Samsonov: Ovechkin's shot intact, but 50 goals will be tough
Former NHL forward Sergei Samsonov doubts Alexander Ovechkin hits 50 goals, citing age and a deeper Washington roster, yet says his scoring shot remains elite.
Sergei Samsonov, a former NHL forward, does not expect Alexander Ovechkin to reach 50 goals this season, though he thinks the shot is intact.
"As for the 50-goal mark, I think it will be difficult for Alexander to do it," Samsonov said. "You have to look realistically at his age, and the team has reset. With the newcomers added, the roster has become somewhat more balanced. Perhaps not everyone in Washington will get enough ice time."
He went on: "If you go by the statistics of recent years, age is age, but Alexander's shot is not going anywhere. Whatever people say, Alexander remains at his level as a scorer. If you look at the numbers, last season at even strength he scored more than Kirill Kaprizov and Jack Eichel, who are at the highest level right now."
Ovechkin scored 32 goals last season, 27 of them at even strength. Kaprizov had 26 at even strength out of 45 in all. Eichel had 25 out of 27.
Samsonov's case rests on how those goals came, not on the total. Kaprizov finished 13 goals ahead of Ovechkin overall, but not at even strength. If Washington's deeper roster does cut Ovechkin's minutes, as Samsonov suggests, his ice time may matter for the total as much as his shot.
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