Any fan who has followed hockey for the past two decades has seen two of the greatest players of all time go head-to-head time and time again.
And this season may just be the year we see both of them make history.
Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin have been the faces of the National Hockey League since their rookie seasons in 2005-06. Ovechkin is on the cusp of becoming the greatest goal-scorer of all time, while Crosby has solidified himself as one of the greatest all-around players of all time.
Regardless of the team you choose to root for this season, Crosby and Ovechkin will, once again, be must-see television.
Will Ovi get to 895?
© Geoff Burke – USA TODAY Sports
It wasn’t too long ago that Gretzky’s goal record of 894 seemed unbreakable. The second-closest player to Gretzky, for the longest time, was Gordie Howe at 801.
Ovechkin has completely turned the tables.
Throughout his NHL career, there is only one season – 2020-21 – where Ovechkin scored less than 30 goals. He scored 24 that season but played in only 45 games due to the shortened season and injury.
Otherwise – even last season at 38 years old – he has been remarkably, consistently great at finding the back of the net.
Ovechkin has scored 50, 42, and 31 goals over the last three seasons, respectively. He currently sits at 853 all-time and needs 42 to break Gretzky’s record at age 39. Can he do it this season?
Forty-two goals is a lot to ask of a player knocking on 40’s door, but no goal-scorer has ever been quite like Ovechkin. If he remains healthy for the entire season – and keeps pace with what he accomplished during the second half last season – it is definitely feasible that we could see him accomplish the unthinkable this spring.
Will Crosby be the most consistent player of all time?
© Charles LeClaire – USA TODAY Sports
Although it might not be as sexy as “greatest goal scorer of all time,” Crosby is chasing quite the near-unbreakable record of his own this season.
As it stands, there are only two players in NHL history – Gretzky and Crosby – who have registered 19 NHL seasons at or above point-per-game. Crosby will look to have sole possession of the record this season by earning his 20th.
How hard is it to accomplish a feat like this? Well, for perspective, the next-closest player to Gretzky previously was – once again – Gordie Howe at 17. However, Howe played 26 NHL seasons – whereas both Crosby and Gretzky managed to put together 19 consecutive point-per-game seasons to start their respective careers.
So, in Crosby’s case, he has, quite literally, never had an NHL season below point-per-game, which is something no other player in NHL history has done. Also, Crosby is the only player in NHL history to average over a point-per-game for 19 seasons, as Gretzky had 18 (Gretzky averaged exactly a point-per-game in 1994-95, when he registered 48 in 48).
If Crosby breaks the tie this season, it would be the perfect record for him to hold: He is already NHL history’s hallmark of consistent greatness, and having a record of his own that will be extremely difficult for any player to surpass would be quite the reward for his remarkable longevity.
Regardless of what happens this season, hockey fans everywhere would be wise to tune into every Penguins and Capitals game they are able to. Many have been lucky to witness all-time greatness for 20 years, and it remains to be seen if two of the greatest ever will cement their place in the record books as such.
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