Ovechkin countdown

[TimmyVee]

Have always loved Ovi as a player, but I can’t help but be sad that 99’s record will fall. He has been the gold standard forever

Yep, I remember when Gretzky was in his heyday, someone did a comparison with other great players in multiple sports and all eras and found that he was better, at least statistically, than the second best player of his era by a wider margin than any other player in any sport in any era. He was far and away the best. That said, if I am constructing a hockey team of all time greats, my first pick is Orr.

[xpath]

Tied

Hope it’s not an empty netter to break it

The Islanders pulled their goalie and the color commentator said that Ovie was shaking his head on the bench. He was saying the coach probably asked Ovie if he wanted to go out there on a shift, but he said no. After the ENG by the Caps Ovie was out there the next shift.

That's pretty cool if that is what really happened.

[STL fan in MN]

Tied

Hope it’s not an empty netter to break it

The Islanders pulled their goalie and the color commentator said that Ovie was shaking his head on the bench. He was saying the coach probably asked Ovie if he wanted to go out there on a shift, but he said no. After the ENG by the Caps Ovie was out there the next shift.

That's pretty cool if that is what really happened.

It is what happened. Can’t blame the guy at all. Who’d want to break the record on a goal like that?

[BalotelliMassive]

Both of his goals last night were ridiculous.

Cool moment for sure.

[todd-parker]

Ovechkin's run this season reminds me a bit of Pujols' chase for 700 homeruns in the second half of the 2022 season. He would not be denied.

[Harry York 37]

Have always loved Ovi as a player, but I can’t help but be sad that 99’s record will fall. He has been the gold standard forever

Yep, I remember when Gretzky was in his heyday, someone did a comparison with other great players in multiple sports and all eras and found that he was better, at least statistically, than the second best player of his era by a wider margin than any other player in any sport in any era. He was far and away the best. That said, if I am constructing a hockey team of all time greats, my first pick is Orr.

I reckon I would as well.

To call Gretzky the GOAT without an asterisk… is a joke.

He was a disappointment to the teams he “led” in the playoffs after leaving the Dynasty known as Edmonton.
His lack of basic competence at the beginning of double OT against the Wings was inexcusable and unforgettable.
Captaining the heavily favored Kings team to the Cup Finals in ‘93, only to disappear in the last three games of the Cup Finals…
He would not have lasted half as long as Orr had he played in the same times.
There would still be pieces of him that the Zamboni missed in the ice on old Boston Garden.

A great ambassador for the English Speaking Hockey World.
Good for him. Within the context of players protected from great bodily harm, who played with more HHOFers than anyone else … he was the Greatest Playmaker, ever.

Ice hockey is a physical game

If there was a Flag Ice Hockey League, he might not need the asterisk.


He never won a Cup without Messier and the Oilers.
Messier didn’t need Gretzky to win his fourth, and he didnt even need the Oilers to win his fifth.

[mph6689new]

He did it!

[Harry York 37]

He did it!

The Greatest Goal Scorer of All-Time!!!!!!

No asterisk, but Bossy and Lemieux are close.

[Backesdraft]

Have always loved Ovi as a player, but I can’t help but be sad that 99’s record will fall. He has been the gold standard forever

Yep, I remember when Gretzky was in his heyday, someone did a comparison with other great players in multiple sports and all eras and found that he was better, at least statistically, than the second best player of his era by a wider margin than any other player in any sport in any era. He was far and away the best. That said, if I am constructing a hockey team of all time greats, my first pick is Orr.

I reckon I would as well.

To call Gretzky the GOAT without an asterisk… is a joke.

He was a disappointment to the teams he “led” in the playoffs after leaving the Dynasty known as Edmonton.
His lack of basic competence at the beginning of double OT against the Wings was inexcusable and unforgettable.
Captaining the heavily favored Kings team to the Cup Finals in ‘93, only to disappear in the last three games of the Cup Finals…
He would not have lasted half as long as Orr had he played in the same times.
There would still be pieces of him that the Zamboni missed in the ice on old Boston Garden.

