diff --git "a/5fe1204f-035a-4a1f-af5c-c19d457d3835.json" "b/5fe1204f-035a-4a1f-af5c-c19d457d3835.json" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/5fe1204f-035a-4a1f-af5c-c19d457d3835.json" @@ -0,0 +1,40 @@ +{ + "interaction_id": "5fe1204f-035a-4a1f-af5c-c19d457d3835", + "search_results": [ + { + "page_name": "The Road To 895: How Alex Ovechkin Will Break Wayne Gretzky\u2019s ...", + "page_url": "https://novacapsfans.com/2022/08/22/the-road-to-895-how-alex-ovechkin-will-break-wayne-gretzkys-record-by-2026/", + "page_snippet": "As it stands today, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin sits 115 goals away from the top of the goal-scoring mountain of 895 goals to surpass Wayne Gretzky's longstanding record of 894 career goals. While most in the hockey world never expected Gretzky's goal-scoring record to ever be ...As it stands today, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin sits 115 goals away from the top of the goal-scoring mountain of 895 goals to surpass Wayne Gretzky's longstanding record of 894 career goals. While most in the hockey world never expected Gretzky's goal-scoring record to ever be broken, Ovechkin's age-defying performances in his early to\u2026 As it stands today, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin sits 115 goals away from the top of the goal-scoring mountain of 895 goals to surpass Wayne Gretzky\u2019s longstanding record of 894 career goals. While most in the hockey world never expected Gretzky\u2019s goal-scoring record to ever be broken, Ovechkin\u2019s age-defying performances in his early to mid-30s has shifted the conversation to more of a question of when Ovechkin breaks the record than if he will at all. In this post, I\u2019ll take a look at some of Ovechkin\u2019s historical production overall, as well as his most recent seasons to determine the pathway to breaking Gretzky\u2019s goalscoring record. Statistics used in this post are courtesy of Hockey Reference. Ovechkin took the league by storm in his rookie season in 2005-06, potting 52 goals and earning himself the Calder Trophy for most excellent performance by a rookie. As it stands today, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin sits 115 goals away from the top of the goal-scoring mountain of 895 goals to surpass Wayne Gretzky\u2019s longstanding record of 894 \u2026", + "page_result": "\n\n\n\n\nThe Road To 895: How Alex Ovechkin Will Break Wayne Gretzky’s Record By 2026 | NoVa Caps\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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The Road To 895: How Alex Ovechkin Will Break Wayne Gretzky’s Record By 2026

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPosted on August 22, 2022 by Justin Trudel\t\t\t\t\t
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\nAs it stands today, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin sits 115 goals away from the top of the goal-scoring mountain of 895 goals to surpass Wayne Gretzky’s longstanding record of 894 career goals. While most in the hockey world never expected Gretzky’s goal-scoring record to ever be broken, Ovechkin’s age-defying performances in his early to mid-30s has shifted the conversation to more of a question of when Ovechkin breaks the record than if he will at all.

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Despite missing out on a whole season due to the 2004-05 lockout that would have been Ovechkin’s rookie season, plus another lockout-shortened season in 2012-13 and pandemic-shortened 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns, Ovechkin sits a mere 20 goals away from hitting the 800-goal mark.

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Only two players have ever surpassed 800 goals in the NHL: the previously mentioned Gretzky and Gordie Howe. It took Howe 1767 games at the NHL level to hit that 800-goal mark, where Ovechkin has only played 1274. In an era of the NHL where goaltending quality has increased exponentially, Ovechkin’s pure goalscoring production is historic.

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In this post, I\u2019ll take a look at some of Ovechkin’s historical production overall, as well as his most recent seasons to determine the pathway to breaking Gretzky’s goalscoring record. Statistics used in this post are courtesy of Hockey Reference.

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Career Goal Scoring

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Ovechkin took the league by storm in his rookie season in 2005-06, potting 52 goals and earning himself the Calder Trophy for most excellent performance by a rookie. That level of production, and the following 50 goal seasons, set the tone for the rest of Ovechkin’s career in Washington:

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After averaging 53.8 goals per season through his first five seasons in the league, Ovechkin’s goal production hit a lull in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons. Many talking heads clamored that the league had figured Ovechkin out–he was a one-trick pony who could only score on the rush by skating down the left wing, cutting toward the middle of the ice, and using the defenseman as a screen. The lockout-shortened season in 2012-13 was Ovechkin’s launching pad back to elite goalscoring production, scoring 32 goals in only 48 games.

