Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is closing in on being one of the most accomplished players in NHL history. The legendary forward already has a ton of records on the NHL history books, but there’s one more still to go that could put him in the pantheon of all-time greats.
With the 2024-25 season now in progress, Ovechkin is on the verge of becoming the NHL’s all-time goals leader. Ovechkin can pass Wayne Gretzky’s mark (894) during the 2024-25 regular season. The Capitals standout currently has 858 career goals, so he would need to rack up just 36 more goals this season in order to top Gretzky’s league record.
The 2023-24 campaign proved to be a mortal one for Ovechkin, who scored 31 goals last season. Ovechkin’s 31 goals was his lowest goal-scoring total since he netted 32 goals in the 2012-13 season. Ovechkin did have just 24 goals in 2020-21, but that season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ovechkin scored 42 goals during the 2022-23 season, and has tallied at least 41 goals in 13 of his 19 NHL seasons.
Ovechkin currently has tallied 1,560 points (858 goals, 702 assists) in his professional career. He did make even more history in 2023-24 when he registered an NHL record 18th 30-goal season as he passed Mike Gartner (17) for the honor.
Ovechkin scored his fifth goal of the season in a 6-3 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 31. That helped Ovechkin keep the pace he needs to catch Gretzky by the end of the regular season. Right now, Ovechkin is on pace for 46 goals, which would be enough to surpass “The Great One.”
Ovechkin will likely continue to be an established force on the Capitals’ top power-play unit, so there will be plenty of goal-scoring opportunities. He will look to get off to a hotter start than he did in 2023-24 when he recorded just five goals over the first two months of the season.
CBS Sports will keep track of Ovechkin’s goals throughout the 2024-25 season and keep tabs on how close he is to eclipsing Gretzky’s all-time record.
Alex Ovechkin, the star forward for the Washington Capitals, is making significant progress towards tying Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal record. As of now, Ovechkin is just 36 goals away from reaching this historic milestone.
Ovechkin, who was drafted first overall by the Capitals in 2004, has been a dominant force in the NHL since his rookie season. Known for his powerful shot and scoring ability, Ovechkin has consistently been among the league leaders in goals scored throughout his career.
Currently, Gretzky holds the record for most career goals in NHL history with 894. Ovechkin, who recently surpassed the 700-goal mark, has been steadily closing in on Gretzky’s record over the past few seasons.
At 35 years old, Ovechkin shows no signs of slowing down. He continues to be a key player for the Capitals and is still one of the most dangerous goal scorers in the league. With his scoring prowess and longevity in the NHL, Ovechkin has a real chance of surpassing Gretzky’s record and etching his name in hockey history.
If Ovechkin is able to maintain his current pace and stay healthy, he could potentially tie or even break Gretzky’s record within the next few seasons. It would be a remarkable achievement for Ovechkin and a testament to his skill and dedication to the game.
As Ovechkin continues his pursuit of Gretzky’s record, hockey fans around the world will be watching closely to see if he can make history and solidify his place as one of the greatest goal scorers of all time.
