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Ovechkin’s scoring ‘slump’

You know a player is special when his supposed scoring slump is measured in minutes instead of games. Such is the case of the Washington Capitals’ absurdly prolific mega-star Alex Ovechkin. The Russian winger hasn’t scored an NHL goal since Feb. 7, when he propelled the Caps past the Penguins with a hat trick in a nearly snowed out game.

Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby are currently tied for the league lead in goals with 42.

Most of the panicking about Ovechkin’s goal scoring slump is tongue-in-cheek as the sniper has the chance to sit among the league’s all-time goal scoring greats. In fact, ESPN’s John Buccigross even ran through a scenario in which Ovechkin could pass all-time leader Wayne Gretzky’s 894 career goals. Click here for the year-by-year “projections.”

Ryan Cleaver wrote about Ovechkin’s staggering statistics, also bringing up the possibility of Ovechkin passing Gretzky.

“At his current pace he’d pass Gretzky for the all time lead in goals at the age of 36, one year after his current contract expires.”

You can cherry pick all kinds of crazy numbers, but the fact that Ovechkin keeps putting the puck on the net without any hesitation makes him a constant threat. It might be a bit much to expect him to maintain a 60 to 70 goal pace in his 30’s (especially considering his amazingly physical style of play). Then again, Ovechkin seems like he’s made of alien material anyway so I wouldn’t put it past him.

I do know, however, that his “slump” won’t last long and they won’t come often.