Ovechkin had a record setting season in 2014-2015. He has the opportunity to break even more in 2015-2016.
Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals has set various records over the years. It’s kind of hard to believe that he’s already turning 30 years old and he’s already played in 10 NHL seasons. 2015-2016 will be his eleventh season in the league. Quietly, Alex Ovechkin has set himself up to break quite a few records in 2015-2016.
First player to win the Art Ross Trophy, Maurice Richard Trophy, Lester B. Pearson Award and Hart Memorial Trophy as well as win all four in a single season
Most goals scored by a left-winger in a season (2007–08) – 65 goals
Most points scored by a left-wing rookie (2005–06) – 106 points
Most shots on goal by a left-winger in a season (2008–09) – 528 shots
Most shots on goal by a rookie in a season (2005–06) – 425 shots
Point streak in consecutive games to start an NHL career by a No. 1 overall pick (2005–06) – 8 games
Most regular season points by a Russian-born NHL rookie (2005–06) – 106 points
Fastest overtime goal – 6 seconds; (December 15, 2006 vs. Atlanta Thrashers; tied with Mats Sundin and David Legwand)
Only player to be named to both the NHL First and Second All-Star Teams in the same season: 2012–13
Most seasons with 50 or more goals – 6 (2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2013–14, 2014–15)
Most shots on goal in a season – 528 (2008–09)
Most goals in a season (2007–08) – 65 goals
Most power play goals – 176 (April 12, 2015)
Most power play goals in a season (2014–15) – 25 PP goals
Most career overtime goals – 15 OT goals
Most career penalty shots attempted – 10 shots (most recent on March 7, 2015)
Most goals in a season by a rookie (2005–06) – 52 goals
Most points in a season by a rookie (2005–06) – 106 points
Point streak by a rookie – 11 games (17 points; 5 goals, 12 assists), March 18 – April 7, 2006
Point streak by a rookie to start season – 8 games
Goal streak by a rookie – 7 games, February 10 – March 8, 2006
Most career goals – 475
Most career points – 895
There are even more records that Alex Ovechkin has set regarding players from Moscow and players born in 1985. Alex Ovechkin has a very realistic chance of breaking five more NHL records in 2015-2016. Let’s take a look at what other records Ovechkin will capture next season.
Next: Most Goals In The 21st Century
Alex Ovechkin Could Break The Record For Most Goals Since 2000
Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Alex Ovechkin is historically good at scoring goals. It comes as no surprise that Ovechkin has a reasonable shot at breaking a record involving putting the biscuit in the basket. Currently, Ovechkin has 475 goals in the 21st century. Jarome Iginla of the Colorado Avalanche is the current leader with 498 goals, leaving Ovechkin 23 goals behind Iginla. The crazy thing? Alex Ovechkin gave Iginla a four year start, as Ovechkin didn’t even play a game in the NHL until 2005. Iginla has played 320 more games than Ovechkin.
There are, however, a major complication to breaking this record. Iginla is still active, and while he isn’t as excellent at scoring goals as Ovi, he’s still better than most. At the age of 37 years old, Iginla scored 29 goals (tied for 16th in the NHL). He’ll be 38 years old this season, but Iginla has done a great job of minimizing the effects of Father Time. The last time that Iginla scored less than 29 goals in a season that wasn’t shortened by a lockout? 1998, when he scored 28.
It’s safe to assume that Iginla will score at least 29 goals. If Iginla scores 29 goals next season, Alex Ovechkin will be 52 goals behind Iginla. He’d need to score 53 goals in that scenario in order to pass Iginla. This number, of course, will vary depending on how many goals Iginla scores in 2015-2016. This isn’t a *huge* record, but it is a record that makes you realize just how much better Alex Ovechkin is at scoring goals than his peers.
LIKELIHOOD OF BREAKING THE RECORD: I think it is stretching it a bit to say that Ovechkin will have another 53 goal season, but again, that number could vary. The safe bet is that Ovechkin will have to score at least 53 goals, since Iginla is remarkably consistent of scoring at least 29 goals. I’ll put his chances at 50%. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Ovi broke this record because there isn’t much that Ovi could do at this point that would surprise me. I’ve come to expect greatness from him. For Ovechkin, greatness is routine.
Next: Most Shots On Goal Since 1999
Most Shots On Goal Since 1999
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Alex Ovechkin already has the record for most shots on goal since the start of the 2000 season. So what’s next? Why not break the record for most shots on goal since 1999 just for kicks? Currently, since 1999, Ovechkin has 3,830 shots on goal. That puts him in second place. Iginla is in first place with 3,890. Did I mention Iginla got a five season (or 392 game) head start to this record and Ovechkin has still caught up? That’s like Usain Bolt giving everyone a 33 meter head start in a 100 meter race and still beating everyone to the finish line.
