[10-APR-2016] It's the end of the regular season road...

As-predicted several months ago, his hat trick against the St. Louis Blues puts Ovi in sole possession of the 33rd slot overall for career goals scored. He reached that 525 career goals mark in his 839th career game. It took Brian Trottier 1279 games to reach the 524 goal mark. Since Ovi would need to score 8 goals tonight to catch Francis Mahovlich, I'm projecting he will end the season in 33rd place overall for goals scored (unless he somehow pulls off The Ovechtrick... (not bloody likely!)  Joe Malone's 1920 record 7 goals in one game has been standing for damned close to 100 years. If anyone in the NHL could break that standing record, it'd be Ovi.*-

#OviWatch

525 career goals in 839 career games is quite the mark. If Ovi gets 50 goals next season, he will hit 575 career goals. I am right now predicting that Ovi will have no fewer than 45 goals next season, which will put him at 570 career goals, just ahead of Mats Sundin, and just behind Mike Bossy. 53 goals (minus however many he scores tonight against Anaheim) will put him ahead of Mark Recchi for #20 overall. As I've said all season, we'll see what happens!

20 - Mark Recchi - 577 goals in 1652 games played
21 - Mike Bossy - 573 goals in 752 games played
22 - Mats Sundin - 564 goals in 1346 games played
23 - Joe Nieuwendyk - 564 goals in 1257 games played
24 - Mike Modano - 561 goals in 1499 gams played
25 - Guy Laflueur - 560 goals in 1126 games played
26 - John Bucyk - 556 goals in 1731 games played
27 - Ron Francis - 549 goals in 1731 games played
28 - Michel Goulet - 544 goals in 1089 games played
29 - Maurice Richard - 544 goals in 978 games played
30 - Stan Mikita - 541 goals in 1394 games played
31 - Keith Tkachuk - 538 goals in 1201 games played
32 - Francis Mahovlich - 533 goals in 1181 games played
33 - Alex Ovechkin - 525 goals in 839 games played

#HoltBEASTWatch

Braden Holtby has tied Marty Brodeur's single season win record. The next record of Brodeur's that he could potentially topple is the youngest player to 300 career regular season wins. Brodeur achieved that record at 29 years, 7 months. Holtby was born on 16-Sep-1989, making him at present 26 years, 6 months old. He has played in 244 career games (started 236) and has 149 wins in that span. That leaves him needing to win another 152 games over the next three years to pass Brodeur. That's going to take some doing... A lot of doing... 

2016-17 - 51
2017-18 - 51
2018-19 - 50

We'll see what happens. Holtby's wins are not his alone; he has to have a team playing well in front of him, too. Coach Trotz and Coach Korn are both great coaches, so I'll still call it possible. It's possible.

#TeamWatch

1995-96 Detroit Red Wings (62W in 82 GP)

2005-06 Detroit Red Wings (58W in 82 GP)

2015-16 Washington Capitals  (56W in 82 GP)  

2010-11 Vancouver Canucks (54W in 82 GP) 2013-14 Boston Bruins (54W in 82 GP)

2013-14 Anaheim Ducks (54W in 82 GP)

2007-08 Detroit Red Wings (54W in 82 GP)

2009-10 Washington Capitals (54W in 82 GP)

2014-15 New York Rangers (53W in 82GP)  

2005-06 Dallas Stars (53W in 82GP)

2008-09 Boston Bruins (53W in 82GP)

2005-06 Ottawa Senators (52W in 82GP) 

2000-01 Colorado Avalanche (52W in 82GP)  

2005-06 Buffalo Sabres (52W in 82GP)  

2009-10 Chicago Blackhawks (52W in 82GP)       

2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes (52W in 82GP)  

2013-14 Colorado Avalanche (52W in 82GP)