I then spit my Rice Krispies all over my computer monitor!
Let me introduce all you youngin's to a fellow named Bobby Hull:
- 913 major league goals. Only Gordie (975) and Wayne Gretzky (940) have more.
- 610 NHL goals, leading the league in goals scored 7 times.
- He had five 50 goal seasons in the NHL, nine including WHA.
- Three times he set new records for most goals in one season.
- 17 straight years he was a 1st or 2nd All Star in the NHL/WHA.
- 3 Art Ross trophies, 2 Hart trophies, plus 2 WHA MVP trophies.
- One of the most important figures in the history of the sport.
Ovechkin has yet to pass the longevity test. He's only in his fifth season, 3 of which I would classify as dominating, 2 of which I would say he was the best player in the game.
Hey, I'm as a big of an Ovechkin fan as anyone else, and assuming he stays healthy and productive for a good length of time, I think he very well could one day be crowned the best left winger ever, as well as the best Russian player ever.
But let's not jump the gun yet.
2 comments:
Bobby would have scored over 800 goals had he not jumped to World Hockey. Moreover, he dominated a six-team NHL where the only goalies he faced were Hall of Famers likes of Sawchuk, Plante, Worsley, Broda, Bower, Hall, etc.
He was way past his prime when he dominated vs. Russia in 1974 and in the '76 Canada Cup.
Ovechkin has the potential to top Hull ... but he's gotta go at it 10 more years.
Joe, you couldn't be more right. Bobby Hull deserves this title until someone takes it away from him. And that takes a full career.
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