Alex Ovechkin closing in on Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal record: Capitals star 16 goals away

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Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is one of the most heralded 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.

Ovechkin is on the verge of becoming the NHL’s all-time goals leader, and he can pass Wayne Gretzky’s mark of 894 before the end of season. The Capitals standout currently has 879 career goals, so he needs to rack up 16 more goals in the team’s remaining 28 games in order to top Gretzky’s record this season.

The 2023-24 campaign proved to be a mortal one for Ovechkin where scored 31 goals, his lowest total in a full-length season since he netted 32 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 1,590 points (879 goals, 711 assists) in his professional career. He made even more history in 2023-24 when he registered an NHL record 18th 30-goal season, passing Mike Gartner’s 17 for the honor.

Ovechkin found the back of the net against the Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 6 to bring himself within 16 goals of passing Gretzky’s all-time goals record.

At this season’s pace, given health, Ovechkin would surpass “The Great One” before the end of the regular season.

Ovechkin will likely continue to be an established force on the Capitals’ top power-play unit, so there figures to be plenty of goal-scoring opportunities. He, obviously, has gotten off to a much hotter start than he did a year ago 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 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 quickly closing in on one of the most prestigious records in all of hockey: Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal record. Ovechkin currently sits just 16 goals away from surpassing Gretzky’s mark of 894 career goals, a feat that would solidify his place as one of the greatest goal scorers in the history of the game.

Ovechkin, who was drafted first overall by the Capitals in 2004, has been a dominant force on the ice since his rookie season. Known for his powerful shot and scoring touch, Ovechkin has consistently been among the league leaders in goals scored throughout his career. He has won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the NHL’s leading goal scorer a record nine times and has been named to the NHL All-Star team 11 times.

At 36 years old, Ovechkin shows no signs of slowing down. In the 2020-2021 season, he scored 24 goals in just 45 games, leading the Capitals in scoring once again. With his incredible scoring ability and durability, Ovechkin has a legitimate chance to break Gretzky’s record in the coming seasons.

Surpassing Gretzky’s goal record would be a monumental achievement for Ovechkin and would further solidify his legacy as one of the greatest players in NHL history. Gretzky’s record has stood for over two decades and breaking it would be a testament to Ovechkin’s skill, work ethic, and longevity in the league.

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. With just 16 goals separating him from the top spot, Ovechkin is on the cusp of etching his name in the record books as one of the all-time greats.