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Almost seven years ago, I first wrote that I thought it was possible/plausible that Alex Ovechkin could one day pass Wayne Gretzkys 894 career goals total, which was previously thought to be unreachable. Ovechkin was 24 at the time.Ovechkin was at ESPN to film his This Is SportsCenter Russian spy spot?in late 2009, and I asked him about the possibility of catching Gretzky. He was surprised at the question and didnt know what to say. I dont think he had been asked about it before, which is understandable. I also think he was nervous about working with Steve Levy (hes only human), and he was a tad rattled.Ovechkin told Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet in Canada in September about the possibility of passing Gretzkys total: In this hockey right now, in this league, I think its impossible. I dont think somebody will beat this record.Back in that January 2010 blogumn, I projected Ovechkin would finish with 51 goals in the 2009-10 season. He finished with 50. That gave him 269 goals through that 2009-10 season. So, back in early 2010, I laid out a blueprint for Ovechkin to reach 895 career goals, one better than Gretzkys record.The first part of my hypothesis was that Ovechkin would have to be largely injury-free and play until he was 40. Also, as I wrote back in 2010, Players who have booming shots age slower in terms of goal totals. So does playing on good teams.Except for Ovechkins first two seasons (both of which were exactly 70-point seasons for the Washington Capitals), his teams have been good. And remember, Jaromir Jagr turns 45 in February. Ovechkin, like Jagr, has a giant butt and good genes and, so far, good luck with health.So what follows are my Ovechkin goal projections and his age (conjunction junction) at the time I wrote them in 2010. Included are comments from 2010 in parentheses and updated comments, along with a running tab on how the projection is going against 894.Ovechkin was at 269 career goals when I began the following theory:Age -- Projected goals total25 -- 71(Comment from 2010: Hes got to have one more monster year.)Ovechkin would go on to have his worst season to date: 32 goals in 79 games. The projection is now a minus-39 against the 894 projection! As I wrote then, now he needs a monster season.26 -- 66Another down year: Ovechkin had 38 goals in 78 games. Im now a minus-67 against the projection. Maybe this wasnt such a good idea.27 -- 60Lockout. A really good season for Ovechkin that will cost him about 20 goals in his career total. Ovechkin had 32 goals in 48 games, a 50-goal-plus pace. Hes now a minus-95.28 -- 51I had this season right on the money. Ovechkin scored 51 goals in his 28-year-old season and won his fourth Rocket Richard Trophy for most goals in the league.29 -- 55Close again. I had him with 55 five years into the future, and Ovechkin posted 53 to win his fifth Rocket Richard Trophy. Hes now minus-97 against the 894 projection.30 -- 48(From 2010: Gretzkys last 40-goal season -- 41 goals -- was at age 30.)In his 30-year-old season, which was last year, Ovechkin hit the 50-goal mark for the third straight season, his fourth straight Rocket Richard Trophy and sixth overall. Hes minus-95 against the projection.Once Gretzky hit 30, his shots per game, and thus his goals per game, dropped considerably. After Gretzkys first full season as a 30-year-old (1991-92), he didnt score 40 goals again and had just two 30-goal seasons. I dont think Ovechkin will have the same erosion.31 -- 52This is the current season. Ovechkin is off to a pretty good start. He could hit my 52-goal projection, but his pace is just a little under 50 goals. One concern is that Capitals coach Barry Trotz is starting to manage No. 8s minutes, which has dropped Ovechkins shots per game average, the most important statistic for scoring goals. This is the second-lowest season for shots on goal for Ovechkin.So, although my 52 this season is still possible, lets go conservative and give Ovechkin 45 goals. That would leave him with 570 career goals as he finishes his 31-year-old season. That means, after this season, Ovechkin would need 325 goals to pass Gretzkys record of 894.Lets stay with the projections from 2010 that I made for the next nine seasons and see where that gets us for Ovi:32 -- 45Forty-five goals next season does not seem outlandish. This still seems plausible. The Capitals are blessed with talented centers to set up Ovechkin. Although, with approaching salary-cap concerns, they could see a scoring drop-off as a team.33 -- 55This might be a little bullish, but it is the final season