Alex Ovechkin stands alone on prime of 1 hockey mountain after passing Wayne Gretzky to turn out to be the NHL’s all-time main objective scorer. With simply over a yr till his retirement, Ovi may have an opportunity so as to add to his whole — one that ought to stand for an extended, very long time.
With the scoring file in hand it’s now time to start discussing Ovechkin’s legacy. Is actually the most effective gamers to ever step on the ice, or merely essentially the most prolific scorer?
It’s protected to say that even essentially the most die-hard Ovechkin lover must concede that Gretzky remains to be the GOAT, regardless of his scoring file being handed. The Nice One nonetheless has over a 1,200 level lead — and it’s unlikely his 2,857 profession factors will ever be handed by anybody. It’s certainly one of sports activities’ most unreal figures, standing 936 factors above second place.
Is Ovi within the Prime 3 although?
The case of Alex Ovechkin as a Prime 3 participant all time
The apparent is that he’s scored 895 objectives. While you dig only a tiny bit deeper his consistency is much more preposterous than the entire quantity, hough. For 20 years Alex Ovechkin has averaged 49 objectives a season in an period the place hockey defenses have turn out to be extra athletic, nuanced, and general higher than any level in historical past.
To place that 49 objective common in context: This season the NHL main objective scorer is Leon Draisaitl with 52. In 9 completely different season Ovi was the No. 1 scorer within the league, and this didn’t at all times contain having a top-tier heart to set him up for straightforward appears.
Auston Matthews is the one different participant within the fashionable period to complete 3 seasons because the NHL’s chief objective scorer. Ovechkin has NINE.
The case in opposition to Alex Ovechkin as a Prime 3 participant all time
There’s no query that Ovechkin is one of the best objective scorer, however what has that functionally meant? One Stanley Cup in 20 years. Solely two Japanese Convention titles. Private glory is nice, however it is a participant who was improbable at being on an island and getting massive numbers, however finally didn’t assist his group win so much.
Positive, that would change within the Caps can win the cup this yr — but when they don’t, it’s the story of their final 20 years. Enormous numbers from Ovi, nothing to indicate for it in the long run as a group.
Ovechkin is eleventh in factors general. He lags behind not simply behemoths like Gretzky and Jaromir Jagr, however Ron Francis, Joe Sakic and even Sidney Crosby. These guys all have a number of Stanley Cup wins to their identify as effectively as better level totals.
It’s unimaginable to say Ovi is a Prime 3 participant all time when he doesn’t have the championships to indicate for it, or the entire factors general. Ovechkin would possibly as effectively be the Kevin Durant of the NHL. An incredible scorer, a assured Corridor of Fame participant — however he doesn’t contact the likes of Gretzky, Jagr, or Mark Messier within the Prime 3.
What do you assume? Let’s focus on within the feedback.
