WILL OVECHKIN TAKE THE GOAL SCORING RECORD FROM GRETZKY NEXT SEASON?

Alex Ovechkin got off to a slower start to the season than ever before. However, in the last 24 games Ovi has 18 goals, putting him on pace for a 30 goal season. Could Ovechkin reach Gretzky's mark as early as next season? 7-Eleven That's Hockey host Gino Reda dives in.

[@romanborris7919]

Just trying to enjoy Ovechkin’s last days in the league 😮‍💨. Wouldn’t be shocked if he hits 50+ one more time.

[@hectorcruces9015]

So much hate for Ovi. The guy is going to break a record no one ever thought possible, he may do it next season!! Give credit where credit is due.

[@bobabooey4537]

Wrong - the record thought to be impossible to break is Wayne's 50 goals in 39 games.

[@theroseexperience]

@@bobabooey4537 If Ovi played against 5'9 goaltenders that couldn't butterfly with ,880 SV% he'd score 50 in 25 and average 90 goals a year.

[@supercooled]

He has until 25-26 to break it. He's going to retire after that.

[@ethanparker7900]

i say either at the end of next season or the first week or two of 2025-2026

[@GGballer724]

​@@bobabooey4537lmao hater the Gretzky career goal record was thought to be impossible

[@GreekboyyD]

18 goals in his last 24 games

[@arthurau9231]

I wonder if it wasn't for two lockouts and a COVID 19 condensed season, Ovechkin would've set the all times goals record by now.

[@CamaroHotwheelsDieCast]

Ovi would be around 1000 goals if he didn't lose his entire rookie season & the other lock out & covid condensed seasons!

[@noiisserpmii]

He’d prob be very close to 1k by now with all those instances not happening.

[@p0tent49]

I would guarantee it.

[@theroseexperience]

He'd be closing in on 1000

[@ianerickson6522]

I've done the math with that based on his career goal average, he was left out of 155 possible games which is 93 goals for a total of 941. But I don't like to do that cuz it was out of his control. Health was out of Mario and Bossy's control. Give them a clean bill of health, they're 1-2 all time in goals

[@thetwoamigos8656]

Its undeniable that he is already the greatest goal scorer of all time.

[@Michael-fw5ef]

Lemieux is the better goal scorer. That's not even debatable. Lemieux had to deal with cancer and back problems and played 500 less games.

[@dallasburgess5329]

He is? Has he ever gotten 92 in one year? I'll wait till he passes Wayne to say it...won't be long 😉

[@thetwoamigos8656]

@dallasburgess5329 In an Era where goaltending used phone books for pads and slappers along the ice from the blue line blew past the 5'10 140 pound goaltender. I guess.

[@dallasburgess5329]

@@thetwoamigos8656 Era adjusted is 🐂💩 All players were out of shape and drinking cokes and smoking on the bench. Ovechkin would have been too. If Wayne were in today's game, he's be a gym rat too. Its not only about the competition, but the player and what they would have done same era. (Concept applies to goalies too) They would've done the same as everyone else in the same era. Ergo, their performance vs the same standard. Look at Wayne's totals vs players even in his own era, they're ridiculous.

[@user-zu9go2fm8g]

Ovi is the only player born in the 1980s in top 20 all-time goal scoring. 1960s players make up 11 of the top 20. That tells you how much easier it was to score goals in that era. Similar in the NHL players born in 1920s 1930s 40s 50s - very unusual to score 500 goals. Ovi is so far ahead of the next 4 players of his generation, it is not even close to comparable to players born in the 1960s. Gretzky is the GOAT player but Ovi is the GOAT goal-scorer.

[@pekkahamalainen4086]

You forget that Crosby has lost almost 2 season because of injuries. Without injuries he would be 14 or 15 on the list. All time point list he would be 6 or 7.

[@Michael-fw5ef]

Are you saying that Lemieux, Yzerman and Brett Hull had it easy?

[@user-zu9go2fm8g]

@@Michael-fw5ef Easier than Ovi for sure - the stats for players born in the 80s tell the story. Among active players only Ovi, Crosby and Malkin are top 50 in all-time scoring. Adjusted by era Ovi is easily the GOAT. However, the record is a record, same as a home run in baseball. Until it is broken the record belongs to 99.

[@theroseexperience]

People forget that his father died late last year and it took a huge toll on his, I doubt he did much training in the offseason. Couple that with losing his 2 top 6 centremen this year and Backstrom was a shadow of himself last year and you have the result of the first half of the year. Ovechkin isn't done, people keep talking about Crosby's 36 year old season but Ovechkin's was better with 50 goals and 90 points and he led his team to the playoffs while most of the top 6 dealt with injuries that year. Ovechkin is going to break the record next year, mark my words and if he didn't lose 1.5 seasons of his prime to lockouts and almost an entire one to COVID nonsense he'd be flirting with 1000.

