At age 33, half a decade after he’d been largely been written off, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored 51 goals.

By The Numbers

Visualization by HockeyViz

About this visualization: This series of charts made by Micah Blake McCurdy of hockeyviz.com shows various metrics for the player over the course of the season. A short description of each chart:

Peter’s Take

There’s a bit I do in these reviews, and I kinda have to do it again: Any discussion of Alex Ovechkin‘s season that doesn’t begin and end with “Alex Ovechkin scored 51 goals” is broken and wrong.

Alex Ovechkin scored 51 goals.

That would be a huge accomplishment five years ago. Now, it’s a reminder that however special you think he is, you’re probably underestimating it.

Like: The average age of a Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy Winner is 24.5 — unless you include Ovi, who has won it six times since he turned 25 and and three times since he turned 30.

So, how does he do it?

As Ovechkin gets older, he takes fewer shots. He no longer leads the league in five-on-five shot-attempt rate (Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher does), but Ovechkin’s been taking better shots since the end of the Oates administration. The ratio between Ovechkin’s shot volume and shot quality peaked last season, but it’s still very high. Paired with a career high shooting percentage, 14.0, Ovechkin was positively lethal at even strength — despite some problematic deployments. That tells the story of a player who continues to adapt and evolve, who is never satisfied — even after accomplishing the dream of winning a Cup.

And of course, the power play remains a goal factory, with the Ovi spot delivering just shy of twenty goals once again.

Ovi played in all but one game (missed to suspension for skipping the all-star game), he was over a point-per-game in the playoffs, he spawned highlights and new fans every time he hit the ice. He’s an institution, immune to the ravages of age, untouched by the criticisms of xenophobic mittenstringers, and exceeding my ability to articulate how special he is.

He’s one of a kind.

I’m obligated to bring up the unfortunate reality that Ovechkin’s contract ends after the 2021 season, when Ovi will be nearly 36 years old. I have no clue what happens then, and I hate to think about it. But that’s a problem for another day. For now, we should just think about this fact: Alex Ovechkin scored 51 goals.

Ovi on RMNB

This is gonna be a long one.

• This year Ovechkin became a spokesperson or whatever for a game called World of Warships. I have no idea.
• On the night the Caps raised their banner, aka ugly crying night, Ovi scored his 608th career goal.
• Only three players in NHL history have outscored Ovi through their first 14 seasons.
• We were told we need to include some no-pants Ovi, so here’s no-pants Ovi.

• Ovi dressed like a lumberjack, throwing axes.
• Ovi scored 10 goals in his first 11 games. Not bad. It gets better.
• But first, Ovi’s love affair with hibachi went to the next level:

• Sportsmanship beat: Ovi was working on a hat trick in November when Carey Price stonewalled him. So Ovi gave Price a high-five.
• Sportsmanship beat, part II: Ovi apologized to Justyin Abdelkader after a high stick.
• Ovi did a hit:

• This is actually my favorite Ovi goal of all time.

• On December 11, Ovechkin scored his 21st career hat trick. It would be his last hat trick until
• December 14, when Ovechkin scored another hat trick. But that was it —
• Just kidding he did it again on January 22 against the Sharks.
• Where were you when Mike Milbury said something correct.
• The Caps lost to the Pens on December 19, so Ovechkin thrashed a hockey stick. There was a little fracas between him and Crosby that night…

• Ovi’s thing now is abusing Vrana. (He is still doing this.)
• I’ve decided that eighteen is the max age you can be an get a puck during warm-ups.
• I still don’t know what “Well I’m Not Michael Jordan” means.
• Sportsmanship beat, part III: retrieving the puck for Tyler Lewington’s first goal.
• Ovi skipped the all-star game. He got suspended one game. No one cared. Except Brett Hull, who I don’t care that he cares.
• Crosby did toss a puck to an Ovi fan in the ASG audience, which is a very cool by Crosby. Tell no one about this. Ovi repaid the favor, except the exact opposite.
• Ovi vs Chara. What’s the plural of goliath?

• There were like 68 milestones this season. I’m not going to link to ‘em all. Just know that he passed a bunch of dudes on the all-time scoring list.
• God’s plan.
• Brennin collected pics of Ovechkin hugging teammates for National Hugging Day just in case you were wondering who the real MVP is.
• Ovi went into and passed the concussion protocol after this blue-on-blue hit.

• On the best goalie he ever faced: “It doesn’t matter I still score”
• Wish you were here, babe.

• On March 30, Alex Ovechkin scored his 50th goal of the season. Then he scored his 51st. Some genius fans were quick to react.
• In the playoffs, roles were reversed. Backstrom was the scorer, and Ovechkin was the setup man. (Ovi scored later; don’t worry.)
• Alex Ovechkin fought and injured Andrei Svechnikov in Game Three. Svechnikov went to the hospital while his brother promised reprisals. Ovechkin was somber in discussing the fight.
• Ovechkin had a goal washed out in Game Six that was maybe a big deal?
• Whaaaaaat was this

• And here was Ovi, being a good dude/sad dude after elimination.

Your Turn

How does Ovechkin keep evolving? Do you think he’ll remain the top-line winger here in DC until he’s gone, or can you imagine a lower-minute role for him? Did he score 51 goals? Don’t answer that one. He did.

Read more: Japers Rink