A great ambassador for the English Speaking Hockey World.
Good for him. Within the context of players protected from great bodily harm, who played with more HHOFers than anyone else … he was the Greatest Playmaker, ever.

Ice hockey is a physical game

If there was a Flag Ice Hockey League, he might not need the asterisk.


He never won a Cup without Messier and the Oilers.
Messier didn’t need Gretzky to win his fourth, and he didnt even need the Oilers to win his fifth.

So, is your argument, Harry, that Gretzky is actually not that great a player?

[netboy65]

Have always loved Ovi as a player, but I can’t help but be sad that 99’s record will fall. He has been the gold standard forever

Yep, I remember when Gretzky was in his heyday, someone did a comparison with other great players in multiple sports and all eras and found that he was better, at least statistically, than the second best player of his era by a wider margin than any other player in any sport in any era. He was far and away the best. That said, if I am constructing a hockey team of all time greats, my first pick is Orr.

I reckon I would as well.

To call Gretzky the GOAT without an asterisk… is a joke.

He was a disappointment to the teams he “led” in the playoffs after leaving the Dynasty known as Edmonton.
His lack of basic competence at the beginning of double OT against the Wings was inexcusable and unforgettable.
Captaining the heavily favored Kings team to the Cup Finals in ‘93, only to disappear in the last three games of the Cup Finals…
He would not have lasted half as long as Orr had he played in the same times.
There would still be pieces of him that the Zamboni missed in the ice on old Boston Garden.

A great ambassador for the English Speaking Hockey World.
Good for him. Within the context of players protected from great bodily harm, who played with more HHOFers than anyone else … he was the Greatest Playmaker, ever.

Ice hockey is a physical game

If there was a Flag Ice Hockey League, he might not need the asterisk.


He never won a Cup without Messier and the Oilers.
Messier didn’t need Gretzky to win his fourth, and he didnt even need the Oilers to win his fifth.

One cannot help when one is born.
One cannot help if they have inferior teammates, hockey is a team sport one guy can’t do it by himself. Was 99 supposed to play goalie? Pass to himself?
It is a shame 66 missed so much time, I’d have loved to see what he would have done if healthy, but staying on the ice is also an accomplishment.
Bossy played on some pretty stacked teams as well
Ovi only has 1 Cup, are we supposed to hold that against him?

99 is still The Great One. Full stop.

[Sunny's Teeth]

Have always loved Ovi as a player, but I can’t help but be sad that 99’s record will fall. He has been the gold standard forever

Yep, I remember when Gretzky was in his heyday, someone did a comparison with other great players in multiple sports and all eras and found that he was better, at least statistically, than the second best player of his era by a wider margin than any other player in any sport in any era. He was far and away the best. That said, if I am constructing a hockey team of all time greats, my first pick is Orr.

I reckon I would as well.

To call Gretzky the GOAT without an asterisk… is a joke.

He was a disappointment to the teams he “led” in the playoffs after leaving the Dynasty known as Edmonton.
His lack of basic competence at the beginning of double OT against the Wings was inexcusable and unforgettable.
Captaining the heavily favored Kings team to the Cup Finals in ‘93, only to disappear in the last three games of the Cup Finals…
He would not have lasted half as long as Orr had he played in the same times.
There would still be pieces of him that the Zamboni missed in the ice on old Boston Garden.

A great ambassador for the English Speaking Hockey World.
Good for him. Within the context of players protected from great bodily harm, who played with more HHOFers than anyone else … he was the Greatest Playmaker, ever.

Ice hockey is a physical game

If there was a Flag Ice Hockey League, he might not need the asterisk.


He never won a Cup without Messier and the Oilers.
Messier didn’t need Gretzky to win his fourth, and he didnt even need the Oilers to win his fifth.

One cannot help when one is born.
One cannot help if they have inferior teammates, hockey is a team sport one guy can’t do it by himself. Was 99 supposed to play goalie? Pass to himself?
It is a shame 66 missed so much time, I’d have loved to see what he would have done if healthy, but staying on the ice is also an accomplishment.
Bossy played on some pretty stacked teams as well
Ovi only has 1 Cup, are we supposed to hold that against him?