I have Ovechkin with a 50-goal-plus season, and it is only two years away. Some years, as we are seeing with Sidney Crosby this season, everything can go your way when it comes to scoring. Having one more big season from Ovechkin would help his chances.34 -- 40(From 2010: Steve Yzerman had his last 30-goal season at age 34, when he had 35 goals.)I have Ovechkins goal erosion beginning three years from now, during his 34-year-old season. I am curious if, at any point in the coming years, Ovechkin will try to play 15 pounds lighter to counter losing speed in a league going almost exclusively with players who can wheel.Also, will he start a family, which possibly changes his priorities? Jagr has married hockey, and his myopic dedication has kept him producing into his mid-40s. If Ovechkin is going to break Gretzkys record, he needs to keep that childlike enthusiasm he has brought to the game since he first arrived.35 -- 37This would be Ovechkins first season without at least 40 goals (in a full season) in nine years.36 -- 32This would tie Ovechkins career-low for goals, which he had in his 25-year-old season.37 -- 40(From 2010: Phil Esposito and Brendan Shanahan both had 40-goal seasons at age 37)Another factor in the coming years to consider is how expansion could help Ovechkin. Bobby Orr and Gretzky benefited from expansion. In Orrs first seven seasons, the NHL went from six teams to 12, to 14, to 16, constantly spreading out the talent. The NHL went from 17 teams to 21 teams for Gretzkys rookie season.Expansion spreads talent out and usually creates weaker teams, which helps offense, if the rulebook is called as stated. The Vegas Golden Knights will make their debut in 2017-18 as the NHLs 31st team, and more is expansion coming. Perhaps Ovechkin can benefit from the first expansion he has experienced in the NHL. It has been a 30-team league since he arrived in 2005.38 -- 32(From 2010: Brett Hull had 37 goals at age 38.)I feel Hull, Esposito and Shanahan (and Jagr, from a body standpoint) are decent comparables to Ovechkin. Thick bodies, and in Hulls and Shanahans case, a big shot that age doesnt diminish as much as it does speed.39 -- 28Mark Recchi scored 18 goals as a 41-year-old, so 28 goals in Ovechkins 39-year-old season is doable.40 -- 27Here we arrive at 40 years old.These projections over nine seasons seem rather reasonable to me, using historical precedents of players with similar attributes. Of course, multiple events can change things. But, after this season, I have projected Ovechkin with only one more 50-goal season, and four 40-plus seasons (two of them with exactly 40).What total do we get when we add up these nine years of projections? 336 goals. Add that to his 570 goals we projected after a 45-goal season this year, and that gives Ovechkin 906. Good lord, thats a lot of goals.We could lop off 11 goals from that projected 55-goal season I projected in two years at age 33 and make it a 44-goal season. Even after doing that, Ovechkin still gets to 895.Ovechkin can get to 895 in nine years without another 50-goal season, or even a 40-goal season. Ovechkin needs to average 36 goals a season over the next nine, assuming he gets to 45 goals this season.The insurance for Ovechkin on breaking Gretzkys record is that if he is short of the 894 mark after the next nine full seasons, he has time in his 40s to break the record if he is close and has the appetite and health to eclipse it.With a dedication to fitness, diet and making the proper adjustments (hanging out closer to the net), Ovechkin could add two to three seasons, play until he is 43 (Chris Chelios played until he was 48) and score another 40-50 goals.Is it still a long shot? Ovechkin will get his 600th career goal next season, when he is 32. Hell likely get his 700th goal when he is 35, and he should get 800 by 38 or 39. If he can get to 800 by 39, then four more years should get him 95 more goals.It would be a fascinating time. Arguably the greatest record chase in the history of the NHL, similar in stature and, somewhat, in tone to Hank Aaron chasing Babe Ruth. The Russian bear chasing Canadian royalty.We will be watching. Goals are fun. Fake Rockies Jerseys . -- Aaron Murray threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns, ran for another score, and led No. Colorado Rockies Pro Shop . Barcelona also left injured defenders Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba out of its squad for the trip to Glasgow. That means that Marc Bartra will probably start again in the centre of the defence alongside Gerard Pique. https://www.cheaprockiesjerseys.us/ . -- Adam Snyder returned