Ryan Wilson: Another 30 goal season for the captain Another 30 goal season for the captain

It’s nice that Mcgroarty is getting a fair shake, but Blake Lizotte is a better hockey player. Haha. Not seeing it in this kid. He’s pretty (frank)ing lame.

Statistically, Mario Lemieux is 👑 He finished w/ 690G in 915gms while only playing in 64% of tot. gms available during his career. Mario avg 0.75G & 1.88 pts per gm. Gretz & Ovi played in 94% & 96% of available games respectively. * If Lemieux was able to play 94% gms from ‘84 to ‘06 his projected career tots. 1685 gms, 1146 G, 1738 A and 2884 points.

Statistically, Mario Lemieux is 👑 He finished w/ 690G in 915gms while only playing in 64% of tot. gms available during his career. Mario avg 0.75G & 1.88 pts per gm. Gretz & Ovi played in 94% & 96% of available games respectively. * If Lemieux was able to play 94% gms from ‘84 to ‘06 his projected career tots. 1685 gms, 1146 G, 1738 A and 2884 points.
- out_of_market

Mario was his own worst enemy. He didn't take conditioning seriously because he was so good without it. He would have played more games if he were in shape. It sucked after he started having back problems. You'd go to a game thinking you were going to see him play only to find out he wasn't. He averaged 2pts a game for most of his career....which is nuts. When he was feeling good it was man against boys.

It’s nice that Mcgroarty is getting a fair shake, but Blake Lizotte is a better hockey player. Haha. Not seeing it in this kid. He’s pretty (frank)ing lame.
- Grinder47

Blake Lizotte definitely deserves better than playing with Noel Acciari.

I hope Sid passes Lemieux for goals and points. Sucks that he missed a huge chunk of games during his early-mid 20’s due to injuries, lockouts, and later on the pandemic shutdown. I know injuries are part of the game and Lemieux had those too. Not much one can do if another player is being reckless. If you took out those 3 seasons Sid averaged as many missed games as the league average for any top line skater. We would have been seeing a segment on 87’s chase for 2000 points at the same time we were following The Gr8 Chase.

Mario was his own worst enemy. He didn't take conditioning seriously because he was so good without it. He would have played more games if he were in shape. It sucked after he started having back problems. You'd go to a game thinking you were going to see him play only to find out he wasn't. He averaged 2pts a game for most of his career....which is nuts. When he was feeling good it was man against boys.
- madmike71

Very few guys took conditioning seriously in the 80s.

Very few guys took conditioning seriously in the 80s.
- MickV

80's true, but when the 90's rolled around most players were training (although not like today). Lemieux would have every record if he trained like Jagr. If you don't train today, you won't stay in the league.

80's true, but when the 90's rolled around most players were training (although not like today). Lemieux would have every record if he trained like Jagr. If you don't train today, you won't stay in the league.
- madmike71

Ovi's training consists of 12 oz curls.

Ovi's training consists of 12 oz curls.
- j.boyd919

He's not human. Doesn't count.

80's true, but when the 90's rolled around most players were training (although not like today). Lemieux would have every record if he trained like Jagr. If you don't train today, you won't stay in the league.
- madmike71

Lemieux's back injury issues though started in the late 80s when almost nobody was training hard off the ice. Then of course he got cancer in 92.

When Jagr came into the league and he was hitting the gym consistently he was an extreme outlier, to the point where it was a common news story to talk about how much he was training.

So, yeah, if Mario had trained like a modern athlete in the 80s he'd have scored 3000+ points ... but Wayne presumably also wouldn't have completely broken down by 37, etc. It's just the way it was back then.

Lemieux's back injury issues though started in the late 80s when almost nobody was training hard off the ice. Then of course he got cancer in 92.

When Jagr came into the league and he was hitting the gym consistently he was an extreme outlier, to the point where it was a common news story to talk about how much he was training.

So, yeah, if Mario had trained like a modern athlete in the 80s he'd have scored 3000+ points ... but Wayne presumably also wouldn't have completely broken down by 37, etc. It's just the way it was back then.
- MickV

The big thing that wiped Mario out was the infection after his back surgery. Career threatening.

