Will Crosby and Ovechkin break main data in the identical season?

Any fan who has adopted hockey for the previous twenty years has seen two of the best gamers of all time go head-to-head time and time once more.

And this season may be the yr we see each of them make historical past.

Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin have been the faces of the Nationwide Hockey League since their rookie seasons in 2005-06. Ovechkin is on the cusp of turning into the best goal-scorer of all time, whereas Crosby has solidified himself as one of many biggest all-around gamers of all time.

Whatever the staff you select to root for this season, Crosby and Ovechkin will, as soon as once more, be must-see tv.

Will Ovi get to 895?

It wasn’t too way back that Gretzky’s purpose file of 894 appeared unbreakable. The second-closest participant to Gretzky, for the longest time, was Gordie Howe at 801.

Ovechkin has utterly turned the tables.

All through his NHL profession, there is just one season – 2020-21 – the place Ovechkin scored lower than 30 targets. He scored 24 that season however performed in solely 45 video games as a result of shortened season and damage.

In any other case – even last season at 38 years old – he has been remarkably, constantly nice at discovering the again of the online.

Ovechkin has scored 50, 42, and 31 targets over the past three seasons, respectively. He at the moment sits at 853 all-time and wishes 42 to interrupt Gretzky’s file at age 39. Can he do it this season?

Forty-two targets is lots to ask of a participant knocking on 40’s door, however no goal-scorer has ever been fairly like Ovechkin. If he stays wholesome for your complete season – and retains tempo with what he achieved through the second half final season – it’s undoubtedly possible that we may see him accomplish the unthinkable this spring.

Will Crosby be essentially the most constant participant of all time?

Though it won’t be as horny as “biggest purpose scorer of all time,” Crosby is chasing fairly the near-unbreakable file of his personal this season.

Because it stands, there are solely two gamers in NHL historical past – Gretzky and Crosby – who’ve registered 19 NHL seasons at or above point-per-game. Crosby will look to have sole possession of the file this season by incomes his twentieth.

How exhausting is it to perform a feat like this? Properly, for perspective, the next-closest participant to Gretzky beforehand was – as soon as once more – Gordie Howe at 17. Nonetheless, Howe performed 26 NHL seasons – whereas each Crosby and Gretzky managed to place collectively 19 consecutive point-per-game seasons to begin their respective careers.

So, in Crosby’s case, he has, fairly actually, by no means had an NHL season beneath point-per-game, which is one thing no different participant in NHL historical past has performed. Additionally, Crosby is the only player in NHL history to common over a point-per-game for 19 seasons, as Gretzky had 18 (Gretzky averaged precisely a point-per-game in 1994-95, when he registered 48 in 48).

If Crosby breaks the tie this season, it could be the proper file for him to carry: He’s already NHL historical past’s hallmark of constant greatness, and having a file of his personal that shall be extraordinarily troublesome for any participant to surpass can be fairly the reward for his exceptional longevity.

No matter what occurs this season, hockey followers in every single place can be sensible to tune into each Penguins and Capitals recreation they’re able to. Many have been fortunate to witness all-time greatness for 20 years, and it stays to be seen if two of the best ever will cement their place within the file books as such.

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