era adjusted scoring, he benefitted from his career taking place in the high flying 80s. To give you an idea for just how inflated they were Gretzky's peak had his score 212, 196, 205, 208, and 215 points. Adjusted to a level scoring era that would put Wayne at 156, 159, 163, 166, 170 points.
On the side, I threw Sundin on there because we really didn't treat the guy well enough for just how good of a player he was. He scores out incredibly well in adjusted scoring era to rank out in the top 20 in goals and points. Screw you Cliff Fletcher.
L K
Active member
Nik the Trik said:
True, although the way they handled that "Muskoka 5" nonsense still bugs me. So much so that I hadn't thought of it at all until I went and looked up that Sundin OT 500th goal and the next thing that popped up was Sundin's shootout winner against the Leafs with Vancouver.
hockeyfan1
New member
Dappleganger said:
B-O-S-S-Y...those glorious days! P.S. He was and will always be one of my favourite players, if not my favourite.
GhostofPotvin29
New member
Ovechkin just scored his 500th.
Heroic Shrimp
New member
This article from Ryan Whitney in The Players' Tribune about his life in the KHL is very funny and well worth the read: Tales From Abroad: Russia