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Since then, Ovechkin has only had one real dip in goalscoring: the 2016-17 season where he only potted 33 goals and shared the team goalscoring lead with TJ Oshie. The 2016-17 team might have just been the best roster the Capitals have ever skated. The roster around Ovechkin was so good that the weight of being the entire offense dropped, indicative of his 313 shots on goal in 82 games that season. For context, Ovechkin had 398 shots on goal in 79 games in 2015-16 and 395 in 81 games in 2014-15. His overall shots on goal volume dropped, and his shooting percentage of 10.5% was the second lowest in his career.

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After that 2016-17 season, Ovechkin has hovered around the 50-goal mark, outside of the pandemic shortened 2020-21 season. Even in that season, 24 goals in 45 games would still be a 43.73 goal pace.

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Since there has been some variance in season length and games played during the last five seasons of Ovechkin’s performances, it will be more useful to look at goals per game rates.

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Historical Goals Per Game

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Here’s how Ovechkin’s goals per game rates look throughout his career:

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One thing to notice here is that despite Father Time being undefeated, Ovechkin’s goal scoring rates (outside of a few outliers) have remained remarkably consistent. His career average of .612 goals per game is very good–being able to maintain that over the course of a 17-year career (so far) is historic. His goals per game rate over the last three seasons is .63, and over his last five seasons, it’s .624.

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Although Ovechkin’s goal per game production has been consistent through his career, at some point, there will be regression. Ovechkin will turn 37 prior to the 2022-23 season starting. There’s 17 years of wear on those tires. Let’s see a conservative path to Ovechkin reaching 895 goals by the end of his current contract and setting hockey history.

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Pathway to 895 Projection

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The methodology here for a conservative projection for Ovechkin breaking the record is that he’ll play in 75 games per season. Over the past five full NHL seasons, Ovechkin has played in 77, 81, 82, 82, and 79 games. He’s been historically rather healthy through his career, but those aches and pains take a lot longer to recover from at 37 and older than they did in his 20s.

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The other piece of the methodology: the 2022-23 season will be the only season that he scores at a pace higher than .5 goals per game:

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We’re dealing with rather round numbers in the goal category here. The most important thing is that since Ovechkin is only 115 goals away from the record, he only needs to average 28.75 goals per season to get there. With age regression as a fact, Ovechkin\u00a0will see a drop in production at some point. Now, we’d all love to see Ovechkin continue to pot 40 goals a season over the next three seasons to break the record a year before his contract ends.

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Realistically, Ovechkin needs to average a goals per game pace of .383 over the next four seasons to hit the 115 goals necessary to break Gretzky’s record. Based on historical and recent context, that certainly seems achievable. Ovechkin has never had a season where he had less than a 0.4 goals per game production. But the point here is that the projection is conservative, because age-induced regression hasn’t been a factor in Ovechkin’s goal scoring production in his career yet. We don’t know exactly when that’ll happen, but it’s important to account for the unknown in conservative projections.

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Conclusion

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Overall, it could feel like a near certainty to most folks that Ovechkin will end up passing Gretzky and be cemented as the most productive goal scorer in NHL history. With Ovechkin’s power play acumen and solid production during even-strength situations, the pathway is clear.

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The pathway becomes even more clear if Ovechkin scores more than 40 goals in the 2022-23 season, which would give a lot more leeway in the last years of his current contract with the Capitals.

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By Justin Trudel

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAbout Justin Trudel\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJustin is a lifelong Caps fan, with some of his first memories of the sport watching the team in the USAir Arena and the 1998 Stanley Cup appearance. Now a resident of St. Augustine, FL, Justin watches the Caps from afar. Justin graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Political Science from Towson University, and a Master's of Science in Applied Information Technology from Towson University. Justin is currently a product manager. Justin enjoys geeking out over advanced analytics, roster construction, and cap management.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThis entry was posted in News and tagged Alex Ovechkin, Wayne Gretzky. Bookmark the permalink.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t8 Responses to The Road To 895: How Alex Ovechkin Will Break Wayne Gretzky’s Record By 2026\t\t\t

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    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAnonymous says:\t\t\t
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    \n\t\t\t\tAugust 22, 2022 at 12:31 pm\t\t\t
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    It\u2019s hard to argue any major decline in production based on his specific history. But based on all other humans, it makes sense. It probably falls somewhere in between.

