In 2016, this reporter got quite the response from Ovechkin about surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s record 894 career goals. The math added up, but Ovechkin had considerable doubt
It’s one of the hottest NHL topics along coffee row, so let’s get brewing.
Recommended Videos
Will he or won’t he? And if you don’t know who I mean, you should take a few hot sips of some stiff java.
Alex Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s career goal record has captured the imagination for years. And with the 39-year-old Washington Capitals superstar once again turning back the competitive clock, his ascension to become the greatest sniper of all time seems like a matter of when and not if.
And that’s where it gets interesting.
Ovechkin suffered a left-knee injury in a third-period collision with Jack McBain on Monday after scoring twice in a 6-2 victory at Salt Lake City. The initial diagnosis Tuesday was a week-to-week absence, and further evaluation Wednesday should provide a better timeline.
Ovechkin could have sustained a Grade 2 MCL (medial collateral sprain) and his recovery could vary.
“I would say maximum four to six weeks,” said B.C. physician Dr. Harjas Grewal. “Some studies have shown players back as quick as two weeks. Imaging is just one piece of the puzzle. Swelling, pain, stability and even the game schedule can further influence when someone comes back.”
The Capitals play at Rogers Arena on Jan. 25, so Ovechkin could possibly continue his pursuit here. In the interim, we’re starting to do some new math.
Can The Great 8 recover in time and have enough runway to surpass the Great One this season? If not, he has a season left on a five-year, US$47.50 million extension to go one better than Gretzky’s record 894 goals.
Ovechkin had a hat trick Sunday and his two goals Monday have the Russian winger at 868, just 27 shy of establishing a new NHL record.
The Capitals have 64 games remaining, and depending on how many Ovechkin misses, he’ll have to get on a real heater. Had he not been injured, it meant basically scoring every other night to pass Gretzky this season.
Then again, after not scoring in his first three games this season, Ovechkin has only gone two games without a goal.
Canucks winger Danton Heinen knows how hard it is to contain Ovechkin. He was with the Boston Bruins for four seasons and heated battles with the Caps always brought out the best in Ovechkin.
And even though Heinen and his teammates knew Ovechkin would get to his sweet shooting spot on the left O-zone faceoff dot, he was still hard to stop.
“That’s the crazy thing,” Heninen recalled Tuesday. “Everybody knows where he’s going, and where he will be, but he still does it year after year. That just shows you he shoots it too hard and he gets it off too fast. And a lot from the same spot.
“You have to give guys like (Nicklus) Backstrom credit to find him on that spot. I remember being on the PK and thinking you have him (Ovechkin) and then there would be a quick puck off the wall, and bang, it’s in the net.
“It’s unbelievable. He’s 39 and you’ve just got to tip your cap. It’s so hard on the body. It would be very cool if he did it (break Gretzky’s record).”
FIRST SERVING: Ovechkin: ‘You have to be done when it’s time, and of course, that is going to be hard’
There’s a Canucks connection to Ovechkin’s quest to top the performance podium and become the NHL’s all-time scoring leader.
Prior to the Canucks facing the Capitals in January of 2016, Ovechkin was on another heater. And this reporter got quite the response from The Great 8 about surpassing Gretzky’s record.
The math added up but Ovechkin wasn’t overwhelmed by what that would require.
At that time, the Russian winger was 30. He had 26 goals and finished with 53 in the middle of a three-year run that also produced 51 and 50-goal campaigns.
So on a practice day in Arlington, Va., it only seemed appropriate to think of what could be. Averaging 40 goals over the next 10 seasons would surpass The Great One, right OV?
“Ten years? I don’t think I’m going to play 10 years,” Ovechkin responded to me with a chuckle. “I’m not (Jaromir) Jagr. As long as I’m healthy and can produce. The physicality is the most important thing. You can play, but what’s the point if you can’t do anything out there?
“You just embarrass yourself and embarrass your name. You have to be done when it’s time, and of course, that is going to be hard. But sometimes you have to do that.”
Or not.
SECOND SERVING: ‘You want people to care, but I stay off it (social media). I don’t look at anything’
Good to bad. Hero to zero. Cheers to jeers.
You name it and you’ve probably read it, or at least, heard about it, via various social media accounts.
Passionate Canucks fans are all in on using platforms to cheer and salute and also rant and rave. And as they’ve said for years in the communication industry from coast to coast: ‘There ain’t no Twitter (now ‘X’) like Canucks Twitter.
The 24/7 devotion and emotion attached to the local NHL club is akin to following your favourite musician or actor. You either love or hate the work with each song or movie. The Canucks microscope is much more intense. It focuses on every shift.
It’s why Elias Pettersson recently told the Swedish-based Expressen newspaper about deleting his social-media accounts because of the amount of scrutiny and negativity.
“I have removed all my social media, which is nice because I’m not walking around wasting time on scrolling the internet,” Pettersson told Expressen. “I also get more done at home. It’s very nice not to read and check Instagram. I live my life and try to turn my season around.”
It’s quite the departure for Pettersson, who has used platforms to express his personality and interest in fashion.
Heinen understands the pitfalls of checking social media. The Langley native not only kept tabs on the Canucks when he played for the Boston Bruins, who also have a vocal following that engages in hot social-media takes, he knew when to unplug.
“It was hard not to keep tabs on the Canucks because there was so much noise around the team,” recalled Heinen. “It’s the fan base and you want passionate fans. You want people to care, but I stay off it (social media). I don’t look at anything. I keep it simple.
“It sounds lame, but I don’t do a whole lot. I go for walks and hang out with my wife and spend time with friends and family.”
Quinn Hughes took to reading books to get away from the fishbowl existence of being captain and heavily critiqued.
“It’s better than being on my phone,” said Hughes. “It quiets the mind and you learn something. You’re not stimulated on your phone all day looking at this and that. I’ve just really enjoyed learning.”