[@Rezisorss]

Exactly and the reason why Ovi was slow at 1st half of a season was upper body injury, only after AllStar games he slowly started to get back his game again.

[@MotoMaximus]

Amen to that!

[@ethanparker7900]

yessirr people are so desensitized by the on ice stuff they forget these athletes have lives outside of hockey too and recovering from such a tragedy is not like any ordinary tragedy since this was his parent and biggest supporter

[@Troyjanwarrior1]

Seeing that he is not that far off,its a given at this point..He will get it.

[@mr.e8432]

I don’t know why this is a shock to anyone. Ovi always comes on strong late in the season. Anyone who has watched him for any length of time knows that. And when it comes to Gretzky’s record, let’s not forget he was drafted in 04 and never got to play his rookie year because of the lockout. So he lost an entire season right off the bat.

[@4536mrhe]

Don’t know about next Szn. But it is a matter of time before Ovi breaks the record. He’s been cooking lately

[@directedbydon]

60 goal pace since the all star break

[@sergeyyakovlev411]

The rumor has it Ovi slowed down at the season start so that he would not be invited to the All Stars. As soon as he didn't, he started his real game.😄

[@andrewheadley7542]

Yes keep being hot Ovi we’re rooting for you ❤❤

[@duaneday5474]

Congratulations Zach Hyman

[@troynixon8497]

Playing with mcdavid, man how lucky

[@waynemclean1799]

Wether he does or doesn’t, just awesome.

[@williewalker8048]

I still believe Ovi will get 1000...and it won't be with him using a walker, it will be a chair sliding around on the ice...like we do when just starting out...

[@ethanparker7900]

idk if 1,000 is doable anymore but he will absolutely hit 900 and tbh if the 2012-2013, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons had been full seasons then he would be chasing 1,000 and would've already broken gretkzy's 894 record

[@lukeblersch1444]

Alexander Ovechkin is now heating up watch out 🏒

[@harmangill7509]

And hes doing it on a rebuilding team

[@ethanparker7900]

well not necessarily rebuilding but certainly a retool

[@4536mrhe]

Hyman contract a bargain

[@JimAubie]

He will be very close..but slowing down so probably short.

[@GreekboyyD]

He’s gonna finish with 30+ this season and is already 44 goals away from 895.

[@GreekboyyD]

44 goals left to hit 895

[@musicclassic5938]

No, I don't think Ovi will break Wayne's record in the next season, but he'll surely break it during his last season in the NHL, i.e. in 2025-26.

[@jffroezze7324]

He's most Def breaking the record

[@GreekboyyD]

#28 and #29 tonight

[@Michael-fw5ef]

If players are better in today's era and goalies are also better, wouldn't they cancel each other out and therefore scoring would be similar to the 1980s?

[@GGballer724]

Was that not the IIHF commentator half way through?

[@jacoballen4189]

I really wish we’d stop talking about the chase until he gets within 10. It’s redundant at this point.

[@eliteplayer673]

It's the same thing every year. Ovi is no longer the same, he is old, fat. And every time he scores at least 30 in a season. There are statistics, you can't fool her. At the beginning of the season, there were many factors that affected his game. There doesn't seem to be anything distracting him now, the team is going well. Ovi has 2 years. Therefore, Gretzky's record will be broken.

[@jon8004]

Eh, he's not fat. He's pretty much always been this size. But I'll give you old. He's old. But he's never been a paragon of fitness. Ironically, I think it's helped him though. He's never been seriously injured despite playing a heavy game. Being built like an NFL cornerback plays a role there, I think.

[@MrDarps-gx5nl]

He will do it

[@StoicNature444]

How dare you even suggest it 🤦‍♂️

[@yukondeighton8075]

So, what changed for Ovi?? I'm following him but i havent been watching games this year. Has his puck luck changed? or has he really stepped it up or made any changes to his game?

[@theroseexperience]

So his dad died late last year and that really took a toll on his offseason. Add to that losing Backstrom to injury forced retirement and Kuznetsov who wasn't trying and loved coke too much and you have a tough start to the year. Guys writing off Ovechkin after he scored 92 goals in the previous 2 years is some bullshit, he'll break this next yearr

[@MotoMaximus]

He stepped it up, and so had the rest of the team. All that against the backdrop of constant injuries and traded players.

