As I was watching Ovechkin pass Mario Lemiuex in goals at my good friend and fellow Chirper Jake Miller’s house, I started to realize something. The entire hockey realm is witnessing history as Ovechkin continues to surpass some of the greatest legends the game has ever seen. As the Caps struggled heading into the all-star break, Ovechkin has put this team on his back as he scored 8 goals in the last 3 games. The first time he’s had 3 multi-goal games in his career. Back-to-back hatty’s. Driving this team back from a 4-1 deficit. The 34 year old still continues to dominate games with sheer will. People use to say he didn’t have what it takes to win. They were so wrong, he’s always had. He’s always had the competitive drive to win games for the Caps. No one is questioning that now. Some figured after he won his cup he may slow it down a bit. NOPE! I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this hungry to win.
In less than a week, he passed the Finnish Flash legend Teemu Selanne at 684, Super Mario Lemieux at 690, and tied “The Captain” Stevie Wonder Yzerman. When he passed Teemu, he needed 6 goals to pass Mario Lemieux. Many of us were looking ahead to the first Caps-Pens matchup of the season which was 6 games later. 6 goals in 6 games to pass Mario against the Pittsburgh Penguins A HUGE ask considering the scoring pace he was on before then. How poetic would that have been? To pass Mario against fuckin’ PITTSBURGH?? If anyone could do it, it would be Ovie. He’s had many of those moments before such as scoring his 1,000th point against the Penguins at home on the FIRST SHOT OF THE GAME (Humble brag, I was there, and it gave me chills).
Instead, Ovie decides to go on a scoring rampage and net a couple hattys. Passes Lemieux 2 games later. Are you fuckin kidding me? And it wasn’t a slouch goal, he brought vintage Ovie. We’re talking rookie season highlights, between the legs falling down around the defenseman at 34 YEARS OLD! Un-fucking-real.
Sure its a lucky bounce, but who cares? The Isles had 2 lucky bounces so the Caps were bound to have one.
And then he scores an empty-netter to tie Stevie Y (one of the few moves I’ve loved from Rierden is putting Ovie out with empty nets to pad the stats for the Gretzky chase).
Is Ovechkin the greatest goal-scorer of all time? The argument is right there. The pace he is on, Gretzky is VERY MUCH in play for the all time goals list. But to be able to score like this, season after season, this consistently during an era where goaltenders are 1000% times better than they were during Gretzky’s time is unheard of. In my opinion, this does make him the greatest goal scorer ever (and will be confirmed WHEN he passes The Great One). Selanne and Crosby both think he can do it as well.I don’t buy the “the equipment is better” narrative. It’s just so much harder to score goals in today’s game and he’s still doing it consistently.
Gretzky has an unreal amount of records, but there are some that are just absolutely untouchable. You can see these in the article of his unbreakable records. One of those records is Most goals all time at 894. If you follow John Buccigross on twitter, he has kept the pace that Ovechkin needs to pass Gretzky. And let me tell you it is VERY doable for The Great 8.
You hear some people/fan bases (mainly Penguins, Tampa, Rags fans, etc.) say how Ovechkin is “overrated” and he’s a one-trick pony. Well guess what, his “one trick” is scoring goals, which I think is kinda the point of the sport, to score more goals than the other team. And now he’s passing absolute legends in the history of hockey. To be able to sniff one of Gretzky’s “unbreakable” records and people are STILL trying to argue he’s overrated??
Get the fuck outta here with that nonsense. He’s top 10 ALL-TIME in goals, and about to reach 700 this season. You just CAN’T be overrated when you score 700 GOALS.
Keith Jones said it best “he looks like he’s still in his prime.” The way he’s played lately, I would agree. People ragging him for empty-netters? Listen to Spittin Chiclets legend Ryan Whitney when he says, “who the fuck cares if you score an empty-netter, a goal is a goal.”
It’s time the hockey world learns to appreciate greatness. I use to hate the shit out of Crosby. 3 cups later, and still dominating the game, I’ve learned to appreciate watching him play. There’s no doubt about it, Sid is a phenomenal player and is one of the best to play the game. Appreciate watching Ovechkin while we have him, appreciate watching Crosby as he might be on the back 9 of his career. Appreciate Connor McDavid, he IS the most electric player the game has ever seen. Appreciate how great this game has become with all of the sensational players we have in this game.
Chirpin' DMV 