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 871 career goals, so needs to rack up 24 more goals this season in order to top Gretzky’s record.
The 2023-24 campaign proved to be a mortal one for Ovechkin, who scored 31 goals last season, his lowest total in a full-length season 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 1,578 points (871 goals, 707 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 returned to the ice last week after missing over a month with a leg injury. Since his return, Ovechkin has scored three goals in four games, including tallying a goal in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 2.
At this season’s pace, given health, Ovechkin would surpass “The Great One” before the end of the regular season. He’s already scored 18 goals this season despite missing a month due to injury.
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 coveted records in all of hockey: Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal record. Ovechkin currently sits just 24 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 sport.
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 prowess, 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 All-Star team numerous times.
At 35 years old, Ovechkin shows no signs of slowing down. In the shortened 2020-2021 season, he scored 24 goals in just 45 games, leading the league in goals per game. If he can maintain his scoring pace, he could potentially break Gretzky’s record as early as next season.
Surpassing Gretzky’s record would be a monumental achievement for Ovechkin and would solidify his legacy as one of the greatest players to ever lace up a pair of skates. It would also be a testament to his durability and consistency over the course of his career, as scoring goals at the NHL level is no easy feat.
While Ovechkin still has some work to do to catch Gretzky, there is no doubt that he has the talent and drive to make it happen. Capitals fans and hockey enthusiasts around the world will be eagerly watching as Ovechkin continues his pursuit of history.