99 is still The Great One. Full stop.

It's like getting a great BJ or a different great BJ ... a million variables can be scrutinized but at the end of the day they're both great. I feel no need to rank, I'll just enjoy the jibber.

[Harry York 37]

Have always loved Ovi as a player, but I can’t help but be sad that 99’s record will fall. He has been the gold standard forever

Yep, I remember when Gretzky was in his heyday, someone did a comparison with other great players in multiple sports and all eras and found that he was better, at least statistically, than the second best player of his era by a wider margin than any other player in any sport in any era. He was far and away the best. That said, if I am constructing a hockey team of all time greats, my first pick is Orr.

I reckon I would as well.

To call Gretzky the GOAT without an asterisk… is a joke.

He was a disappointment to the teams he “led” in the playoffs after leaving the Dynasty known as Edmonton.
His lack of basic competence at the beginning of double OT against the Wings was inexcusable and unforgettable.
Captaining the heavily favored Kings team to the Cup Finals in ‘93, only to disappear in the last three games of the Cup Finals…
He would not have lasted half as long as Orr had he played in the same times.
There would still be pieces of him that the Zamboni missed in the ice on old Boston Garden.

A great ambassador for the English Speaking Hockey World.
Good for him. Within the context of players protected from great bodily harm, who played with more HHOFers than anyone else … he was the Greatest Playmaker, ever.

Ice hockey is a physical game

If there was a Flag Ice Hockey League, he might not need the asterisk.


He never won a Cup without Messier and the Oilers.
Messier didn’t need Gretzky to win his fourth, and he didnt even need the Oilers to win his fifth.

One cannot help when one is born.
One cannot help if they have inferior teammates, hockey is a team sport one guy can’t do it by himself. Was 99 supposed to play goalie? Pass to himself?
It is a shame 66 missed so much time, I’d have loved to see what he would have done if healthy, but staying on the ice is also an accomplishment.
Bossy played on some pretty stacked teams as well
Ovi only has 1 Cup, are we supposed to hold that against him?

99 is still The Great One. Full stop.

Sorry. No, he is not really the Greatest Hockey Player of all time.

Let me make is simple to understand….

Dress the greatest Goalie of all time, and the six greatest defensemen of all time.

Clone them and have them be opposing each other in an NHL rink with honest referees.

One team has four forward lines of “The Great One”.
The other team has four forward lines of Ovechkins.


Do you think the Gretzky team would leave the dressing room to come out for the second period?
They would not.
They might not be able to skate, and if they were able… their common sense would tell them to wait for a flag ice-hockey championship.

One-dimensional and coddled players can not be called the Greatest Ice Hockey Players of All Time.

He is in the top ten… without an asterisk.


Ovechkin is the Greatest Goal Scorer of all time, without an asterisk, but as I mentioned, Bossy and Lemieux might make solid arguments.

[netboy65]

Have always loved Ovi as a player, but I can’t help but be sad that 99’s record will fall. He has been the gold standard forever

Yep, I remember when Gretzky was in his heyday, someone did a comparison with other great players in multiple sports and all eras and found that he was better, at least statistically, than the second best player of his era by a wider margin than any other player in any sport in any era. He was far and away the best. That said, if I am constructing a hockey team of all time greats, my first pick is Orr.

I reckon I would as well.

To call Gretzky the GOAT without an asterisk… is a joke.

He was a disappointment to the teams he “led” in the playoffs after leaving the Dynasty known as Edmonton.
His lack of basic competence at the beginning of double OT against the Wings was inexcusable and unforgettable.
Captaining the heavily favored Kings team to the Cup Finals in ‘93, only to disappear in the last three games of the Cup Finals…
He would not have lasted half as long as Orr had he played in the same times.
There would still be pieces of him that the Zamboni missed in the ice on old Boston Garden.

