What do you need to know about Thursday night's games? Joe McDonald gives us his take on the biggest and best performances. This is where we say, "Morning, Joe."

It's all well and good that he scores, but Alex Ovechkin has got to win it to be in it. Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images

Great 8 debate: Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin is one of the greatest offensive players of all time. The 31-year-old forward is closing in on 1,000 career points: He has 531 goals and 444 assists for 975 points in 849 games. He scored the winner when the Caps beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 in overtime Thursday, finishing the night with two goals and one assist. It was the 91st game-winner of his career, tying him with Wayne Gretzky and Mark Recchi for 19th on the NHL's all-time list. Ovechkin's statistics are outstanding, and the Capitals finally have the team to win. They have a Vezina Trophy-winning goalie in Braden Holtby, a strong defensive core and strength up the middle. With Ovechkin dominating, there's no reason not to win. But unless he wins a Stanley Cup, Ovechkin's career numbers won't matter. The time is now for No. 8.

What kind of a player do you want to be, Tyler Seguin? Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Not sanguine about Seguin: I'm still trying to figure out what type of player Tyler Seguin will become. A pure goal scorer, Seguin had a career-high four assists to help the Dallas Stars snap a three-game losing skid with a 6-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. The 24-year-old highly skilled forward is a point-producing machine, already with 12 points in 10 games this season. He recorded 33 goals and 40 assists for 73 points in 72 games last season. There's no doubt he's a dynamic player. His personality off the ice translates into his play and he's fun to watch. However, the second-overall pick in 2010 is fortunate to have won a Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in 2011, because it's unlikely to happen anytime soon as long as he stays in Dallas. The Stars are an offensive juggernaut, but they have defensive deficiencies and goaltending issues, which are not qualities of a champion. Seguin is a younger version of the San Jose Sharks' Joe Thornton: a talented player stuck on a team that can't win it all. Good thing Seguin won as a rookie.

Marner garners respect: For all the talk about Auston Matthews, the Toronto Maple Leafs have another outstanding rookie who is fun to watch in Mitch Marner, who scored twice as the Maple Leafs defeated the Buffalo Sabres 2-1. The fourth overall pick in 2015 has three goals and five assists for eight points in 11 games. Marner, 19, is a major part of the organization's rebuilding process and possesses dynamic offensive skill and instincts. He's very creative with the puck, the norm for all the young talent in the league these days. He's really good in the offensive zone and has no issues going into the hard areas. He needs to get stronger and that will come as he gets older and gains more experience. Without a doubt, he will become a high-end, skilled offensive producer. In today's game, he'll also need to become a consistent two-way player, but he's off to a strong start to what should be a solid career.