Alex Ovechkin's Capitals teammates embrace record chase: ‘You want to pass it to him'
WASHINGTON — Perhaps even more than the awe, the gratitude, the fun, the can-you-really-believe-we-get-to-be-a-part-of-this sensation, it's the sound that's going to stick with Dylan Strome. The way the droning din of 18,000 people suddenly merges into a unison crescendo of audible anticipation a split second before anything even happens.
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These days, nobody's looking at their phones when Alex Ovechkin is on the ice. Just about every fan in the building is locked in on the Washington Capitals' No. 8, involuntarily moving toward the edge of their seats every time the puck hits his stick. Or even if he just finds some open ice. Yes, sometimes, the sound even beats the pass.
And not just at Capital One Center in Washington. At Madison Square Garden in New York. At TD Garden in Boston. At PNC Arena in Raleigh. Anywhere the traveling circus stops for the night. Long Island, look out, it's coming your way on Sunday, with Ovechkin just one goal from owning the NHL's career record.
'The juice, the life that comes alive in the rink when he gets the puck — it's pretty incredible,' Strome said. 'You can tell a lot of smart hockey fans have been watching, because when he gets the puck in the right spots, there's a little more of a buzz. It's been cool. Seems like every game is becoming more and more of a spectacle. The road rinks are incredible.'
But there's still no place like home. After Ovechkin scored the 893rd goal of his career — one shy of Wayne Gretzky's record — on his second shift Friday night against the Chicago Blackhawks, the crowd reacted like it was a game-winner in the playoffs. And the buzz stayed at that level throughout the night. Late in his third shift, when he was ready to come off the ice, a chipped puck nearly got through to him in the offensive zone far from the net but was intercepted by a Blackhawks player. The crowd reacted with an exaggerated 'OHHHHH' that usually only accompanies shots off the post. They thought he tied the record with a power-play goal in the third period, but it actually went in off Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy.
OVECHKIN AGAIN! GOAL 894!!! 😱
HE'S TIED THE ALL-TIME GOALS RECORD! #Gr8Chase
🇺🇸: @NHLNetwork🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/JZ3OZKTfGn
— NHL (@NHL) April 5, 2025
So when Ovechkin did get the puck across the line to tie the record early in the third period — in vintage Ovechkin fashion, on a power-play one-timer from his office in the right circle off a John Carlson feed — the ground shook in the District. And with each successive scoring chance — a breakaway in the third period, four shot attempts in the final 80 seconds — the crowd leapt and yelped and covered their heads in mock agony and laughed and clapped and cheered. Ovechkin didn't get the record to himself just yet, but nobody left Capital One Arena feeling short-changed.
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'When guys that are larger than life like him — anybody else going for anything else, probably wouldn't have happened,' Carlson said. 'But the greats of the greats of the greats just find a way to do it and do it in theater and in style.'
Everyone in the building wants to witness history. That goes for Ovechkin's teammates, too. But they can do one better. They can be a part of history. And everyone wants to have their name on the scoresheet next to No. 895, to be the next Marty McSorley and set up the record-setting tally.
'If you have a chance to pass it to him, you want to pass it to him,' Capitals winger Tom Wilson said. 'There's a lot of intelligent players. If there's a play that's open, most guys will try and make the right play. But if he's open or there's a chance that you can get the puck to him, obviously you're going to try at this point to set up one of the best goal scorers. Once you get it into his hands, usually good things will happen.'
So yes, Ovechkin's teammates have been sometimes forcing the puck to him these days. And no, they're not going to apologize for it. It's usually a pretty sound strategy, anyway.
'Oh, for sure,' said Strome, who has assisted on 20 of Ovechkin's 41 goals this season, and a team-high 46 since joining the Capitals in 2022-23. 'I think I've been doing that for the last three years, to be honest. But yeah, when he's open, you're trying to give it to him a little bit more. But at the same time, he's usually open. He wants the puck in those areas, and it's our job to get it to him.'
Gretzky twice on Friday said that all the attention on his chase of Gordie Howe's record during the 1993-94 season was hard on his teammates, but the Capitals seem to be loving every second. The distinct smell of beer in the postgame locker room was proof of that. Ovechkin, while acknowledging the magnitude of the moment and calling the chase 'great for hockey' after the Caps' morning skate on Friday, repeatedly said his focus was on the game. Maybe his has been, but his teammates have been outright focusing on the record. They're not even pretending otherwise. Washington is all but locked into the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and Strome said Ovechkin's pursuit of Gretzky's record has lent meaning to games that otherwise wouldn't mean a heck of a lot.
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The record is, quite frankly, Washington's top priority right now. For the whole franchise, really. Each goal is announced over the public-address system as Ovechkin's '893rd goal…' or '894th goal…' as a giant triple-digit sign gives way to a higher number.
