Alexander Ovechkin, the world's most dominant goal-scorer, could make history by winning his eighth Rocket Richard Trophy this season.
photo: Andre Ringuette / HHOF-IIHF Images
Last season, Alexander Ovechkin passed Bobby Hull (610 career NHL goals) on the all-time list of NHL goal-scorers. However, the 33-year-old captain of the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals and the long-retired 79-year-old “Golden Jet” are still tied in one noteworthy category: most NHL goal-scoring titles won. They have seven apiece.
So what are the chances that Ovechkin will add another Rocket Richard Trophy to his mantelpiece at the conclusion of the 2018-19 regular season and claim sole possession of the record?
It’s hard to bet against the sharp-shooting, hulking Russian left winger. He’s led the league in goals in five out of the last six seasons, only outdone in 2016-17 by his longtime rival, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“He’s got a once-in-a-generation type of shot,” Washington goalie Braden Holtby said of Ovechkin. “He can shoot anywhere at anything. It comes off weird. You’ve got a 235-pound man with an 80-flex stick with that curve. You don’t see it every day. He’s one-of-a-kind.”
That said, this season Ovechkin is facing multiple challenges to his sniping supremacy. Many other top goal-scorers are both younger and faster than him in an NHL now focused on those assets.
With 21 goals, Ovechkin is currently tied for the league lead with Patrick Laine of the Winnipeg Jets and Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Laine, who idolized the Great 8 as a kid, is the most obvious heir apparent. Laine potted a whopping 18 goals in November, including a five-goal outburst against the St. Louis Blues. But to name just a few, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins and Jeff Skinner of the Buffalo Sabres also look like Rocket Richard contenders.
And while two-time NHL points champion Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers – like Crosby – is more focused on playmaking than shooting, McDavid’s blazing speed and relentless mental focus could easily push him into the Rocket conversation too.
Regardless, there is no reason to believe that a healthy Ovechkin won’t stay in the goals hunt. He played a full 82 games the last two years and has never missed more than 10 games in one season. He’s getting more than 21 minutes of ice time most nights.
“I hope my body is going to feel the same,” Ovechkin said. “Of course you have some bruises and some soreness, but it’s fine. You get used to it.”
So what are the chances that Ovechkin will add another Rocket Richard Trophy to his mantelpiece at the conclusion of the 2018-19 regular season and claim sole possession of the record?
It’s hard to bet against the sharp-shooting, hulking Russian left winger. He’s led the league in goals in five out of the last six seasons, only outdone in 2016-17 by his longtime rival, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“He’s got a once-in-a-generation type of shot,” Washington goalie Braden Holtby said of Ovechkin. “He can shoot anywhere at anything. It comes off weird. You’ve got a 235-pound man with an 80-flex stick with that curve. You don’t see it every day. He’s one-of-a-kind.”
That said, this season Ovechkin is facing multiple challenges to his sniping supremacy. Many other top goal-scorers are both younger and faster than him in an NHL now focused on those assets.
With 21 goals, Ovechkin is currently tied for the league lead with Patrick Laine of the Winnipeg Jets and Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Laine, who idolized the Great 8 as a kid, is the most obvious heir apparent. Laine potted a whopping 18 goals in November, including a five-goal outburst against the St. Louis Blues. But to name just a few, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins and Jeff Skinner of the Buffalo Sabres also look like Rocket Richard contenders.
And while two-time NHL points champion Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers – like Crosby – is more focused on playmaking than shooting, McDavid’s blazing speed and relentless mental focus could easily push him into the Rocket conversation too.
Regardless, there is no reason to believe that a healthy Ovechkin won’t stay in the goals hunt. He played a full 82 games the last two years and has never missed more than 10 games in one season. He’s getting more than 21 minutes of ice time most nights.
“I hope my body is going to feel the same,” Ovechkin said. “Of course you have some bruises and some soreness, but it’s fine. You get used to it.”
Legendary Bobby Hull with the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's scoring leader in 1960.
Realistically, Ovechkin will likely never match his 65-goal peak of 2007-08 again. But his productivity seems less affected by age than Bobby Hull’s was. All seven of Hull’s goal-scoring titles came with the 1960s Chicago Blackhawks, with five in the “Original Six” era and two in the post-1967-expansion 12-team league (1960, 1962, 1964, 1966-69). The “Golden Jet” never led the NHL again after age 30.
There are other reasons to believe Ovechkin will remain prolific. Since Washington defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in last year’s final, the number-one overall pick in the 2004 NHL Draft no longer carries the burden of never having won a Stanley Cup. He also has bought into a team-first mentality more than ever before, and playing two-way hockey is creating chances for him.
