With his 895th career goal today against the New York Islanders, Alex Ovechkin has surpassed Wayne Gretzky and is now the NHL’s all-time leading goal-scorer. It was Ovechkin’s first goal against Islanders star goalie Ilya Sorokin, coming on Ovechkin’s first shot of Washington’s first power-play. In classic fashion, he beat Sorokin with a hard wrist-shot from the tops of the circles.
So ends ’The Gr8 Chase,’ a storyline most thought would never come to fruition after Gretzky retired 26 years ago. Many of his records are still considered and will likely stand as unbreakable. Still, Ovechkin’s excellence as a pure goal-scorer has him passing The Great One for one of the league’s most prestigious stat-based records.
While Ovechkin’s chances of breaking the record truly became realistic a couple of years ago after a resurgent 50-goal campaign in 2021-22, it’s his performance this season that will stand out. Now 39 years old, Ovechkin’s scoring goals at his highest rate per game this season since 2019-20. He’s managed to do so despite missing over a month with a fractured left fibula earlier in the year – by far the most extended injury-related absence of his incredibly durable 20-year career.
Of course, his success has done more than serve as a nice story for Washington this season. He’s helped the Caps’ team offense along to a league-best 3.60 goals per game, positioning them to finish atop the Eastern Conference after barely squeaking into the postseason picture last year with the league’s 28th-ranked offense.
Ovechkin’s career resume needs no introduction. He holds the record for most 30-goal (19) and 40-goal (13) seasons and is tied with Gretzky and Mike Bossy with nine 50-goal campaigns, a record his injury will prevent him from taking outright. He’s won the Richard Trophy as the league’s leading goal-scorer nine times and the Hart Trophy on three occasions. The 12-time All-Star won his only Stanley Cup championship (to date) with Washington in 2018 and took home the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after scoring a league-leading 15 goals in 24 games.
The all-time goals record is now the fourth offensive record Ovechkin holds. He’s also the all-time leader in power-play goals (323), game-winning goals (135), and shots on goal (6,844). It’s also not the only notable Gretzky record to fall this season. Penguins captain and longtime rival Sidney Crosby has clinched a 20th straight point-per-game season in 2024-25, breaking Gretzky’s record of 19.
Photo courtesy of James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images.
Congrats to Alex Ovechkin on breaking an historic record. Next step is to be the first player in NHL history to hit 900 goals. History has been made in the NHL today.
CONGRATS OVI!!!!!!! We have witnessed history today!!! Now to 900 and beyond!!!
Glad it wasn’t an empty netter! :)
Congrats!
He declined the chance for an empty netter Friday night, said he wants to beat a goalie.
Big ups to the GR8! Just remember, Alex, that Wayne was the first to get 802-894. You get the honor of setting a new mark every time to beat an opponent’s netminder like a rented mule (or get an ENG). Keep it going, you Russian Machine!
@Mac – Was worried you ditched us for the KHL or something, lol! :)
Glad you’re back, Mac
@Gbear and @Howe 975 – Sorry for the late reply here. I gave a bit too much fan effort for the 4 Nations, and took a nasty tumble down my stairs at home. Five fractures, two black eyes, beat up both knees, severe bruising over much of the body, multiple stress fractures in my back, the worst concussion of my life and to top it all off, a diagnosis of diabetes. Yep, played like an insane hockey fan, all right. I was out of commission for the last week of February through April 2nd. Got to give the nurses a few scares when they had to help me in the shower room a couple of times a week. Not sure if I was glad or mad I missed the bulk of trade deadline day/week.
@Howe 975 – Thanks for the well-wishes! :)
@Mac – You could just play hockey and take that kind of abuse instead. :D
Glad you’re on the mend….just in time for the playoffs (but no jumping up and down, on orders from the team physician)! :)
@Gbear – I did tell a couple of people that it felt like I went toe-to-toe with the #43 Train, and was fortunate that Tommy let up on me before the crew came out with the shovels. Thankfully, I’m unable to jump at all, but I have been yelling a bit at the interweb radio during some of the games, especially the back-to-back debacles exhibited by the Stars. ;)
An incredible achievement, and really: given that Gretzky racked up his goals in the highest goal scoring era in the last century, Ovechkin’s already been the greatest goal scorer in the game’s history for some time now. Hail to the Great Eight!
Really the last athlete of my youth. Been a fun ride. Let’s win another cup! Go caps!
Truely, a man who is built different. I wouldn’t rule out 1K – all he needs is for his skating to hold up.
Never doubted this or 900. To me, the only question was 1,000.
Seems likely.
Matthews is on pace for 949 goals in 1486 games at this current pace. Think he can do it?
It’s all a matter of durability. Ovechkin’s been astonishingly durable over the years. Twenty seasons and he’s missed significant time in only two.
Matthews? Not so much. He’s played a full schedule only twice. Five out of his nine seasons he’s missed significant time, and he’s nearly a hundred games played behind Ovechkin over a similar span (not counting the lockout year for Ovie). It’s certainly more likely that he’ll break down more often as time goes on.
Congrats OV on showing the world what Caps fans have known for Decades. There is no better player to build a franchise around than the [at the time] future Goal Scoring GOAT with a keen appreciation for for the game and his place in it including the History of the game. Gretz was as classy as ever as was Hull before him.
Make no Mistake This was the equivalent of Ripken’s ironman streak… a record ew thought even could e broken that was!
Tip o’ the hat to ownership and GMs over OV’s career who kept a team around Ovechkin that allowed him to succeed on such a high level
Congrats ovi never thought 895 would happen
Crazy that gretzky has 1,250 more assists tho, nobody will ever surpass the pt total. Always the great one forever