[@Desert-Father]

He will but it will take the Gray 8 more games than Gretzky to get the record.

[@eugeneeugene3313]

Only 41 left...

[@avalac7412]

He already should’ve if all the lockout, covid and stuff didn’t happen. He still will anyways

[@danad91]

Yes he will! Unless he gets injured. I think he will break 900 goals. Honestly, even 1000 is possible if he stays healthy. Look at cristiano ronaldo. He is still scoring and he is nearly 40. Hockey players can play into their mid 40s.

[@Michael-fw5ef]

The greatest players were from the 1980s - Yzerman, Gretzky, Lemieux etc. Modern players aren't as good, but with better medicine, facilities, travel, training, stick technology and skates, they seem better. Bobby Orr had to undergo 9 knee surgeries and use skates and a stick from the 1960s and 1970s era. Imagine what Orr could do today? He would be unstoppable. Give McDavid skates and a stick from Orr's era and he would be much slower and weaker than he is today.

[@jeffreypavlik629]

Yes he will pass The Great One even if he has to play another 10 yrs.

[@robertcarley924]

There is no comparison between this guy and Gretzky. Ovechkin has a good shot; Gretzky was a complete hockey player who dominated the league.

[@MotoMaximus]

on an all star team that won 4 Stanley’s in a row…

[@GreekboyyD]

@@MotoMaximusYep. He won nothing after leaving Edmonton. Oilers even won another one after he left.

[@jimlangdon1947]

OV is a great sniper. Just like Matthews, Hull, Selanne are. But OV and say Matthews - don’t control the play and generate assists thru passing skills - the way Gretzky did.😀

[@phils6733]

You’re right, Can’t ever compare Gretzky with ov…he’s a winger who was only expected to score and make plays in the o zone…still a great goal scorer with flash who can hit! Gretzky no matter what will always be the best player to play the game.

[@jimlangdon1947]

@@phils6733 It is like comparing a goalie, to a d man, or to a winger or to a centre. They are too different.😀

[@theroseexperience]

Who gives a shit?

[@jimlangdon1947]

@@theroseexperience Why respond?

[@ethanparker7900]

don't forget about stamkos too I mean he basically is Ovechkin 2.0. although hes a proficient playmaker too. Ofc ovi isnt the plamaking type but he is an underrated passer i mean hes got nearly 700 assists right now and will likely retire with 800+

[@petesurovic5178]

No fuckin way, not even as same planet.

[@supercooled]

Give Reinhardt 5.5M the same as Hyman.

[@jon8004]

Good luck with that offer... He's going to get a max contact of at least $9.5 million per year. Minimum.

[@rickallen9099]

he ONLY makes 5 million dollars a season. Such a BARGAIN. LOL. Stop saying that. You sound so ridiculous saying that, seriously.

[@noiisserpmii]

Hes saying that bcuz of guys making over $11M.

[@rickyrougs]

It is a bargain lol

[@rickallen9099]

Still sounds ridiculous. It's a lot of money by any measure @@noiisserpmii

[@ethanparker7900]

its actually $9.5 million

[@sambarka6364]

Ovi is the goat

[@epodegro]

Looks like soft hockey makes do it easier

[@epodegro]

@@jon8004 Maybe. I'm not native speaker

[@umkaboom4156]

Yes, Ovi lost hundred of games for sure, but remember SuperMario and Mike Bossy, their averages were better than Ovie's and they both even more unfortunate guys in their careers.

[@jon8004]

Yeah, but the record is as much about physical resilience as it is about scoring goals -- Mario and Bossy only had the latter.

[@GreekboyyD]

#28 and #29 tonight

[@GreekboyyD]

#28 and #29 tonight

[@injunsniper]

sad? this guy^^

[@riyazuddin702]

50 goals hayman lol totally flukeeeeee

[@evgeniykolesnikov5891]

I’m sure Ovi can break the record - just math. I assume… he would not.

[@GreekboyyD]

46 goals to tie it. Only a major injury could derail him at this point.

[@avalac7412]

He already should’ve if the lock out and covid didn’t suddenly magically happen. he will do it in about 2 seasons max

[@duaneday5474]

Congratulations Sam Reinhardt

[@afzalhakeen4941]

thx to the flex hockey sticks - im kidding its a cheating way to score goals thats what i think

[@Michael-fw5ef]

No one would choose Ovechkin over Lemieux, so how can we consider Ovechkin to be the greatest goal scorer?

[@Michael-fw5ef]

Gretzky has a plus minus rating of +520 and 1900 assists. Ovechkin has a plus minus rating of only +47 and only 696 assists. To compare the two just because of goals is absurd.

