Ovechkin's Goals Total is already more impressive than Gretzky's

[Mr. Friscus]

If you're not following the NHL, a major storyline is Alexander Ovechkin's chase of the all-time goal scoring record held by Wayne Gretzky, with 894 goals. Ovechkin currently stands at 848, but his feat is far more impressive than Gretzky's already.

The main reason is that Gretzky played in an era throughout the 80's and into the 90's where regular league averages were between 3.5 and 4 goals per game.

Meanwhile, Ovechkin played in the late 2000's until today, and goals per game are steadily between 2.7-3.1

So I decided to compare Gretzky and Ovechkin given their scoring rate in the era they played. I did this by..
1. Taking each individual season's goals per game
2. dividing it by the league average that season to produce a number
3. Adding up the numbers and dividing by the number the seasons

Examples:
1. 1979-80 Gretzky scored 51 goals in 79 games, thus producing a rate 0.64 goals per game. The league average that year was 3.51 goals per game.
0.64/3.51=0.18.

2. 2013-14 Ovechkin scored 51 goals in 78 games, thus producing a rate of 0.64 goals per game. The league average that year was 2.74 goals per game.
0.65/2.74=0.24

This produced an average of player's goals per game/league goal average over their entire career, which turned out to be:
Gretzky 0.161
Ovechkin 0.207

While Ovi has less goals, his goals were in significantly more difficult eras to score, thus the value of his scoring is higher given this.

Full Season by Season data is attached

 

[Winco]

Did The Great One hurt you in some way?
Wow, reaching.........

Thoughts are Jordan?

 

[Winco]

Assists.
A True Leader that makes others around him better.

How many of those 1963 assists could have been Goals by Gretzky, if he had been more selfish?

 

[rightwinger]

Assists.
A True Leader that makes others around him better.

View attachment 922927
How many of those 1963 assists could have been Goals by Gretzky, if he had been more selfish?

Gretzkys assists are off the charts
Over twice as many

 

[Mr. Friscus]

Gretzkys assists are off the charts
Over twice as many

Winco Nobody is talking about assists, I'm talking about goals. Obviously Gretzky is still the all-around greatest to have played, but he's not the greatest goal scorer.

 

[Mr. Friscus]

Did The Great One hurt you in some way?
Wow, reaching.........

Thoughts are Jordan?

That's on odd response.

Do you dispute the math?

 

[Mr. Friscus]

Thoughts are Jordan?

Why are you asking that in an NHL thread... LOL

 

[shockedcanadian]

If you're not following the NHL, a major storyline is Alexander Ovechkin's chase of the all-time goal scoring record held by Wayne Gretzky, with 894 goals. Ovechkin currently stands at 848, but his feat is far more impressive than Gretzky's already.

The main reason is that Gretzky played in an era throughout the 80's and into the 90's where regular league averages were between 3.5 and 4 goals per game.

Meanwhile, Ovechkin played in the late 2000's until today, and goals per game are steadily between 2.7-3.1

So I decided to compare Gretzky and Ovechkin given their scoring rate in the era they played. I did this by..
1. Taking each individual season's goals per game
2. dividing it by the league average that season to produce a number
3. Adding up the numbers and dividing by the number the seasons

Examples:
1. 1979-80 Gretzky scored 51 goals in 79 games, thus producing a rate 0.64 goals per game. The league average that year was 3.51 goals per game.
0.64/3.51=0.18.

2. 2013-14 Ovechkin scored 51 goals in 78 games, thus producing a rate of 0.64 goals per game. The league average that year was 2.74 goals per game.
0.65/2.74=0.24

This produced an average of player's goals per game/league goal average over their entire career, which turned out to be:
Gretzky 0.161
Ovechkin 0.207

While Ovi has less goals, his goals were in significantly more difficult eras to score, thus the value of his scoring is higher given this.

Full Season by Season data is attached

View attachment 922925

Ovie is Putins boy. Sadly, he once campaigned for Putin.

 

[rightwinger]

Winco Nobody is talking about assists, I'm talking about goals. Obviously Gretzky is still the all-around greatest to have played, but he's not the greatest goal scorer.

I think Winco is trying to make the point that the two are connected
Many players are either/or Gretzky was both
His off the charts assists show selfless play not a Goal Hog

 

[Mr. Friscus]

I think Winco is trying to make the point that the two are connected
Many players are either/or Gretzky was both
His off the charts assists show selfless play not a Goal Hog

Nobody is disputing his all around game.. I’m talking about a specific major aspect of the game, goal scoring. We do this all the time in the NBA with scoring vs. Assists vs rebounds

Even if Ovi retires with less goals, his total will be more impressive given the era he played in

 

[Couchpotato]

Nobody is disputing his all around game.. I’m talking about a specific major aspect of the game, goal scoring. We do this all the time in the NBA with scoring vs. Assists vs rebounds

Even if Ovi retires with less goals, his total will be more impressive given the era he played in

But if Gretzky took fewer shots than he could have opting to pass for a better shot his goal total would be less because of it.

The assist differential is 1300. Let’s say Gretsky shoots 75% of those. His goal percentage was 17.5. Giving him 174 more goals.