Live Feed class=inline-text id=inline-text-3The Washington Capitals only have one thing on their mind /
Like the last record, this record has a slight complication since Iginla is still an active player. He had 189 shots on goal last season. His shot generation numbers have slipped over the years. Like most players, his ability to shoot the puck maxed out at 30 years old (4.12 shots on goal per game in 2007-2008). He had an even better season at the age of 25, but we’ll ignore that for this exercise. Since then, his numbers have steadily decreased. He had 2.30 shots on goal per game in 2014-2015. That was his lowest total since the 1997-1998 season, his second season in the NHL. 2.15 shots on goal per game seems like a pretty good estimate for 2015-2016.
If Iginla averages 2.15 shots per game in 2015-2016 that will lead to 176 shots on goal for Iginla. Add that to his sixty shot lead, and that will mean Alex Ovechkin will need 236 shots on goal in order to break Iginla’s record. Ovechkin’s lowest shots on goal total in a full season? 303 shots in 2011-2012 (the only season since he’s been in the league that he hasn’t led the NHL in shots on goal). It took Dale Hunter‘s offense-starved hockey to stop Ovechkin from leading the NHL in shots on goal.
Like the previous record, this record doesn’t have much meaning. It’s just a really fun record that reminds you how blessed we are to watch Ovi play hockey. Not only is he insanely good at scoring goals, he’s insanely good at generating shot attempts. Everyone knows what he’s going to do. Teams create gameplans that are supposed to keep Ovechkin from shooting the puck. And you know what? He still does it better than everyone else.
LIKELIHOOD OF BREAKING THIS RECORD: Is it possible for something to be more likely than 100%? Barring a major injury, this is a record that Ovechkin is going to break.
Next: Capitals Even Strength Goal Record
Capitals Career Even Strength Goals Record
Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Alex Ovechkin has set pretty much every major Capitals record that he can break except for two. He’s 224 games away from breaking Calle Johansson‘s franchise record of 983 games played. However, there is a lesser record that Alex Ovechkin will almost assuredly break during the 2015-2016 season: career goals at even strength.
Currently, Ovechkin has 295 even strength goals. That places him in second place to Peter Bondra‘s 303. To give this record a bit of perspective, it took Bondra 961 games with the Caps to get his 303 even strength goals. Ovechkin has eight less goals at even strength in 201 less games than Bondra.
LIKELIHOOD OF BREAKING THIS RECORD: It’s not a matter of “if” Ovechkin will break this record. It is simply a matter of “when” he will do it. Let’s take a look at when he will likely break it. Ovechkin scores roughly .388 even strength goals per game. That puts him at breaking Bondra’s record roughly 22 to 26 games into the season. As of right now, I don’t know the Caps schedule for next season. I’ll be sure to update you once the regular season schedule is released so you can try to pick a game to be at (or watch) and see if you get lucky enough to witness history!
Alex Ovechkin has already set a ton of NHL and Capitals records. That’s far too boring for him. Now it’s time for him to start setting some Russian records. He currently ranks second all-time among all Russian NHL players with 3,830 shots on goal. Who’s first? Is it perhaps Pavel Bure? Nope. It’s Ovechkin’s former teammate Sergei Fedorov, who Ovechkin has the utmost respect for. Fedorov is largely considered to be Russia’s Wayne Gretzky (at least as far as NHL success), so breaking any NHL record held by Fedorov has to be a pretty big deal for Ovechkin. Fedorov had 3,985 shots on goal during his impressive NHL career. That leaves Alex Ovechkin 165 shots on goal shy of Fedorov’s record.
LIKELIHOOD OF BREAKING THIS RECORD: Once again, barring severe injury, it’s not a matter of “if” Ovechkin will break this record. It’s simply a matter of “when” he will break it. When will he break it? Let’s assume that Alex Ovechkin continues his 2014-2015 pace of 4.88 shots on goal per game. That means that he’ll break the record in his 34th game of the season.
Alex Ovechkin will break it in his 794th game if that holds true. It took Fedorov 1,248 games to accumulate 3,985 shots on goal. Ovechkin will have gotten 3,986 shots on goal in roughly 63.6% of the time that it took Fedorov to get his 3,985 shots on goal. Pretty impressive when you think about it.
Next: Career Goals By A Russian
Career Goals By A Russian
Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
The most important record that Alex Ovechkin will most likely set in the 2015-2016 season is one that involves Sergei Fedorov. It’s a record that I’m sure Ovechkin will view with a ton of humility and pride at the same time. That record? Career NHL goals scored by a player born in Russia.
Ovechkin is eight goals away from tying Fedorov’s record and nine goals away from breaking it. Going off of Ovechkin’s career rate of 0.63 goals per game (it was actually 0.65 in 2014-2015), Ovechkin will likely break Fedorov’s record somewhere between the 12th and 15th games of the 2015-2016 NHL season. As soon as the NHL schedule is released, I’ll let you know which teams they play during that game span. It’s always fun to witness history!