[@Rosewood185]

He should stick around and try and beat the points record 👨🏻‍🦳

[@phils6733]

Would take him another 22 years, plus the nhl would halfto add a third assist to all goals.

[@ethanparker7900]

no one would ever catch gretzky in points

[@woodstocknun]

i find this watered down quest for the scoring record distracting to the entire career of ovechkin, dont care if he gets it or not. not important.

[@GreekboyyD]

His team might get into the playoffs. Nothing is watered down about it. Gretzky stockpiled his goals in the highest scoring era. I am more impressed with Howe's 801, considering the eras he scored them in.

[@woodstocknun]

@@GreekboyyD i disagree, i think it lacks substance. i hope he gets it.

[@GreekboyyD]

​@@woodstocknunNot sure what you mean when Gretzky amassed his goals during the 1980s.

[@user-mo7ts6dw3y]

So will he will ever score 92 in a season ?

[@colemarion9915]

Maybe if the goalies dont wear equipment like they did back then.....

[@GreekboyyD]

Only if the game reverts back to cardboard cutouts masquerading as goalies. Bring back turnstile d-men and defence as an option too😂

[@romanborris7919]

maybe if goalies were pure standup & butterfly like they used to along with slow d-men who only know how to lay hard hits.

[@phils6733]

@@colemarion9915give a player a wooden stick today and put an 80’s goalie in net and the numbers won’t change…it’s either you can score or you cant…you see it in every level…the game evolved for all players. Skates equipment evolution changed the game for all…2 line passes 3vs3 OT you name it, nhl has tried to push for more goals because they are still trying to figure out how Gretzky did it.

[@theroseexperience]

@@phils6733 Nonsense, goalies in the 80's couldnt' even butterfly and were 5'9. They won Vezin'a with ,890's they absolute sucked. Give Ovi a wood stick in that era and he's scoring 100 easily.

[@360magnum]

Not a chance next year

[@borisvesh]

No))!

[@GreekboyyD]

42 to go😮

[@borisvesh]

@@GreekboyyD 39, 40...((!

[@GreekboyyD]

@@borisvesh 22,22...!

[@borisvesh]

@@GreekboyyD Sweet dreams can't stop aging((!

[@duaneday5474]

Great 8 greater than 99? No.

[@martinsundland7614]

Ovi hasn't had a bodyguard his entire career.

[@duaneday5474]

@@martinsundland7614 that is what makes Ovi the greatest goal scorer? I'm old enough to watch Oilers, Gretzky. Ovi would have needed a goon to protect him in the 80s and 90s. Other great goal scores in the conversation are Bossy, Lemieux and Richard, . I think an argument can be made for each. What separates Gretzky is he was a playmaker 1st and possibly the least athleticism in comparison to strength, speed and agility vs the greats in any sport. Gretzky was only 160 lbs @ 6'1. His endurance was in a class by itself. Ovi would already have the record if it wasn't for the lockouts during his career. He also started his nhl career late by comparison

[@martinsundland7614]

Ovechkin played a totally different game than did Gretzky - heavy hitting and taking people on- whereas Gretzky danced around and raked in points by assisting Kurri and the other absolute snipers. Very different ways of getting to the top of the heap.@@duaneday5474

[@TommyEG4N]

@@duaneday5474That proves his point even more.

[@duaneday5474]

@@TommyEG4Nif Gretzky had a goon it meant that he had one less skilled linemate at all times

[@authentichealthcoach4142]

This is a ridiculous question due to the fact that you are saying all time goal scoring record… you are not counting playoff goals. So it is not the all time record is it.

[@GreekboyyD]

Still clutching onto those Gretzky jammies?😂

[@theroseexperience]

No one counts playoff goals, no one. How far you make it is a team accomplishment which directly correlates to how many games you played.

[@GreekboyyD]

@@theroseexperience Only Gretzky fanboys do. They keep moving the goalposts

[@ethanparker7900]

emotionally attached to gretzkys current record you're trying to diminish ovis value huh ?

[@authentichealthcoach4142]

1016 is the Gretzky all time goal record bud-

[@GreekboyyD]

Gretzky fanboys moving the goalposts now. 😂🤡

[@Chris-fn1yq]

Lol 😆 🤣 😅 ovi will be the all time NHL goal record by the end of next season 😊

[@bobabooey4537]

Easy now Gino..... Ovi will never reach Great Gretzky status. He might score more all time goals but never close the same greatness. My fav sports stat...... take all Waynes record setting goals away and he is still the all time points leader with his only his assists.