But yeah, I understand what you're saying. That's why it's hard to compare "era's" of sports. Still, I consider the 90's the modern NHL. Lot's of those players from those days could compete in todays game because they were adopting modern training methods. The money got serious and so did the players.

The big thing that wiped Mario out was the infection after his back surgery. Career threatening.

But yeah, I understand what you're saying. That's why it's hard to compare "era's" of sports. Still, I consider the 90's the modern NHL. Lot's of those players from those days could compete in todays game because they were adopting modern training methods. The money got serious and so did the players.
- madmike71

Also that's when the butterfly goalies came to prominence and take over the game. 90's had a good mix of stand up and butterfly, but in the 2000s, there were almost no stand up goalies left

Right now, our likely draft result would be our pick at #7 and Rangers at #13. Rangers could keep that pick if they wanted to, but I think they'd give it up. We could easily trade that #13 pick to get into the top 10 if we wanted to. The problem I hate is that #7 pick would miss out on the first tier of players expected to go. I know its a crap shoot, but finishing just a place or two better would increase our odds of getting a really good player.

With Ovechkin getting the goal record, lets say the Capitals win the Stanley Cup this season. If that happens, how much did Ovechkin close the gap with Crosby? I still think Crosby is ahead: more points in less games, a better overall player, all the international success he has had, and the additional Cup, but I think Ovechkin would definitely make the gap between the two a lot less than it had been.

Mario was his own worst enemy. He didn't take conditioning seriously because he was so good without it. He would have played more games if he were in shape. It sucked after he started having back problems. You'd go to a game thinking you were going to see him play only to find out he wasn't. He averaged 2pts a game for most of his career....which is nuts. When he was feeling good it was man against boys.
- madmike71

when Lemieux retired in '97 he played 745gms and had 613G, 881A, 1494Pts (0.82 G & 2.0 Pts p/gm)! The 92-93 season (*of almosts). Mario had 101 points in 38 games thru end of Dec.and was on-pace to surpass Gretz 92G and 215pts records. Hodgkins treatment sidelined him for 24gms. For the season he finished with 160 pts (69G & 91A) in 60gms! extrapolating for 97G and 223pt pace (84gms schedule).

With Ovechkin getting the goal record, lets say the Capitals win the Stanley Cup this season. If that happens, how much did Ovechkin close the gap with Crosby? I still think Crosby is ahead: more points in less games, a better overall player, all the international success he has had, and the additional Cup, but I think Ovechkin would definitely make the gap between the two a lot less than it had been.
- SuperHenderson13

Sid > OA .

when Lemieux retired in '97 he played 745gms and had 613G, 881A, 1494Pts (0.82 G & 2.0 Pts p/gm)! The 92-93 season (*of almosts). Mario had 101 points in 38 games thru end of Dec.and was on-pace to surpass Gretz 92G and 215pts records. Hodgkins treatment sidelined him for 24gms. For the season he finished with 160 pts (69G & 91A) in 60gms! extrapolating for 97G and 223pt pace (84gms schedule).
- out_of_market

The gap is big enough that it doesn’t matter how much he’s closed it. He was already the clear cut #2 of the era so I don’t think anything has really changed. Now he’s just that much better than whoever #3 is

The gap is big enough that it doesn’t matter how much he’s closed it. He was already the clear cut #2 of the era so I don’t think anything has really changed. Now he’s just that much better than whoever #3 is
- Victoro311

While also being the best goal scorer the NHL has ever seen.

While also being the best goal scorer the NHL has ever seen.
- j.boyd919

Yeah I think Crosby being obviously better than Ovevhkin is an underrated way of saying how truly outrageous Crosby is. The best goal scorer in nhl history was a contemporary and he was still clearly the better player

Seeing how the Caps didnt take a couple years off like the Pens did and how they have actually tried to surround Ovi with some good players makes me frustrated that we have not done the same.

Here is where I am with my Pens fandom... Crosby is sitting here at 1682 points in his 37 year old season. I want to surround him with the talent to get to 2000 points. Can he play 4 more years at an 80pt average.... With some luck and some great linemates... He definitely could. And if he did I think you would have to flag him as the greatest player of all time.

I would go ALL IN on getting Crosby the linemates that can help make that happen.

Marchand-Crosby-Marner.... lets make it happen. I don't care about how we fill out the rest of the lineup.