OV hopes to end NHL career in Washington and then Russia

[grandmaster]

https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/2047767
 

Alex Ovechkin isn't done lighting up the NHL just yet, but the superstar recently confirmed he hopes to end his playing career in his hometown of Moscow.

"My career is not over yet. I'm still in my prime," Ovechkin told Russian Television International, as translated by Sportsnet. "I think I will definitely play for a few more years, God grant that my health is good. I would finish in Russia at Dynamo Moscow."

Ovechkin, 35, is fresh off posting 48 goals and 67 points this past regular season. The gargantuan 13-year contract he signed in 2008 is set to expire after the 2020-21 campaign, which would make him an unrestricted free agent for the first time.

 

 

However, Ovi assured he wants to finish his NHL career with the Washington Capitals.

"It's not a question of money. It's a matter of principle," he said. "I played for only two teams - Dynamo and Washington."

He added, "It is clear, in two, three, four years, maybe five, I will end my career in Washington," Ovechkin said. "I want to end on a beautiful note - to play my last match for Dynamo Moscow."

The nine-time "Rocket" Richard winner became the eighth player in NHL history to reach 700 career goals, finishing the campaign with 706. Ovechkin is currently 188 behind Wayne Gretzky's all-time record of 894; if he does end up playing five more NHL seasons, he'd need to average 38 tallies to finish atop the list.

Ovechkin spent four seasons with Dynamo before bursting onto the NHL scene in 2005-06. He also played there during the lockout stoppage in 2012.

[grandmaster]

He still has a good chance at beating Gretzky’s record. We are all lucky to see this guy play (I’m also lucky to have seen the Great One). 
 

Hope he breaks it. 
 

 

Love this guy!

 

 

Edited November 5, 2020 by grandmaster

[Coconuts]

Damn, there goes the dream of rebuilding the 2016-17 Washington Capitals in Vancouver

[Coconuts]

Really though, if Covid ends up costing Ovi the goal scoring record it'll be a damn shame 

 

Between it and the lockout shortened season he's lost some goals 

[Quantum]

I have a feeling he'll play in the NHL for at least another 4 years. I have to assume he's gonna try and break Gretzky's record. He probably leaves the NHL when he's between the ages of 38-40 and then he plays for Dynamo until he's 42-44, similar to what Datsyuk is doing now. (Datsyuk is 42 and playing in the KHL on Tryamkin's team right now). This is all barring that he doesn't suffer some sort of career ending injury between now and then.

[Rubik]

1 hour ago, grandmaster said:

"It's not a question of money. It's a matter of principle," he said. "I played for only two teams - Dynamo and Washington."

class act. I like it when people think like that. I didn't like him when he was younger, but he matured a lot... not everybody does though.

 

45 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

Damn, there goes the dream of rebuilding the 2016-17 Washington Capitals in Vancouver

do you mean the 2017-18 Capitals? you know, when they actually won the cup...

Edited November 6, 2020 by Rubik

[Coconuts]

22 minutes ago, Rubik said:

class act. I like it when people think like that. I didn't like him when he was younger, but he matured a lot... not everybody does though.

 

do you mean the 2017-18 Capitals? you know, when they actually won the cup...

Schmidt wasn't on that team unfortunately, he was playing for the Knights 

 

God I'm still happy Washington put them down 

[Rubik]

5 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

Schmidt wasn't on that team unfortunately, he was playing for the Knights 

 

God I'm still happy Washington put them down 

oh okay, you're absolutely right.

 

That was a good SCF though; I remember game 1 was really crazy back and forth, and also Holtby made an unbelievable save late in the following game I guess. To be honest though I kinda liked the cinderella story with Vegas, but at the same time I really wanted Ovi to win it finally. The only thing that bothered me was that stupid Kuznetsov celly, it was just so silly and unnecessary. But still, it was super fun for me, great hockey.

 

Haven't watched the last two finals.

[Coconuts]

6 minutes ago, Rubik said:

oh okay, you're absolutely right.

 

That was a good SCF though; I remember game 1 was really crazy back and forth, and also Holtby made an unbelievable save late in the following game I guess. To be honest though I kinda liked the cinderella story with Vegas, but at the same time I really wanted Ovi to win it finally. The only thing that bothered me was that stupid Kuznetsov celly, it was just so silly and unnecessary. But still, it was super fun for me, great hockey.

 

Haven't watched the last two finals.