[@theroseexperience]

He's already the superior goal scorer to Gretzky and did it in a harder era to score against vastly superior goaltending. Gretzky didn't have the tools, the size or the shot Ovechkin has which is why Ovi has been able to do it longer. Gretzky was done as an elite goal scorer the minute goaltending technique improved and save percentages creeped up above a pedestrian .900 He preyed on the worst era of defense and goaltendin in the history of the game and that's why scoring was so high across the league.

[@deeshmond]

I know I’m in the minority but I really hope it doesn’t happen.

[@GreekboyyD]

It's gonna happen

[@ethanparker7900]

explain why

[@arthurau9231]

50 goals is over rated as it happens every season. 60 goals on the other hand is a better and more significant of a milestone because it happens less often than 50 goal seasons does.

[@rickyrougs]

wow what a hot take

[@GreekboyyD]

Ovechkin won 4 Rockets where he was the only 50 goal scorer in the league. He won another Rocket scoring 51 and only Draisaitl had 50 that season as the runner up.

[@romanborris7919]

It’s only starting to be more common again since the league began their quest to increase scoring a few years ago to make it more like the 80s. There was a time where the very few such as Oveckin, Crosby, Stamkos and the like could be the only ones who can get close to 50+; but now we see it happening more frequently, even 60+ is more common now.

[@GreekboyyD]

@@romanborris7919 Perfectly said my friend. Hyman and Reinhart would not be potting 50 during those years.

[@SluggerStark]

A 50 goal season, in the best hockey league in the world, is never overrated. In any era.

[@wabanamedia2542]

Alex Ovechkin has been directly or indirectly responsible for 1543 goals in 1414 NHL games. (Clearly, 1543 more than me.) However, Wayne Gretzky has been directly or indirectly involved in 2857(!) goals in 1457 games. It’s an amazing personal achievement for Ovechkin, even if he never scores another goal again. BUT! Gretzky is the greater scorer. There is no comparison. When/If some surpasses his numbers, then they can make a claim. This is isn’t difficult. It’s just math.

[@GreekboyyD]

The difficult part for some like you to grasp is that nobody is saying Ovechkin is a better player than Gretzky. No need to get your Gretzky "Pro-Star" undies in a bunch.

[@romanborris7919]

If Ovechkin were old enough to play hockey in Gretzky’s era, he’d be potting 100Gs a season. You can literally watch their career highlights and see Ovechkin doing things Gretzky never could. Gretzky still is the greatest overall player ever, but Ovechkin should be respected at the goal scoring king and when he breaks the record, not much else anyone can say to dispute.

[@carminelombardi9575]

Ovechkin will surpass the great one on goals, however Gretzky has a total of 2,979 points, 1,438 more then Ovechkin. Therefore Ovechkin will become the greatest goal scorer, and Gretzky will remain the greatest player of all time, and no one will catch him on that one.

[@GreekboyyD]

Nobody is disputing that but it's always funny when Gretzky fanboys bring it up.

[@jockejocke1]

You should check those Gretzky numbers one more time, they're incorrect.

[@carminelombardi9575]

I'm a total Leaf's fan since the 60's, but I do respect and acknowledge all the Iconic players, I'm no Gretzky fanboy.@@GreekboyyD

[@GreekboyyD]

@@carminelombardi9575 Then my apologies sir. :)

[@bryanwouters443]

@@GreekboyyD better then being fanboy of putin lover

[@steverobinson1353]

Hes like a fart in the wind. Hopefully he dont.

[@MotoMaximus]

Your existence is a fart in hurricane…

[@ethanparker7900]

keep crying like a bitch cause he will

[@ethanparker7900]

like you?

[@steverobinson1353]

@@ethanparker7900 , no bitch like u. Lol

[@tonyhoable]

Not even close to as good as gretzky. 2 line passes. The gretzky rules. If not for these rules nobody would catch gretzky. All the major sports are jokes now. Rules for more scoring in all of them.

[@MalteseBeaver88]

I give Ovi credit but he needs 2 more seasons. He has sub 30 this season, there’s a very very small chance he gets 50 next year.

[@MalteseBeaver88]

Also can he make it 2 more years? Thats alot of hockey for an older fella. Talking about 164 games plus more if they make playoffs this year and him being a dickhead player, no one is taking it easy on him.

[@ethanparker7900]

@@MalteseBeaver88 he has 2 more years left on current deal and he is absolutely not a dickhead. Calling him that shows pure ignorance. A real fan would know he is one of the most classiest guys ever to play

[@GreekboyyD]

He will finish with 30+ this season and is already 44 goals away from 895