A once seemingly unbreakable NHL record could fall as early as the 2024-25 season thanks to the goal-scoring prowess of Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin.
The Great Eight is within striking distance of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record of 894, which Gretzky reached on March 29, 1999, against the New York Islanders. Ovechkin began this season with 853 career goals.
He’s now at 870, after scoring in the first period of Sunday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. Despite Ovechkin’s point, though, the Red Wings took an early 4-1 lead.
“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.”
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in December that he will follow Ovechkin around when he’s within four or five goals of the record with Gretzky accompanying him.
Ovechkin started this season red-hot, with 15 goals in his first 18 games. His golden touch continued since the end of the 2023-24 season when he tallied 13 goals over his last 17 games — making it a stretch of 35 goals in his last 35 games dating back to March of last season.
Unfortunately, a fractured fibula sidelined Ovechkin on Nov. 18, causing him to miss 16 games for the Capitals. The Capitals captain has been durable for his entire NHL career, having missed only 75 games due to injury since breaking in during the 2005-06 season.
He quickly scored in his return from injury, nabbing a late empty netter on Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Capitals won 5-2.
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 (870)
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
Sun, Dec 29: at Detroit, 5 p.m. ET
Tue, Dec 31: vs. Boston, 12:30 p.m. ET
Thu, Jan 2: vs. Minnesota, 7 p.m. ET
Sat, Jan 4: vs. Rangers, 12 p.m. ET
Mon, Jan 6: at Buffalo, 7 p.m. ET
Wed, Jan 8: vs. Vancouver, 7:30 p.m. ET
Fri, Jan 10: vs. Montreal, 7 p.m. ET
Sat, Jan 11: at Nashville, 8 p.m. ET
Tue, Jan 14: vs….