Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals’ prominent player, stands as one of the most celebrated figures in NHL history. Already a legend, he is now pursuing Wayne Gretzky’s unparalleled career goals record.
At 39 years old, Ovechkin is nearing the pinnacle of NHL goal scoring, with the potential to surpass Gretzky’s benchmark of 894 goals before this season concludes. He currently boasts 888 career goals, having added his 35th goal of the season during Washington’s recent 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.
He requires just seven more goals in the Capitals’ remaining 13 games to overtake Gretzky’s record this season.
Ovechkin’s career totals include 1,607 points (888 goals and 719 assists). Earlier, on March 9th, he became only the 11th player in NHL history to achieve 1,600 career points.
The current season has been less prolific for Ovechkin compared to his usual standards, with 31 goals, marking his lowest full-season goal count. While he scored fewer in a shortened 2020-21 season (24 goals), this season represents a dip in a standard length season.
In the 2022-23 season, Ovechkin scored 42 goals and has achieved at least 41 goals in 13 of his 19 NHL seasons.
This season, he set a new NHL record by achieving his 18th 30-goal season, surpassing Mike Gartner’s previous record of 17. He has now extended this record to 19 seasons.
Ovechkin remains a key player on the Capitals’ power play, ensuring consistent opportunities to score. His current scoring rate is significantly improved from the previous year, where he only managed five goals in the initial two months of the season.
Sports news outlets are closely following Ovechkin’s goal count this season, tracking his progress towards potentially breaking Gretzky’s all-time record.
Elton Marrow