Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is already 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 during the 2024-25 regular season. The Capitals standout currently has 874 career goals, so needs to rack up 21 more goals this season in order to top Gretzky’s record.
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 1,583 points (874 goals, 709 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 recently returned to the ice after missing over a month with a leg injury. He scored a game-winning overtime goal to lead the Capitals to a 1-0 win against the Ottawa Senators in overtime on Jan. 16.
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 Russian-born superstar of the Washington Capitals, is making waves in the hockey world as he inches closer to breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal record. With just 21 goals standing between him and the coveted title, Ovechkin’s progress has fans and analysts alike buzzing with excitement.
Ovechkin, known for his powerful shot and scoring prowess, has been a dominant force in the NHL since he entered the league in 2005. He has consistently been among the league leaders in goals scored and has won numerous awards for his offensive skills, including eight Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies for leading the league in goals.
At 36 years old, Ovechkin shows no signs of slowing down. In the 2020-2021 season, he scored 24 goals in just 45 games, putting him on pace to break Gretzky’s record in the near future. Ovechkin’s ability to score goals at such a high rate, even as he gets older, is a testament to his skill and dedication to the game.
Breaking Gretzky’s record would solidify Ovechkin’s place among the greatest players in NHL history. Gretzky’s record of 894 goals has stood for over two decades, and many believed it would never be broken. But Ovechkin’s relentless pursuit of the record has given fans hope that he can achieve the seemingly impossible.
As Ovechkin continues his quest to surpass Gretzky, hockey fans around the world are eagerly watching his every move. With each goal he scores, he gets one step closer to etching his name in the history books as the greatest goal scorer of all time. And with just 21 goals standing between him and Gretzky’s record, it seems like only a matter of time before Ovechkin achieves his goal.