to the San Francisco 49ers this season because the offensive lineman thought it was his best opportunity to win a championship. Stitched Rockies Jerseys . The catch: It needs a lot of money, and it needs it fast. Cheap Rockies Jerseys . Soukalova missed only one target and completed the 15-kilometre course in 40 minutes, 32.6 seconds for both victories in this seasons individual discipline. Darya Domracheva of Belarus was second, 34. DETROIT -- The Philadelphia Eagles have gotten off to a memorable start under new coach Doug Pederson. He would prefer for them to forget it ever happened.The Eagles were the most surprising success story during the opening month of the season, dismissing three opponents by a combined score of 92-27 despite starting rookie Carson Wentz at quarterback. That included a stunning 34-3 pummeling of Pittsburgh prior to their bye Week 4.They return with a road game against the stumbling Detroit Lions, who have lost three straight. Philadelphia is one of three remaining unbeaten teams, along with Denver and Minnesota.Really, in my opinion, our season starts now, Pederson said. What weve done already is great. Were in a good position but we need to buckle down and prepare as if this is Week One.Wentz became the starter when Sam Bradford was traded to the Vikings just before the regular season. He has justified the teams faith in him, completing 64.7 percent of his pass attempts and throwing for five touchdowns without an interception.Im going to continue to coach him up, coach him hard and try to put him in the best possible situations on Sunday, where hes not having to hold the ball a long time, Pederson said. Well utilize the run game, play-action passes, all that stuff youve seen in the first three games and keep that formula.The offense should get a boost from the return of starting running back Ryan Mathews and tight end Zach Ertz. Mathews only had two carries against the Steelers before exiting with an ankle injury. Wendell Smallwood rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown in his absence.Ryan is still our primary guy, hes our go-to guy, Pederson said. If hes 100 percent well go with Ryan and mix the other guys in according to the gameplan.Ertz sat out the last two games after suffering a displaced rib during the opener but has been cleared to play and returned to practice on Monday. He has six catches for 58 yards in 2016. Philadelphias leading receiver has been wideout Jordan Matthews with 15 receptions for 204 yards and two touchdowns.But there are some looming issues for Philadelphia.Linebacker Nigel Bradham could be facing a suspension after he was arrested for bringing a loaded gun to Miami International Airport over the weekend.dddddddddddd Offensive tackle Lane Johnson is facing a 10-game suspension for taking a banned substance, pending the results of his appeal, which took place earlier this week.Very little has gone right for the Lions since their opening-day victory at Indianapolis. They lost a late lead to Tennessee in their only home game thus far, then fell to division rivals Green Bay and Chicago.The 17-14 defeat to the injury-ravaged Bears, who were without their starting quarterback, top two running backs and several key defenders, was particularly troubling.All this has put coach Jim Caldwell on the hot seat.You know thats one of those things that we dont worry about, he said. My job is to coach this team and to get this team headed in the right direction.The Lions have been held to 66 and 50 yards rushing, respectively, over the last two games after starting running back Ameer Abdullah was sidelined with a foot injury.Quarterback Matthew Stafford couldnt overcome the lack of running game in Chicago, throwing for just 213 yards and getting picked off twice. Hes eager to turn things around.Honestly, after you play like we did in Chicago thats the first thing I want to do, get back on the field, he said. I wish we could practice after the flight home. But, practice is all just leading up to Sunday. Were preparing to try and play better this Sunday than we did last Sunday, and we need to, we have to.Getting underperforming wide receiver Golden Tate more involved could help the cause. Tate had just one catch against the Bears, caught an earful from Stafford after a miscommunication led to an interception and was benched for part of the game.Detroits pass rush has been mostly ineffective since premier defensive end Ziggy Ansah left the Titans game in the first quarter with a high ankle sprain. Hes questionable to return this week.The teams met last Thanksgiving, with Detroit romping to a 45-14 victory. ' ' '