Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin is inching closer to an NHL scoring record that many thought was unbreakable.
The 39-year-old Ovechkin is within striking distance of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record of 894. “The Great One” scored his final goal on March 29, 1999. “The Great Eight” could very well surpass that mark 26 years later.
Ovechkin entered the 2024-25 NHL season with 853 career NHL goals. He started the season off red-hot with 15 goals in 18 games. But after suffering a broken fibula in November, he missed five weeks. That time off didn’t affect his goal-scoring prowess: He recorded four goals in his first five games back from injury.
On Sunday, Ovechkin moved one step closer to Gretzky’s record to help put away the Seattle Kraken. With his Capitals leading late in the game, Ovechkin scored on an empty net with 1:29 remaining to extend Washington’s lead to 4-2. The goal was the 886th of Ovechkin’s career, putting him within eight of tying Gretzky and nine of passing him.
The goal also accounted for Ovechkin’s 1,600th career point, the 11th-most all time. Washington went on to a 4-2 win.
“It’s just a matter of time, whether it’s late this year, early next year, whenever,” Gretzky told NHL.com earlier this season about Ovechkin’s chances of breaking his record. “I mean, he’s a great player. He’s a great goal scorer.”
As he approaches Gretzky’s record, Ovechkin has partnered with Hockey Fights Cancer and the V Foundation for Cancer Research to launch “THE GR8 CHASE for Victory Over Cancer.” The campaign will see Ovechin donate a dollar amount equal to his career NHL goal total for each goal he scores for the rest of his career. onumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Capitals, will match every donation.
Ovechkin will continue his chase for Gretzky’s mark on Sunday against the Seattle Kraken.
We will track Ovechkin’s race to 894 goals and beyond all season.
NHL top-10 in career goals
1. Wayne Gretzky (894)
2. Alex Ovechkin (886)
3. Gordie Howe (801)
4. Jaromir Jagr (766)
5. Brett Hull (741)
6. Marcel Dionne (731)
7. Phil Esposito (717)
8. Mike Gartner (708)
9. Mark Messier (694)
10. Steve Yzerman (692)
Remaining 2024-25 regular-season games
Tue, Mar 11: at Anaheim, 10 p.m. ET
Thu, Mar 13: at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. ET
Sat, Mar 15: at San Jose, 5 p.m. ET
Tue, Mar 18: vs. Detroit, 7 p.m. ET
Thu, Mar 20: vs. Philadelphia, 7 p.m. ET
Sat, Mar 22: vs. Florida, 5 p.m. ET
Tue, Mar…