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    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tsteven says:\t\t\t
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    \n\t\t\t\tAugust 22, 2022 at 2:56 pm\t\t\t
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    Physically if he stays healthy and his shot on the PP stays strong he can reach and surpass however my bigget concern or question about his reaching 895 is Kuzy really the center to help get him there and will Carlson hold up at point on the PP? Without having someone feeding him the biscuit on a regular and steady basis it will be hard to accompolish anything.

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    As Backstrom has assisted on 274 of Ovechkin’s career goals (35.9% of total goals) that production is probably lost so who makes up that % the next 4 years? thats a lot of assists to lose and find elsewhere.

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    I hope that he makes it as if he doesnt then keeping this team together (as an old team to get him the record) will not have been worth it.

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      \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAnonymous says:\t\t\t
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      \n\t\t\t\tAugust 22, 2022 at 9:16 pm\t\t\t
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      Yeah, that\u2019s a big question for me. Does Kuzy fully fill in for Backy in the assists and power play? That all impacts Ovi.

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    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTodd says:\t\t\t
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    \n\t\t\t\tOctober 8, 2022 at 7:16 pm\t\t\t
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    That average of 28.75 per season to score 115, while true if you figure four seasons, is underrated. He can realistically do it in just three seasons with 38.33 goals/season.

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    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEric Yoemans says:\t\t\t
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    \n\t\t\t\tOctober 8, 2022 at 9:13 pm\t\t\t
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    My thing with Wayne is the best check he ever gave was to buy part of the Phoenix coyotes..I used to says he never got checked but I did see a film of him getting checked 5-6 times ever.his omission on the hardest season he got hit was by the NYRS in 1994 that\u2019s 13yrs into his pro career.give me a break.Mario,Ovi didn\u2019t have the supporting cast so the greatest No but third or forth maybe and one more mention during one of the most fighting years in hockey he\u2019s once fought with his jacket to a draw.

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      \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTrent Bonneau says:\t\t\t
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      \n\t\t\t\tDecember 4, 2022 at 9:26 pm\t\t\t
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      Right now Ovi has 1435 career points/ Gretzky has 2875- Ovi absolutely will not make 2000 points. Ovi is great, but he will be remembered for setting up shop. Gretzky was a genius.

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    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tErnie Buck says:\t\t\t
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    \n\t\t\t\tOctober 25, 2022 at 10:10 am\t\t\t
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    It’s a given O will surpass G’s career regular season goal production. Now, who will even come close to The Great One’s reg season assists total?

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    \n\t\t\t\tOctober 26, 2022 at 9:04 pm\t\t\t
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    RMNB I was in Raleigh and have loved almost every min watching GR8. Been a CAPS fan since 74 when I was senior at Woodbridge high school only low point are losing to puck Fittsburg. Sid will never catch gretzky assist but Ovi will catch his goals. A record that was thought to be unreachable. GO CAPS

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    \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\n", + "page_last_modified": "" + }, + { + "page_name": "What does Alex Ovechkin have to do to pass Wayne Gretzky in all-time ...", + "page_url": "https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/what-does-alex-ovechkin-have-to-do-to-pass-wayne-gretzky-in-all-time-goals/", + "page_snippet": "Alex Ovechkin has moved into sole possession of second on the NHL's all-time goals list, so what is his path from here to first? It's entirely within his reach now.Watch as Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin scores the 801st goal of his NHL career against the Winnipeg Jets, and ties Gordie Howe for second all-time on the NHL goal list.", + "page_result": "What does Alex Ovechkin have to do to pass Wayne Gretzky in all-time goals?\n
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    What does Alex Ovechkin have to do to pass Wayne Gretzky in all-time goals?

