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Washington Capitals: In appreciation of Alex Ovechkin and chasing down Wayne Gretzky

By Andrew Gillis

Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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Adjusted Goals

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 20: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates after Brett Connolly #10 scored a goal in the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena on April 20, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 20: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates after Brett Connolly #10 scored a goal in the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena on April 20, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images) /

The way to start this is simply to say that Ovechkin is the greatest goal scorer of his generation.

A more statistical and contextual opinion, however, supports a theory that Ovechkin is already the greatest goal scorer of all time, even if he retired today.

Ovechkin led the league in goals once again this season, his age 33 season, with 51 goals on the year. He won his eighth Rocket Richard Trophy, which is the most in league history by a margin of six. He’s also led the NHL in goals more times than any other in league history (eight times), one more than Bobby Hull and two more than Phil Esposito.

But it’s unfair to compare Ovechkin to the counterparts of yesteryear, simply because the game is different than it was 30 and 40 years ago. Goal-scoring saw a boom in the 1980s and a significant dip in the 90s “Dead Puck Era,” which the league never fully swung back from.

And since hockey is a weird sport which has changed pretty drastically over the years, a thing called “adjusted goals” exists. Here’s a brief explanation.

Essentially, this is a way to even the playing field to adjust for when goal-scoring was up or down on a given year. Players in the 80s will see their numbers deflated, and players in the 90s see their numbers inflated, for example.

Ovechkin has 740 adjusted goals for his career, which places him fifth all time on this list. He’s just one adjusted goal behind Selanne and 18 behind Gretzky. Gordie Howe leads the category with 925.

RALEIGH, NC – OCTOBER 12: Alexander Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates with teammate Andrew Cassels #25 after scoring a goal assisted by Cassels in the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes on October 12, 2005 at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo By Streeter Lecka)
RALEIGH, NC – OCTOBER 12: Alexander Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates with teammate Andrew Cassels #25 after scoring a goal assisted by Cassels in the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes on October 12, 2005 at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo By Streeter Lecka) /

Howe played 26 seasons in the NHL. Selanne played 22 seasons. Jaromir Jagr, in second, played 24, whereas Ovechkin just finished his 14th season.

Speaking through adjusted numbers, there’s a very real and very legitimate argument Alex Ovechkin is already the greatest goal-scorer to ever live, considering the expected length of Ovechkin’s career still to come.

But unfortunately for Ovechkin, those aren’t the numbers we’re talking about — because they don’t exist in the record book. So let’s look at where he really stands in league history.

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