There are other reasons to believe Ovechkin will remain prolific. Since Washington defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in last year’s final, the number-one overall pick in the 2004 NHL Draft no longer carries the burden of never having won a Stanley Cup. He also has bought into a team-first mentality more than ever before, and playing two-way hockey is creating chances for him.
I think that’s where you see a different player than maybe you saw three or four years ago.
“He’s not focused on individual stuff. He’s doing the right thing. He feels that if you do the right thing for long enough, you’re going to get rewarded,” Reirden added.
While Ovechkin is best-known for his vicious one-timer from the left faceoff circle, he maintains a diverse shot selection, scoring off rebounds, tips, and shots on the rush using an opposing defenceman as a screen, to name just a few options.
It also helps that Ovechkin has a more experienced supporting cast around him compared to, for instance, 2007-08. His longtime compadre Nicklas Backstrom has picked right up where he left off in last year’s playoffs (23 points in 20 games). Ultra-creative playmaker Yevgeni Kuznetsov truly entered the NHL’s elite in 2018, leading the post-season in scoring (32 points). And they both can shoot too.
“I think goalies don’t respect [Kuznetsov and Backstrom] as much as shooters a lot of the time, because they like to bump it off to T.J. Oshie and me and Ovi,” said defenceman John Carlson. “Those are more the shooters on the power play. It’s big for us to catch goalies leaning back, looking for where the puck’s going to go next, and then surprise them a little bit.”
Even while speculation reigns that Laine could someday become the first player to top 70 goals since fellow Finn Teemu Selanne did it in 1992-93 with the Jets (76 goals), Ovechkin just keeps producing. And if he doesn’t win his eighth goal-scoring title, it’s improbable anyone else will even get close to passing him and Bobby Hull soon. Among active players, Crosby and Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning are next in line with two Rocket Richard Trophies apiece.
Can Ovi surpass Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record (894 goals)? There’s a slight chance, but that’s another story for another time.
Recently, Ovechkin moved up to 15th place on the all-time goals list, passing Joe Sakic and Jarome Iginla (625 goals apiece). Those retired Canadian veterans are forever linked in IIHF history as the offensive heroes of Canada’s 5-2 gold medal game victory over the host Americans at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.
Setting aside his bids to surpass Bobby Hull and win another Cup, Ovechkin, a three-time IIHF World Champion (2008, 2012, 2014), still has some team goals left to achieve in international hockey.
Will his lethal shot lead Russia to gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and make him the latest addition to the IIHF’s Triple Gold Club (Stanley Cup, Worlds gold, Olympic gold) after Pavel Datsyuk in 2018? Stay tuned.
While Ovechkin is best-known for his vicious one-timer from the left faceoff circle, he maintains a diverse shot selection, scoring off rebounds, tips, and shots on the rush using an opposing defenceman as a screen, to name just a few options.
It also helps that Ovechkin has a more experienced supporting cast around him compared to, for instance, 2007-08. His longtime compadre Nicklas Backstrom has picked right up where he left off in last year’s playoffs (23 points in 20 games). Ultra-creative playmaker Yevgeni Kuznetsov truly entered the NHL’s elite in 2018, leading the post-season in scoring (32 points). And they both can shoot too.
“I think goalies don’t respect [Kuznetsov and Backstrom] as much as shooters a lot of the time, because they like to bump it off to T.J. Oshie and me and Ovi,” said defenceman John Carlson. “Those are more the shooters on the power play. It’s big for us to catch goalies leaning back, looking for where the puck’s going to go next, and then surprise them a little bit.”
Even while speculation reigns that Laine could someday become the first player to top 70 goals since fellow Finn Teemu Selanne did it in 1992-93 with the Jets (76 goals), Ovechkin just keeps producing. And if he doesn’t win his eighth goal-scoring title, it’s improbable anyone else will even get close to passing him and Bobby Hull soon. Among active players, Crosby and Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning are next in line with two Rocket Richard Trophies apiece.
Can Ovi surpass Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record (894 goals)? There’s a slight chance, but that’s another story for another time.
Recently, Ovechkin moved up to 15th place on the all-time goals list, passing Joe Sakic and Jarome Iginla (625 goals apiece). Those retired Canadian veterans are forever linked in IIHF history as the offensive heroes of Canada’s 5-2 gold medal game victory over the host Americans at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.
Setting aside his bids to surpass Bobby Hull and win another Cup, Ovechkin, a three-time IIHF World Champion (2008, 2012, 2014), still has some team goals left to achieve in international hockey.
Will his lethal shot lead Russia to gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and make him the latest addition to the IIHF’s Triple Gold Club (Stanley Cup, Worlds gold, Olympic gold) after Pavel Datsyuk in 2018? Stay tuned.