    Watch as Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin scores the 801st goal of his NHL career against the Winnipeg Jets, and ties Gordie Howe for second all-time on the NHL goal list.

    | December 24, 2022, 8:37 AM
    December 24, 2022, 8:37 AM
    We use cookies to improve your experience. Learn More or change your cookie preferences. By continuing to use this site, you agree to the use of cookies.
    \"close\"/
    ", + "page_last_modified": " Sat, 24 Dec 2022 17:33:58 GMT" + }, + { + "page_name": "Alex Ovechkin\u2019s march to 802 goals: Can the Capitals star catch ...", + "page_url": "https://theathletic.com/3685170/2022/12/23/ovechkin-howe-nhl-career-goals/", + "page_snippet": "Ovechkin, 37, is playing in his 18th NHL season. Drafted No. 1 in 2004 by the Washington Capitals, Ovechkin is third in all-time goals.\u2014 Hockey News Updates (@HockeyNews_365) June 10, 2016 \u00b7 Gretzky recorded his 894th career NHL goal on March 29, 1999, when the New York Rangers faced the New York Islanders. There are so many to choose from in Ovechkin\u2019s illustrious career. \u201cGordie Howe, you just say his name and you know what it means to the game of hockey. It\u2019s a credit to him and everything he\u2019s done and accomplished. It\u2019s a pretty amazing feat.\u201d \u00b7 Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews spoke on Ovechkin when Chicago played Washington on Dec. 13: \u201cIt\u2019s incredible,\u201d Toews said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of Wayne Gretzky\u2019s records you never thought anyone would touch, especially the goal one. Alex Ovechkin overtook Gordie Howe for the second-most career NHL goals, notching his 801st in the first period against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday and the 802nd in the third. Now the only name above the Washington Capitals captain on the goals list is Wayne Gretzky with 894. He\u2019s a nine-time winner of the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league\u2019s leading goal scorer, along with winning the Hart Trophy three times and the Ted Lindsay Award three times. Ovechkin has tallied 50 goals in a season nine times, tying him with Gretzky and Mike Bossy for the most all time. Additionally, in 2018, his 13th season in the league, Ovechkin captured his first Stanley Cup.", + "page_result": "Alex Ovechkin\u2019s march to 802 goals: Can the Capitals star catch Wayne Gretzky? - The Athletic

    Alex Ovechkin\u2019s march to 802 goals: Can the Capitals star catch Wayne Gretzky?

    \"Nov
    By Lukas Weese and Dom Luszczyszyn
    Dec 24, 2022

    Alex Ovechkin overtook Gordie Howe for the second-most career NHL goals, notching his 801st in the first period against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday and the 802nd in the third. Now the only name above the Washington Capitals captain on the goals list is Wayne Gretzky with 894.

    \n

    ALEX OVECHKIN GETS NO. 802 \ud83d\udd25

    \n

    With his 802nd career goal, Ovi now takes sole possession of No. 2 on the NHL all-time goals scored list.@Capitals | @ovi8 pic.twitter.com/Y6IKleda4J

    \n

    \u2014 The Athletic (@TheAthletic) December 24, 2022

    The roots of Ovechkin\u2019s goal-scoring prowess began with Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Superleague when he was just 16 years old. This served as the prelude to Ovechkin being drafted No. 1 in 2004 by the Capitals.

    In his rookie NHL season, Ovechkin finished with 106 points and 52 goals. He led all rookies in goals, points, shots and power-play goals.

    Advertisement

    Ovechkin, 37, is now in his 18th NHL season and yet he continues to be one of the league\u2019s most prolific goal scorers. In seasons with an 82-game schedule, Ovechkin has recorded at least 30 goals every time. He\u2019s a nine-time winner of the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league\u2019s leading goal scorer, along with winning the Hart Trophy three times and the Ted Lindsay Award three times. Ovechkin has tallied 50 goals in a season nine times, tying him with Gretzky and Mike Bossy for the most all time. Additionally, in 2018, his 13th season in the league, Ovechkin captured his first Stanley Cup.

    Now that the star is playing in the twilight years of his career, the question remains: Will Ovechkin become the NHL\u2019s all-time leading goal scorer?

    Below is a breakdown of Ovechkin\u2019s career and what\u2019s left for him to get there.

