[19-OCT-2018] #OviWatch - 613 and counting!

I am taking a chance and posting this today, despite it being a game day. If it puts the jinx on Ovi's goal scoring, I won't post on a game day again!!! Promise!


Last game's two goals put Our Hero into sole possession of 17th all-time goal-scorer. Next up are Jarome Iginla (625 G in 1554 GP) and Joe Sakic (625 G in 1378 GP). NHL.com reverses those two, but I say that Sakic is slightly more impressive due to scoring his 625 in fewer games than Iginla. Since Jágr is no longer playing in the NHL, having moved to play for HC Kladno in the 12t Czech Republic Hockey League (and unbelievably still playing at age 46), Ovi is the only active player in the top 17. At his current rate, 6 goals in 6 games, Ovi is on a goal per game pace, and is currently 5th behind Auston Matthews (10G in 8 GP), David Pastrnak (8G in 7GP), Kyle Palmieri (7G in 5 GP), and Nathan MacKinnon (7G in 7GP) in this year's Rocket Richard trophy race... of course, Ovi has bigger fish to fry, but...

01 - Wayne Gretzky    - 894 G in 1487 GP +281
02 - Gordie Howe      - 801 G in 1767 GP +188
03 - Jaromír Jágr     - 765 G in 1714 GP +152
04 - Brett Hull       - 741 G in 1269 GP +128
05 - Marcel Dionne    - 731 G in 1348 GP +118
06 - Phil Esposito    - 717 G in 1282 GP +104
07 - Mike Gartner     - 708 G in 1432 GP + 95
08 - Mark Messier     - 694 G in 1756 GP + 81
09 - Steve Yzerman    - 692 G in 1514 GP + 79
10 - Mario Lemieux    - 690 G in  915 GP + 77
11 - Teemu Selänne    - 684 G in 1451 GP + 71
12 - Luc Robataille   - 667 G in 1431 GP + 54 not bloody likely!
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13 - Brendan Shanahan - 656 G in 1431 GP + 43 outside chance
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14 - Dave Andreychuk  - 640 G in 1639 GP + 27 probable
15 - Joe Sakic        - 625 G in 1378 GP + 12
16 - Jarome Iginla    - 625 G in 1554 GP + 12
17 - Alex Ovechkin    - 613 G in 1009 GP 


Both were power play goals, and that puts him tied for 9th all-time in that category. Next up, Marcel Dionne... Ovi's power play goal-per-game rate is still damned good, second only to Lemieux...

01 - Dave Andreychuk  - 274 PPG in 1639 GP 16.72% +42
02 - Brett Hull       - 265 PPG in 1269 GP 20.88% +33 not likely
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03 - Teemu Selanne    - 255 PPG in 1451 GP 17.57% +23 possible
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04 - Luc Robataille   - 247 PPG in 1431 GP 17.26% +15 probable
05 - Phil Esposito    - 246 PPG in 1282 GP 19.19% +14
06 - Brendan Shanahan - 237 PPG in 1524 GP 15.56% + 5
07 - Mario Lemieux    - 236 PPG in  915 GP 25.79% + 4
08 - Marcel Dionne    - 234 PPG in 1348 GP 17.36% + 2
09 - Alex Ovechkin    - 232 PPG in 1009 GP 23.10%
09 - Dino Ciccarelli  - 232 PPG in 1232 GP 18.83%


In his 1009 games, Ovi has taken 4921 shots. That's 9th place overall. Shots per game adds up to 4.877... Ovi hasn't had a game-winner yet this year, but the season's young, and tonight, we're taking on the Florida Panthers, who have also yet to have a game-winner this year (in four games played). Small sample size notwithstanding... hopefully the kitties won't pick the Caps to finally pounce on... Now, what else can I talk about?