That’s #74 (McMann) in your pic. Not AM (#34). And you call yourself a Leaf’s fan!!

Both Draisaitl and Matthews should be locks for 800 goals barring something completely unforeseen. Injuries and work stoppages will be the variables at play.

If Matthews hits 750 career goals by the time he is 35 (next 8 seasons after this one) it’s not impossible to pass 894 (we don’t know yet where Ovi will stop). Both players have enough talent themselves and play alongside enough talent that they will still produce at a reasonable clip of 20-25 goals per season from age 35-40. Btw he could hold the nhl record for most nhl goals by an American by age 35
- Turnitaround

Matthews would need to keep his current pace for 11 more seasons to reach Gretzky. Possible, but let's just say I have my doubts. Same for him (or anyone) being a "lock" for 800 goals. 3 people have done it in 100 years of play. Let's not treat this as anything other than really special.

He might even end up with more professional goals than Gretzky (46 goals in WHA prior to the Oilers joining the NHL).
- Tonybere

Gretzky has 55 NHL records.
OV has maybe half of that.

Yea, so he can have most goals in NHL history

I think what op might be trying to say is that hockey is a team sport innately, where enabling another player's success is very important, and points measure that more than goals, and so the present Ovi hoopla is misleading, because it leaves out the critical enabling/team part.

To highlight that point, op points out that ovi got help in 96% of his goals, and yet that 96% help is not reflected in the goal total alone.

Points are thus a more accurate reflection of a player's worth, and there, op points out how far ahead the MAGA supporting guy is compared to the Russian-fascism supporting guy.

I am not supporting or disclaiming op. I just think that's what op meant.
- PT21

Fair Enough explanation.

But I don’t think many fans and/or media had an issue with the hype around Gretzky’s 50 goals in 39 games milestone/record when it broke the previous record, or the 92 goals in a season or nhl goal# 802. Seems a little biased and disingenuous imo

Matthews would need to keep his current pace for 11 more seasons to reach Gretzky. Possible, but let's just say I have my doubts. Same for him (or anyone) being a "lock" for 800 goals. 3 people have done it in 100 years of play. Let's not treat this as anything other than really special.
- Tonybere

Depends on your definition of “current”.
If you meant Matthews’s career pace, then you’re almost certainly correct.

Matthews has scored 199 goals over the last 4 seasons …and there are 5 games still to be played in this season. That’s an average of 49.75 goals per season “currently “.

49.75 goals per season for another 11 more seasons in addition to the 398 he already has scored (and assuming he does not score another this season) would put him at 945 career. I’d say at his “current pace” he just edges out Gretz 😉

Fair Enough explanation.

But I don’t think many fans and/or media had an issue with the hype around Gretzky’s 50 goals in 39 games milestone/record when it broke the previous record, or the 92 goals in a season or nhl goal# 802. Seems a little biased and disingenuous imo
- Turnitaround

Those were probably less binary in nature. Because of Gretzky's standing, this was as much about him as about Ovi.

With all the hoopla, the average non-hockey person might just believe that Ovi has surpassed Gretzky in importance/standing in the sport (which is kinda what op was objecting to originally, I think).