    All-time NHL goals list

    Below are the top 10 players on the NHL\u2019s all-time goal list (*= active player)

    \n
    All-time NHL goals list
    Rank
      
    Player
      
    No. of Goals
      
    1
    Wayne Gretzky
    894
    2
    Alex Ovechkin*
    810
    3
    Gordie Howe
    801
    4
    Jaromir Jagr
    766
    5
    Brett Hull
    741
    6
    Marcel Dionne
    731
    7
    Phil Esposito
    717
    8
    Mike Gartner
    708
    9
    Mark Messier
    694
    10
    Steve Yzerman
    692
    \n

    Ovechkin\u2019s goals to date

    Coming into the season, Ovechkin sat alone in third on the all-time goals list with 780 goals. Over 35 games this year, Ovechkin has 22 goals, putting him on pace to score 49. If he can maintain his current pace, Ovechkin would only be 65 goals behind Gretzky entering 2023-24.

    On March 15, 2022, against the New York Islanders, Ovechkin scored his 767th goal, surpassing Jaromir Jagr on the career goals list. Ovechkin finished last season with 50 goals.

    \n

    Third all-time in @NHL goals belongs to Alexander Ovechkin. 7\u20e36\u20e37\u20e3 pic.twitter.com/wPgZGUUvYo

    \n

    \u2014 Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 16, 2022

    Comparing Ovechkin to Howe

    Era plays a big role when it comes to how a player\u2019s career takes shape. Get stuck in the dead puck era, and goals are hard to come by. Play in the high-flying 1980s, and lighting the lamp is a little bit easier.

    Neither Ovechkin nor Howe had it easy. Over Ovechkin\u2019s career, the average goals per game was 5.78. For Howe, it was a shade lower at 5.7. Scoring goals was a much bigger challenge for both players than it was for some of the stars that made their hay in the \u201980s where there were 7.6 goals scored on average.

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    For Ovechkin, the recent league-wide goal explosion has certainly helped as he builds his case as the greatest scorer ever. Over the past six seasons, the average goal rate has risen to 6.08 goals per game, compared to 5.62 during the prime of his career.

    Hockey Reference has an era adjustment that accounts for all of that, putting all players on the same plane as best they can. There, it\u2019s plain to see how each player has been affected by their scoring environment. Adjusted for era, Howe\u2019s goal total should be closer to 925.

    And as for Ovechkin, he should already be considered the greatest scorer of all time with 936 era-adjusted goals \u2014 and counting. The most ever. \u2014 Luszczyszyn

    How Ovechkin compares to Gretzky, the all-time leader

    Ovechkin entered the 2022-23 season 114 goals behind Gretzky. With Ovechkin\u2019s career goals per game at 0.612 entering the season, that means it will take approximately 186 games to reach 113 more goals, tying Gretzky at the top. That\u2019s roughly a little over two seasons, assuming the goals-per-game rate holds.

    Ovechkin\u2019s career goals per game (0.61) surpasses Gretzky\u2019s (0.601), who played 1,487 NHL games in 20 seasons.

    Health will be a major factor for Ovechkin. On top of the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, missing games due to injury could hinder Ovechkin\u2019s chances of catching Gretzky.

    As The Athletic\u2019s Dom Luszczyszyn outlined in 2019, Ovechkin catching Gretzky is becoming more realistic. That was before his renaissance 2021-22 campaign when Ovechkin recorded 50 goals.

    \n

    The first time I wrote about Ovechkin\u2019s quest for the goal scoring crown was at the end of the 2018-19 season.

    \n

    The projection: he could get there during his age 40 season

    \n

    Looking pretty good right now \ud83d\udc40https://t.co/hRCj0XhQ67 pic.twitter.com/1Lm5emgowK

    \n

    \u2014 dom \ud83d\udd70\ufe0f (@domluszczyszyn) December 14, 2022

    It won\u2019t happen during 2022-23, but how Ovechkin performs this season will be an important indicator of his chances at catching Gretzky.

    How Ovechkin compares to active players

    Ovechkin is also the leader in career goals per game among players who have played a minimum of 1,000 games. He is second among active players in career goals per game, behind Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (0.63). However, Matthews has played 868 fewer games than Ovechkin in his career.