A great ambassador for the English Speaking Hockey World.
Good for him. Within the context of players protected from great bodily harm, who played with more HHOFers than anyone else … he was the Greatest Playmaker, ever.

Ice hockey is a physical game

If there was a Flag Ice Hockey League, he might not need the asterisk.


He never won a Cup without Messier and the Oilers.
Messier didn’t need Gretzky to win his fourth, and he didnt even need the Oilers to win his fifth.

One cannot help when one is born.
One cannot help if they have inferior teammates, hockey is a team sport one guy can’t do it by himself. Was 99 supposed to play goalie? Pass to himself?
It is a shame 66 missed so much time, I’d have loved to see what he would have done if healthy, but staying on the ice is also an accomplishment.
Bossy played on some pretty stacked teams as well
Ovi only has 1 Cup, are we supposed to hold that against him?

99 is still The Great One. Full stop.

Sorry. No, he is not really the Greatest Hockey Player of all time.

Let me make is simple to understand….

Dress the greatest Goalie of all time, and the six greatest defensemen of all time.

Clone them and have them be opposing each other in an NHL rink with honest referees.

One team has four forward lines of “The Great One”.
The other team has four forward lines of Ovechkins.


Do you think the Gretzky team would leave the dressing room to come out for the second period?
They would not.
They might not be able to skate, and if they were able… their common sense would tell them to wait for a flag ice-hockey championship.

One-dimensional and coddled players can not be called the Greatest Ice Hockey Players of All Time.

He is in the top ten… without an asterisk.

Yes he really is the greatest. That’s cool though, you have your opinion, I have mine. No need to drag this along.

[Unfathomable]

Have always loved Ovi as a player, but I can’t help but be sad that 99’s record will fall. He has been the gold standard forever

Yep, I remember when Gretzky was in his heyday, someone did a comparison with other great players in multiple sports and all eras and found that he was better, at least statistically, than the second best player of his era by a wider margin than any other player in any sport in any era. He was far and away the best. That said, if I am constructing a hockey team of all time greats, my first pick is Orr.

I reckon I would as well.

To call Gretzky the GOAT without an asterisk… is a joke.

He was a disappointment to the teams he “led” in the playoffs after leaving the Dynasty known as Edmonton.
His lack of basic competence at the beginning of double OT against the Wings was inexcusable and unforgettable.
Captaining the heavily favored Kings team to the Cup Finals in ‘93, only to disappear in the last three games of the Cup Finals…
He would not have lasted half as long as Orr had he played in the same times.
There would still be pieces of him that the Zamboni missed in the ice on old Boston Garden.

A great ambassador for the English Speaking Hockey World.
Good for him. Within the context of players protected from great bodily harm, who played with more HHOFers than anyone else … he was the Greatest Playmaker, ever.

Ice hockey is a physical game

If there was a Flag Ice Hockey League, he might not need the asterisk.


He never won a Cup without Messier and the Oilers.
Messier didn’t need Gretzky to win his fourth, and he didnt even need the Oilers to win his fifth.

One cannot help when one is born.
One cannot help if they have inferior teammates, hockey is a team sport one guy can’t do it by himself. Was 99 supposed to play goalie? Pass to himself?
It is a shame 66 missed so much time, I’d have loved to see what he would have done if healthy, but staying on the ice is also an accomplishment.
Bossy played on some pretty stacked teams as well
Ovi only has 1 Cup, are we supposed to hold that against him?

99 is still The Great One. Full stop.

Sorry. No, he is not really the Greatest Hockey Player of all time.

Let me make is simple to understand….

Dress the greatest Goalie of all time, and the six greatest defensemen of all time.

Clone them and have them be opposing each other in an NHL rink with honest referees.

One team has four forward lines of “The Great One”.
The other team has four forward lines of Ovechkins.


Do you think the Gretzky team would leave the dressing room to come out for the second period?
They would not.
They might not be able to skate, and if they were able… their common sense would tell them to wait for a flag ice-hockey championship.

One-dimensional and coddled players can not be called the Greatest Ice Hockey Players of All Time.

He is in the top ten… without an asterisk.


