A once-seemingly unbreakable NHL record could fall at the start of the 2024-25 season thanks to the goaltending ability of Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin.
The Great Eight is a long way from Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal record of 894, which Gretzky achieved on March 29, 1999, against the New York Islanders. Ovechkin began this season with 853 career goals.
He remains at 870 after failing to score in Washington’s 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins on New Year’s Eve.
“It’s just a matter of time, whether it’s late this year, early next year, whenever,” Gretzky told NHL.com earlier this year about Ovechkin’s chances of breaking his record. “I mean, he’s a great player. He’s a very good player.”
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in December that he would go after Ovechkin when he was within four or five goals of the record with Gretzky to go with him.
Ovechkin got off to a hot start this season, with 15 goals in his first 18 games. Unfortunately, he suffered a broken fibula on Nov. 18 made him miss 16 games for the Capitals. “The Russian Machine” has been a long-time starter for his entire NHL career, missing just 75 games due to injury since entering the 2005-06 season.
Since returning from injury on December 28, Ovechkin has two goals in three games.
Ovechkin will again chase Gretzky’s record on Thursday against the Minnesota Wild.
We will track Ovechkin’s streak to 894 goals and more throughout the season.
NHL top-10 in career goals
1. Wayne Gretzky (894)
2. Alex Ovechkin (870)
3. Gordie Howe (801)
4. Jaromir Jagr (766)
5. Brett Hull (741)
6. Marcel Dionne (731)
7. Phil Esposito (717)
8. Mike Gartner (708)
9. Mark Messier (694)
10. Steve Yzerman (692)
The remaining games of the 2024-25 regular season
Thursday, January 2: vs. Minnesota, 7pm ET
Sat, Jan 4: vs. Rangers, 12 pm ET
January 6: at Buffalo, 7 p.m. ET
Wednesday, January 8: vs. Vancouver, 7:30 pm ET
Friday, January 10: vs. Montreal, 7pm ET
Saturday, Jan 11: at Nashville, 8 p.m. ET
Tuesday, Jan 14: vs. Anaheim, 7 p.m. ET
Thursday, January 16: at Ottawa, 7 p.m. ET
Sat, Jan 18: vs. Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. ET
January 21: in Edmonton, 9 p.m. ET
Thursday, January 23: in Seattle, 10 pm ET
Sat, Jan 25: in Vancouver, 10 pm ET
January 28: at Calgary, 9 p.m. ET
Thursday, January 30: at Ottawa, 7 p.m. ET
Sat, February 1: vs. Winnipeg, 7pm ET
Yours, February 4: vs. Florida, 7 p.m. ET
Thursday, February 6: at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. ET
Date, February 9: vs. Utah, 12:30 pm ET
Sat, February 22: at Pittsburgh, 3 p.m. ET
Date, February 23: vs. Edmonton, 1 p.m. ET
Yours, February 25: vs. Calgary, 7pm ET
Thursday, February 27: vs. St. Louis, 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, Mar 1: vs. Tampa Bay, 12:30 pm ET
In the month, Mar 3: vs. Ottawa, 6:30 pm ET
Wednesday, Mar 5: at Rangers, 7 p.m. ET
Friday, Mar 7: vs. Detroit, 7pm ET
Date, Mar 9: vs. Seattle, 3:30 pm ET
Tuesday, Mar 11: at Anaheim, 10 p.m. ET
Thursday, Mar 13: in Los Angeles, 10:30 pm ET
Sat, Mar 15: in San Jose, 5pm ET
Tuesday, Mar 18: vs. Detroit, 7pm ET
You, Mar 20: vs. Philadelphia, 7 p.m. ET
Sat, Mar 22: vs. Florida, 5 p.m. ET
Tuesday, Mar 25: at Winnipeg, 8pm ET
You, Mar 27: at Minnesota, 8 p.m. ET
Date, Mar 30: vs. Buffalo, 3 p.m. ET
Tuesday, April 1: in Boston, 7pm ET
Wednesday, April 2: at Carolina, 7 p.m. ET
Friday, April 4: vs. Chicago, 7 p.m. ET
Date, April 6: at Islanders, 12:30 pm ET
Thursday, April 10: vs. Carolina, 7:30 p.m. ET
Sat, April 12: Columbus, 7 p.m. ET
Date, April 13: vs. Columbus, 6pm ET
Thursday, April 15: at Islanders, 8 p.m. ET
Thursday, April 17: at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. ET
Ovechkin’s goal timeline
No. 1: Oct. 2, 2005 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (Pascal Leclaire)
No. 50: April 13, 2006 vs. Atlanta Thrashers (Mike Dunham)
No. 100: Oct. 12, 2007 vs. New York Rangers (Henrik Lundqvist)
No. 200: February 5, 2009 (Jonathan Quick)
No. 300: April 5, 2011 (James Reimer)
No. 400: Dec. 20, 2013 (empty net)
No. 500: Jan. 10, 2016 (Andrew Hammond)
No. 600: March 12, 2018 (Connor Hellebuyck)
No. 700: February 22, 2020 (Mackenzie Blackwood)
No. 800: December 13, 2022 (Petr Mrazek)
Hat trick in a season (32 career)
2005-06:1
2006-07:1
2007-08:3
2008-09:3
2009-10:1
2010-11:1
2011-12:0
2012-13: 2
2013-14:1
2014-15:0
2015-16: 2
2016-17: 2
2017-18:3
2018-19:3
2019-20:4
2020-21:0
2021-22:1
2022-23: 2
2023-24:0
2024-25:1
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