    Advertisement

    Which active player is closest to Ovechkin?

    That would be Sidney Crosby, who had 517 career goals entering the 2022-23 season. At the time, he was 263 goals behind Ovechkin.

    Ovechkin, Crosby and Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos are the only active players in the top 50 of the all-time career goal list. Crosby\u2019s career goals per game is 0.47 and he\u2019s played 1141 career games, 168 fewer than Ovechkin.

    Ovechkin and Crosby\u2019s careers will be compared, given that they played in the same era and entered the league during the same season (2005-06). But in terms of goal scoring, Ovechkin remains the leader in the 21st century and it\u2019s not close.

    Howe\u2019s last goal

    Howe scored his 801st goal as a member of the Hartford Whalers, taking on his former team the Detroit Red Wings on Apr. 6, 1980. It ended up being Howe\u2019s final regular-season game.

    Three days later, Howe scored his final NHL goal in the playoffs against the Montreal Canadiens.

    \n

    Gordie Howe's final NHL goal at the age of 51. pic.twitter.com/D0nH8WoN85

    \n

    \u2014 Hockey News Updates (@HockeyNews_365) June 10, 2016

    Gretzky\u2019s last goal

    Gretzky recorded his 894th career NHL goal on March 29, 1999, when the New York Rangers faced the New York Islanders.

    Memorable Ovechkin goals

    There are so many to choose from in Ovechkin\u2019s illustrious career.

    But his goal against the Arizona Coyotes on Jan. 16, 2006, remains iconic, scoring while lying on his back to beat Brian Boucher. The former Coyotes goalie praised Ovechkin on social media for the goal\u2019s anniversary 14 years later.

    If Ovechkin surpasses Howe and Gretzky, this goal will be included in every career highlights video.

    What they\u2019re saying

    Gretzky spoke in January 2022 about Ovechkin chasing history:

    \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s a question of if anymore. It\u2019s a question of when,\u201d Gretzky said to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. \u201cAnd it\u2019s great for the game. You know what? Alex is a wonderful young man. We\u2019re good friends, and, hey, listen, if he breaks it, I hope I\u2019m there to shake his hand.\u201d

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    On Dec. 5, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid praised Ovechkin\u2019s goal-scoring abilities:

    \u201cHe loves to score,\u201d McDavid said. \u201cI think everyone does but maybe he\u2019s on another level. He\u2019s got such a nose for the net. He just seems to know where to be.

    \u201cGordie Howe, you just say his name and you know what it means to the game of hockey. It\u2019s a credit to him and everything he\u2019s done and accomplished. It\u2019s a pretty amazing feat.\u201d

    Blackhawks captain  Jonathan Toews spoke on Ovechkin when Chicago played Washington on Dec. 13:

    \u201cIt\u2019s incredible,\u201d Toews said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of Wayne Gretzky\u2019s records you never thought anyone would touch, especially the goal one. So to see where he\u2019s at, 800 goals, it\u2019s hard to comprehend, really.\u201d

    (Photo: Sam Navarro / USA Today)

    \n

    Get all-access to exclusive stories.

    Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Try a week on us.

    \n", + "page_last_modified": "" + }, + { + "page_name": "Does Alex Ovechkin actually have a shot at breaking Wayne Gretzky's ...", + "page_url": "https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/does-alex-ovechkin-actually-have-a-shot-at-breaking-wayne-gretzkys-all-time-goals-record/", + "page_snippet": "Ovechkin passed Jaromir Jagr for the No. 3 spot on the all-time goals list Tuesday nightsite: media | arena: nhl | pageType: stories | section: | slug: does-alex-ovechkin-actually-have-a-shot-at-breaking-wayne-gretzkys-all-time-goals-record | sport: hockey | route: article_single.us | 6-keys: media/spln/nhl/reg/free/stories ... NFL Playoff Time! ... Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin placed his name among some of the greats in NHL history (again) on Tuesday when he scored the 767th goal of his career. If you're doing the math at home, Ovechkin currently sits 127 goals behind Gretzky. Right now, Gretzky has played in 241 more games than Ovechkin. Gretzky averaged 0.61 goals-per-game over the course of his career, while Ovechkin currently owns an average of 0.61 goals-per-game. Ovechkin would then be 113 goals behind Gretzky for the all-time record. In each of the past three full regular seasons, the Capitals star has accumulated at least 48 goals in each of those seasons. If we assume that Ovechkin keeps scoring in that vicinity, breaking Gretzky's record is definitely a strong possibility. The Capitals winger passed Dionne for fifth place on the all-time list in a two-goal performance in the team's season opener, and then passed Hull in November. Now with Jagr in his rear-view mirror, Ovechkin now will focus his attention towards catching Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record of 894 tallies.", + "page_result": "\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Does Alex Ovechkin actually have a shot at breaking Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record? - CBSSports.com\n \n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n \n \n \n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n\n\n\n \t\t \n \n \n \n \t\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n
    \n \n site: media | arena: nhl | pageType: stories | \n section: | slug: does-alex-ovechkin-actually-have-a-shot-at-breaking-wayne-gretzkys-all-time-goals-record | sport: hockey | route: article_single.us | \n 6-keys: media/spln/nhl/reg/free/stories\n
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    \n\n \"Does\n