Ovechkin is the Greatest Goal Scorer of all time, without an asterisk, but as I mentioned, Bossy and Lemieux might make solid arguments.

This is the stupidest [shirt] I have read on this forum in years. Gretzky owns the majority of every record worth having in the whole sport. No one has been more dominate in their sport at least in North America. Not even micheal jordan..

You can enjoy the ways other play more and injuries and illnesses are a thing but that doesn't diminish the facts.

Mario was a hell of a player probably could of gave Wayne a run for his money if injury and illness wasn't a thing.

McDavid is a hell of a player may be the most skilled player ever we will see how many records he has in 10 to 12 years..

Comparing eras in sports is dumb btw. Just like the ring debate defining how good a player is. A ring is team achievement no single person ever won a ring themselves.

[Harry York 37]

Have always loved Ovi as a player, but I can’t help but be sad that 99’s record will fall. He has been the gold standard forever

Yep, I remember when Gretzky was in his heyday, someone did a comparison with other great players in multiple sports and all eras and found that he was better, at least statistically, than the second best player of his era by a wider margin than any other player in any sport in any era. He was far and away the best. That said, if I am constructing a hockey team of all time greats, my first pick is Orr.

I reckon I would as well.

To call Gretzky the GOAT without an asterisk… is a joke.

He was a disappointment to the teams he “led” in the playoffs after leaving the Dynasty known as Edmonton.
His lack of basic competence at the beginning of double OT against the Wings was inexcusable and unforgettable.
Captaining the heavily favored Kings team to the Cup Finals in ‘93, only to disappear in the last three games of the Cup Finals…
He would not have lasted half as long as Orr had he played in the same times.
There would still be pieces of him that the Zamboni missed in the ice on old Boston Garden.

A great ambassador for the English Speaking Hockey World.
Good for him. Within the context of players protected from great bodily harm, who played with more HHOFers than anyone else … he was the Greatest Playmaker, ever.

Ice hockey is a physical game

If there was a Flag Ice Hockey League, he might not need the asterisk.


He never won a Cup without Messier and the Oilers.
Messier didn’t need Gretzky to win his fourth, and he didnt even need the Oilers to win his fifth.

One cannot help when one is born.
One cannot help if they have inferior teammates, hockey is a team sport one guy can’t do it by himself. Was 99 supposed to play goalie? Pass to himself?
It is a shame 66 missed so much time, I’d have loved to see what he would have done if healthy, but staying on the ice is also an accomplishment.
Bossy played on some pretty stacked teams as well
Ovi only has 1 Cup, are we supposed to hold that against him?

99 is still The Great One. Full stop.

Sorry. No, he is not really the Greatest Hockey Player of all time.

Let me make is simple to understand….

Dress the greatest Goalie of all time, and the six greatest defensemen of all time.

Clone them and have them be opposing each other in an NHL rink with honest referees.

One team has four forward lines of “The Great One”.
The other team has four forward lines of Ovechkins.


Do you think the Gretzky team would leave the dressing room to come out for the second period?
They would not.
They might not be able to skate, and if they were able… their common sense would tell them to wait for a flag ice-hockey championship.

One-dimensional and coddled players can not be called the Greatest Ice Hockey Players of All Time.

He is in the top ten… without an asterisk.


Ovechkin is the Greatest Goal Scorer of all time, without an asterisk, but as I mentioned, Bossy and Lemieux might make solid arguments.

This is the stupidest [shirt] I have read on this forum in years. Gretzky owns the majority of every record worth having in the whole sport. No one has been more dominate in their sport at least in North America. Not even micheal jordan..

You can enjoy the ways other play more and injuries and illnesses are a thing but that doesn't diminish the facts.

Mario was a hell of a player probably could of gave Wayne a run for his money if injury and illness wasn't a thing.

McDavid is a hell of a player may be the most skilled player ever we will see how many records he has in 10 to 12 years..

Comparing eras in sports is dumb btw. Just like the ring debate defining how good a player is. A ring is team achievement no single person ever won a ring themselves.

