"Still good for at least 20 goals" - NHL fans speculate about Alex Ovechkin's productivity in 20th season 

Alex Ovechkin is starting his 20th NHL season, and fans wonder how he will perform. He scored 31 goals in 79 games last season for the Washington Capitals. Over the past three seasons, he has consistently scored more than 30 goals, including two seasons with at least 40 goals.

The Russian took 272 shots last season, and his career average is 348 shots per season. NHL.com projects he will earn 70 points this season, placing him among the top 30 fantasy players.

The NHL shared a post on X/Twitter, asking:

"What does Alex Ovechkin have in store for his 20th season in the League?"

NHL fans quickly reacted to the question with their thoughts:

"He's still good for at least 20 goals a season," one fan said.

"Under. I say he'll hit 45 points. There's nothing left in the tank and he's with a bad team," another fan commented.

"I’m going with the under and that’s hoping he stays healthy all season. He’s getting up there so those injuries don’t heal as good/quick. Haha," one fan said.

Here are some more reactions from NHL fans on X:

"Will continue to slide… unfortunately the Capitals will suffer because of this. When he finally catches and passes Gretz for regular season goals it’ll be ho-hum," a fan wrote.

"Hasn’t been a relevant player in 3-4 years…..just sits at the circle waiting for his teammates to do all the work and then feed him the puck. Gretzky was 10x the player, who made his teammates better…any hockey fan should actually look at his records to remember his greatness," another fan tweeted.

"Retirement?! It’s getting embarrassing to watch him," one fan said.

Alex Ovechkin is prepared to chase Wayne Gretzky's record

Ovechkin is returning to Washington, D.C. for the Capitals' training camp after a solid summer of training. He spent the offseason in Turkey and Russia, focusing on both on-ice and off-ice workouts. KHL forward Alexei Kruchinin, who trained with him, shared that Ovechkin followed a dedicated workout routine (via AllProSport):

"We would go to the gym and he would go to the gym and do his own program with the coach. He did circuit training with us. We had volleyball at 5 p.m. every day; he didn't miss it." Kruchinin said.

Ovechkin, who turns 39 on Sept. 17, needs 42 more goals to break Wayne Gretzky's record of 894 goals. Although scoring 42 goals at his age may seem challenging, Ovechkin has a strong track record, and his recent training suggests he’s ready for the challenge.

How do you think Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals will fare next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.