    \n Does Alex Ovechkin actually have a shot at breaking Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record?\n

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    Ovechkin passed Jaromir Jagr for the No. 3 spot on the all-time goals list Tuesday night

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    \n By\n \n \n Chris Bengel\n \n \n
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    \"Washington
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    Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin placed his name among some of the greats in NHL history (again) on Tuesday when he scored the 767th goal of his career. Ovechkin scored the historic goal at the 15:02 mark of the second period against the New York Islanders.

    With that goal, Ovechkin passed Jaromir Jagr for third place on the NHL's all-time goals list. The biggest question now is: where will the Caps superstar be on that all-time goals list when he decides to retire?\u00a0

    During the 2021-22 season thus far, Ovechkin has racked up 37 goals goals, which is good for fifth in the league. Since the season began, Ovechkin has passed Marcel Dionne, Brett Hull and now Jagr on the all-time goals list. The Capitals winger passed Dionne for fifth place on the all-time list in a two-goal performance in the team's season opener, and then passed Hull in November.

    Now with Jagr in his rear-view mirror, Ovechkin now will focus his attention towards catching Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record of 894 tallies.

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    If you're doing the math at home, Ovechkin currently sits 127 goals behind Gretzky. Right now, Gretzky has played in 241 more games than Ovechkin. Gretzky averaged 0.61 goals-per-game over the course of his career, while Ovechkin currently owns an average of 0.61 goals-per-game.

    Here's a look at Ovechkin's numbers from the last five seasons, to explain how prolific his scoring clip his has been as he gets older:

    • 2017-18 season: 49 goals and 0.60 goals-per-game in 82 games
    • 2018-19 season: 51 goals and 0.63 goals-per-game in 81 games
    • 2019-20 season: 48 goals and 0.71 goals-per-game in 68 games
    • 2021 season: 24 goals and 0.53 goals-per-game in 45 games
    • 2021-22 season: 37 goals goals and 0.62 goals-per-game in 59 games

    Right now, Ovechkin is on pace to finish the 2021-22 season with 51 goals and that would be his highest output since the 2018-19 campaign. If we say that Ovechkin ends up with 51 goals this season, he'll be adding 14 more to his grand total, which will result in him having 781 when it's all said and done this year.

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    Ovechkin would then be 113 goals behind Gretzky for the all-time record. In each of the past three full regular seasons, the Capitals star has accumulated at least 48 goals in each of those seasons. If we assume that Ovechkin keeps scoring in that vicinity, breaking Gretzky's record is definitely a strong possibility.

    If we take that 0.60 goals-per-game clip and average that out, Ovechkin could break Gretzky's record during the 2023-24 or 2024-25 season. That's assuming that he averages an estimated 52 goals-per-game in that timeframe. Obviously, that may not happen because Ovechkin is up into his late 30s.

    On the other hand, it almost seems like Ovechkin gets better with age, so it's not out of the realm of possibilities.\u00a0

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    Even if Ovechkin scores just 40 goals in each of the next four seasons (including the 2021-22 campaign), that'll put him at 120 goals during that timeframe.