Pull our head out of the sand.

Gretzky had the greatest playmaking skills of anyone I have ever seen play the game. No asterisk.

To call him The Greatest Ice Hockey Player of All-Time is wishful Hero-worship.

[Unfathomable]

Have always loved Ovi as a player, but I can’t help but be sad that 99’s record will fall. He has been the gold standard forever

Yep, I remember when Gretzky was in his heyday, someone did a comparison with other great players in multiple sports and all eras and found that he was better, at least statistically, than the second best player of his era by a wider margin than any other player in any sport in any era. He was far and away the best. That said, if I am constructing a hockey team of all time greats, my first pick is Orr.

I reckon I would as well.

To call Gretzky the GOAT without an asterisk… is a joke.

He was a disappointment to the teams he “led” in the playoffs after leaving the Dynasty known as Edmonton.
His lack of basic competence at the beginning of double OT against the Wings was inexcusable and unforgettable.
Captaining the heavily favored Kings team to the Cup Finals in ‘93, only to disappear in the last three games of the Cup Finals…
He would not have lasted half as long as Orr had he played in the same times.
There would still be pieces of him that the Zamboni missed in the ice on old Boston Garden.

A great ambassador for the English Speaking Hockey World.
Good for him. Within the context of players protected from great bodily harm, who played with more HHOFers than anyone else … he was the Greatest Playmaker, ever.

Ice hockey is a physical game

If there was a Flag Ice Hockey League, he might not need the asterisk.


He never won a Cup without Messier and the Oilers.
Messier didn’t need Gretzky to win his fourth, and he didnt even need the Oilers to win his fifth.

One cannot help when one is born.
One cannot help if they have inferior teammates, hockey is a team sport one guy can’t do it by himself. Was 99 supposed to play goalie? Pass to himself?
It is a shame 66 missed so much time, I’d have loved to see what he would have done if healthy, but staying on the ice is also an accomplishment.
Bossy played on some pretty stacked teams as well
Ovi only has 1 Cup, are we supposed to hold that against him?

99 is still The Great One. Full stop.

Sorry. No, he is not really the Greatest Hockey Player of all time.

Let me make is simple to understand….

Dress the greatest Goalie of all time, and the six greatest defensemen of all time.

Clone them and have them be opposing each other in an NHL rink with honest referees.

One team has four forward lines of “The Great One”.
The other team has four forward lines of Ovechkins.


Do you think the Gretzky team would leave the dressing room to come out for the second period?
They would not.
They might not be able to skate, and if they were able… their common sense would tell them to wait for a flag ice-hockey championship.

One-dimensional and coddled players can not be called the Greatest Ice Hockey Players of All Time.

He is in the top ten… without an asterisk.


Ovechkin is the Greatest Goal Scorer of all time, without an asterisk, but as I mentioned, Bossy and Lemieux might make solid arguments.

This is the stupidest [shirt] I have read on this forum in years. Gretzky owns the majority of every record worth having in the whole sport. No one has been more dominate in their sport at least in North America. Not even micheal jordan..

You can enjoy the ways other play more and injuries and illnesses are a thing but that doesn't diminish the facts.

Mario was a hell of a player probably could of gave Wayne a run for his money if injury and illness wasn't a thing.

McDavid is a hell of a player may be the most skilled player ever we will see how many records he has in 10 to 12 years..

Comparing eras in sports is dumb btw. Just like the ring debate defining how good a player is. A ring is team achievement no single person ever won a ring themselves.

Pull our head out of the sand.

Gretzky had the greatest playmaking skills of anyone I have ever seen play the game. No asterisk.

To call him The Greatest Ice Hockey Player of All-Time is wishful Hero-worship.

So the guy was known as a playmaker and screwed around and got the 2nd most goals in history to go along with it.. sounds pretty good.

Look 7 or 8 year old me still believes Brett hull is the best scorer in history but reality says he is 5th..

I would say McDavid may be the most genetically gifted and skilled player the nhl has ever had you still got to play the games and put up the numbers.