I was terrified of a first year team winning the cup when several fanbases who've watched their team for decades (including ours) have yet to win a single one. Ovi and Backstrom winning it was another part of it for sure, but not the biggest part. 

 

I watched some of the Blues, it was lovely seeing Boston lose again. I watched bits and pieces of this years, but not as much. 

[KirkSave]

I was at the game in Vancouver 2010 Olympics where he crushed Jagr. I was in the lower bowl behind the Russian net and you could hear the "smack" when the collided. Hardest, cleanest hit I had ever seen live and it led to a goal but the hit was the best part of the sequence. Not to mention, Jagr is a beast and Ovi dropped him like nothing. Ovi is one of the greatest talents the game has ever seen and he has a mean streak!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ghostsof1915]

You must be Doc Ovi. Are you retired too?

 

"Not me....I'm in my prime..." 

 

 

[King Heffy]

6 hours ago, grandmaster said:

He still has a good chance at beating Gretzky’s record. We are all lucky to see this guy play (I’m also lucky to have seen the Great One). 
 

Hope he breaks it. 
 

 

Love this guy!

 

 

Well said.  Greatest goalscorer of all time already, and one of the games great personalities.  Huge fan.

[Drakrami]

Even though I think Gretzky's record shouldn't be broken to wreck a legend unless it's by someone that's McDavid like. I like Ovechkin enough to wish him good luck. He was spectacular in his early years.

[Ghostsof1915]

8 minutes ago, Drakrami said:

Even though I think Gretzky's record shouldn't be broken to wreck a legend unless it's by someone that's McDavid like. I like Ovechkin enough to wish him good luck. He was spectacular in his early years.

Gretzky himself says the record he's most proud of is 50 goals in 39 games. 

I think that would take an exceptional player to ever match or beat that. (If it can even happen in today's NHL). 

[khay]

12 minutes ago, Drakrami said:

Even though I think Gretzky's record shouldn't be broken to wreck a legend unless it's by someone that's McDavid like. I like Ovechkin enough to wish him good luck. He was spectacular in his early years.

What does this "someone that's McDavid like" mean? Do you mean it's OK for Canadians like McDavid to break the record but not for a Russian? If a Russian breaks the record, it's somehow wrecking a legend? lol

 

McDavid is nowhere near Ovi in terms of goal scoring. If anyone is going to break it, it might as well be Ovi because he is arguably the greatest goalscorer of all time. It's fitting that the greatest goal scorer in hockey owns the most goals record.

[King Heffy]

56 minutes ago, Drakrami said:

Even though I think Gretzky's record shouldn't be broken to wreck a legend unless it's by someone that's McDavid like. I like Ovechkin enough to wish him good luck. He was spectacular in his early years.

Ovechkin>>>McDiver.  Ovechkin plays tougher, is more physical, is consistent as hell with insane durability for the style he brings, and is an actual leader in the room.  Plus he has a cup, which McNugget won't ever get until he goes to an actual NHL team and starts being a team player.

 

Ovechkin doesn't get nearly the respect he deserves.

Edited November 6, 2020 by King Heffy

[Coconuts]

54 minutes ago, Drakrami said:

Even though I think Gretzky's record shouldn't be broken to wreck a legend unless it's by someone that's McDavid like. I like Ovechkin enough to wish him good luck. He was spectacular in his early years.

McDavid like? Gonna have to disagree with you there. There's no question that McDavid has talent, but he's nowhere near the pure goalscorer Ovi is and has been. 

 

McDavid's a helluva player, but he's a different player whereas Ovi's always been about goals. He's arguably the greatest goalscorer of all time regardless of whether he breaks Gretsky's record or not. 

[grandmaster]

10 minutes ago, King Heffy said:

Ovechkin>>>McDiver.  Ovechkin plays tougher, is more physical, is consistent as hell with insane durability for the style he brings, and is an actual leader in the room.  Plus he has a cup, which McNugget won't ever get until he goes to an actual NHL team and starts being a team player.

Both phenomenal players. I would choose OV though.

[Pears]

7 hours ago, Coconuts said:

Really though, if Covid ends up costing Ovi the goal scoring record it'll be a damn shame 

 

Between it and the lockout shortened season he's lost some goals 

129 games between 2005, 2012-13 and this season. Really makes you wonder where he’d be had those games been played. 

[King Heffy]

Just now, Pears said:

129 games between 2005, 2012-13 and this season. Really makes you wonder where he’d be had those games been played. 

Still think he makes it.  That Cup win took a huge weight off his shoulders and he's still playing some of the best hockey of his career.