    It's worth noting that Ovechkin is having an MVP-caliber season this year and the majority of that came without playmaker Nicklas Backstrom, who was dealing with a hip injury, beside him. With 23 games remaining in the regular season, It's definitely not out of the realm of possibilities for Ovechkin to score at least 50 goals. He'd need to go on a little bit of a hot streak, but it's certainly an attainable mark.

    Health is the biggest obstacle in Ovechkin's quest to break Gretzky's record. If he keeps playing at an elite level, the level he basically has played at since his first NHL game in 2005, there's no doubt that the Capitals winger can score the most goals in the history of the sport.

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    \n Gretzky wowed by Ovechkin chasing his NHL goals record\n

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    \n Says it's 'great for the game' with Capitals forward 85 behind him for mark\n

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    \n \"GretzkyOvechkinChase\"\n
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    \n By\n Tom Gulitti\n
    \n @TomGulittiNHL\n NHL.com Staff Writer\n
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    Wayne Gretzky
    talked about Alex Ovechkin breaking his NHL record of 894 goals long before the Washington Capitals left wing believed it was reachable.

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    So, seeing Ovechkin score his 802nd goal to pass
    Gordie Howe
    and move into second in NHL history on Dec. 23 didn't change Gretzky's opinion.
    Ovechkin hasn't stopped scoring since, increasing his total to 809, 85 behind Gretzky, when he extended his goal streak to four games in Washington's 6-2 win at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.
    \"I think we're past the point of if he's going to do it,\" Gretzky said before working as an analyst on TNT's telecast of the
    2023 Discover Winter Classic
    at Fenway Park in Boston on Monday. \"We said a year ago that it's a matter of when he's going to do it. So, it's great for the game. It's a positive and I think that it couldn't happen to a better person. He's been great for our sport.\"
    RELATED: [Ovechkin joins 800-goal club]
    Ovechkin scored six goals in the Capitals' final four games of 2022, including his 30th NHL hat trick in a 9-2 victory against the Montreal Canadiens on New Year's Eve. With 29 goals in 41 games, the 37-year-old is on pace to score 57 this season. It would be the 10th time he scored at least 50, breaking the NHL record he shares with Gretzky and Mike Bossy.
    Ovechkin scored 50 goals at age 36 last season, becoming the oldest player to reach the milestone.
    \"A couple guys that I saw in my career, Mike Bossy, Brett Hull, two of the most prolific scorers I ever saw, and one of the things that the three of them have in common is they don't miss a net very often,\" Gretzky said. \"Many times guys have great opportunities and before you know it, the puck is going around the boards and out the other side. But if you watch closely with Alex and Brett and Mike Bossy, they don't miss the net and they knew to find that open area where you're sort of between the defenseman and the forward.
    \"There's that open a bit of ice that either you have a feel for it or a knack for it or you don't, and Alex definitely has a feel for that.\"
    Ovechkin, who is in his 18th NHL season, has three more seasons left on his contract after this one to catch Gretzky and, potentially, extend the record total beyond 900 goals. When asked how far Ovechkin can push the record, Gretzky replied, \"Well, that's up to him how long he plays and hopefully staying injury free.\"
    Gretzky retired following the 1998-99 season, when he was 38, after 20 NHL seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers. He scored his 802nd goal to pass Howe on March 23, 1994, with the Kings against the Vancouver Canucks.
    Gretzky appreciated that Howe's sons, former NHL defensemen Mark and Marty Howe, supported Ovechkin during his chase of their father and attended the Capitals' home game against the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 19. Gordie Howe, who died in 2016 at age 88, similarly supported Gretzky during The Great One's pursuit of the NHL records for points (which Howe held at 1,850 before Gretzky shattered it with 2,857) and goals.
    Gretzky would like to do the same for Ovechkin when he gets close to the goals record.
    \"That's up to the League and to the Washington Capitals and what they want to do, but obviously Gordie was a great inspiration to me, and he was there when I was [breaking his records],\" Gretzky said. \"And I thought it was really classy of Mark and Marty to be following Alex when he was chasing Gordie. So, yeah, when it comes to the right time, I'm not going to go to every game now till 895, but when he gets close, obviously, I'd love to be there.\"
    NHL.com columnist Nicholas J. Cotsonika contributed to this report

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