NHL Thread Because There Isn't An NHL Thread

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Two of the NHL's generational talents have been tabbed as rivals since their first day in the league, but as the pair enter the latter half of their careers, Sidney Crosby is certainly rooting for Alex Ovechkin to break Wayne Gretzky's goal record.

"I hope he does. I told him today that I hope he does," Crosby said of Ovechkin's pursuit, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "It would be awesome. He's in range."

Crosby and Ovechkin are both set to enter their 17th season in the NHL this upcoming campaign. The two superstars have racked up countless trophies and accolades since their debuts and still perform among the league's best.


Ovechkin, who will turn 36 on Friday, inked a five-year, $47.5 million extension with the Washington Capitals to likely close out his NHL career with the club. After signing his deal, he stated that he wants to play five more years to take a shot at beating Gretzky's goal record. As it stands, Ovechkin needs 165 markers to surpass The Great One.

The Pittsburgh Penguins center said he believes Ovechkin's booming shot and the way he plays the game will allow him to remain productive as he gets older, adding that he can "score anywhere from inside the blue line."

Since entering the league in 2005, Crosby and Ovechkin rank first and second in points with 1,325 and 1,320, respectively. Ovechkin's 730 goals also rank first, while Crosby comes in at second with 486 tallies.
 
Hollywood said:
👏

Two of the NHL's generational talents have been tabbed as rivals since their first day in the league, but as the pair enter the latter half of their careers, Sidney Crosby is certainly rooting for Alex Ovechkin to break Wayne Gretzky's goal record.

"I hope he does. I told him today that I hope he does," Crosby said of Ovechkin's pursuit, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "It would be awesome. He's in range."

Crosby and Ovechkin are both set to enter their 17th season in the NHL this upcoming campaign. The two superstars have racked up countless trophies and accolades since their debuts and still perform among the league's best.


Ovechkin, who will turn 36 on Friday, inked a five-year, $47.5 million extension with the Washington Capitals to likely close out his NHL career with the club. After signing his deal, he stated that he wants to play five more years to take a shot at beating Gretzky's goal record. As it stands, Ovechkin needs 165 markers to surpass The Great One.

The Pittsburgh Penguins center said he believes Ovechkin's booming shot and the way he plays the game will allow him to remain productive as he gets older, adding that he can "score anywhere from inside the blue line."

Since entering the league in 2005, Crosby and Ovechkin rank first and second in points with 1,325 and 1,320, respectively. Ovechkin's 730 goals also rank first, while Crosby comes in at second with 486 tallies.
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Meh
 
Twelve-year NHL veteran Zack Smith is hanging up his skates at the age of 33, he confirmed to The Athletic's Ian Mendes on Friday.

"There were definitely a bunch of different factors that went into it," Smith said. "And I don't want to sound like I was taking it for granted or that I didn't appreciate the life that hockey has given to me, but my heart wasn't into it the last couple of years. I guess I was a little jaded in some ways. You're playing well and then you learn the business side of it."

Smith played 11 of his NHL seasons with the Ottawa Senators, who drafted him in the third round of the 2008 draft. He was primarily known as a bottom-six grinder, but he scored double-digit goals four times in his career, including a career-high 25 in 2015-16. He also helped Ottawa reach the conference finals in 2017.


The Sens placed Smith on waivers in 2018, which the forward says affected him mentally.

"That was definitely the low point in my career, being told that I was placed on waivers," Smith said. "And I don't think I ever fully recovered from that or got my confidence back. Not even a full year before that, I thought I was doing well and doing what I was supposed to contribution-wise. And then that happened."

Ottawa traded Smith to the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2019 offseason for Artem Anisimov. He spent the 2019-20 campaign in the Windy City before sitting out the entire following season.

The Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, native finishes his career with 204 points in 662 games.
 
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