It's a lot less stressful — and a lot more fun — than last season, when the Capitals were scratching and clawing just to get into the playoffs as the eighth seed.
'It would be totally different if it was like (last season),' Strome said. 'Obviously, we're trying to win the hockey game. We're trying to play (well), we're trying to win. The chances of him getting an empty-netter are pretty high if we're winning the game, too, so that's obviously good. But it's been so much fun. Every time he gets the puck, we all want him to score more than anything. It's been crazy, it's been fun, and it's been a lot easier because we've been winning.'
Being on the other side of the ice can be just as energizing. The 31st-place Blackhawks suffered their 12th loss in 13 games Friday night, but Ovechkin's chase gave them something to play for, too. As much as the Capitals want to be a part of history, their opponents desperately want to avoid doing so.
'We're playing spoiler,' veteran winger Pat Maroon said before the game. 'And (besides that), it's going to be awesome. There's going to be a lot of people in the stands and it's going to be cool. We've got a lot of young guys in here that get to play in front of Wayne Gretzky, arguably the best player in the world. And a lot of people with stardom are going to be here to try to witness something special. Our job is to ruin it for them.'
The Chicago roster is loaded with players approximately half Ovechkin's age, and there was a palpable sense of excitement to go up against him. That'll be the same for virtually any roster in the league, with the Islanders up next.
'He's a legend,' 19-year-old Artyom Levshunov said. 'It's incredible. When I was growing up, I was watching him a lot. Even now, still, he's my favorite player on the ice. It's unreal to play against him.'
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That awe never seems to go away, whether you were born a few weeks into Ovechkin's NHL career, like Levshunov, or whether you've been his teammate for a dozen years, like Wilson. Seeing how casually Ovechkin has handled the chase has only elevated him in his teammates' eyes.
'The amount of pressure, it's bigger than hockey,' Wilson said. 'The entire game of hockey is on his shoulders right now. There's guys like me or my teammates that feel pressure on a nightly basis, (but) this is next level. To be able to handle that, and continue to perform and continue to lead this team to be a top team in the league, and just be such a fun teammate and such a fun guy — it's remarkable.'
The ticking clock looming over the chase — the regular season ends in less than two weeks — has added some juice to the chase, not that it really needed it. It would be pretty anticlimactic if Ovechkin entered next season stuck on 894, with a full season ahead of him. But the Capitals don't seem terribly concerned about that happening. We're long past if; it's now when. One player after the game, without a hint of hyperbole in his voice, said that Ovechkin would be at 900 before the season ends in 11 days.
More than 18,000 fans, a couple dozen teammates and Gretzky himself were all frankly a little surprised it didn't happen on Friday. Two goals for a 39-year-old player almost seemed like a disappointment.
The record is simply inevitable at this point.
'Well, yeah, come on,' Strome said. 'I'd hope so. But even at the beginning of the season, it would be like is it gonna happen? And then he had such a good start and it was for sure gonna happen. Then he got hurt and it wasn't gonna happen. And now it's back on to 'gonna happen.' It's something that you can't really explain because none of us have ever been through something like this. We're enjoying every moment of it.'
The chase now moves to Long Island for a Sunday matinee. Then the Capitals are off until Thursday's home game against Carolina. The last chance for Ovechkin to break the record at home would come next Sunday against Columbus.
But whether it's in Washington or anywhere else, it might just sound the same.
(Photo of Alex Ovechkin, Jakob Chychrun and Andrew Mangiapane: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
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Djurgården had obviously been to the final the previous two years and lost. Like you said, this was the third year in a row being in this league. I grew up a Djurgården fan, so I've been in the crowd singing and trying to help the team win. And now being in the team, being a part of the group who's doing it, was really cool. And I don't think I know how big this is. Some people are saying like, this is historic, this is history, this would be a historic team for the club. And maybe that's not what I thought during the play, I was just thinking, 'I love to play hockey and we're going to win this,' not how big it would be. We played AIK in the finals, biggest rival game in the whole Sweden, I don't know, maybe the whole Europe. It's like, AIK and Djurgården hate each other. And being able to show them that we are the king in Stockholm and that they are our little brother was just a cool experience. Advertisement The celebration is usually the fun part. You decided to leave before that and play in the Under-18 World Championship in Texas. What went into that decision? I think I had the best celebration I could get — play hockey. It's what I love to do. I knew before the playoffs, as soon as the last game of the finals are done, I will leave it and play in the morning right after. So I was ready for it, and it was my decision. I had two goals this season, it was to win HockeyAllsvenskan with Djurgården and to win a U18 World gold, which we ended up didn't do. I didn't feel like the season was done because just winning. I wanted to go with Team Sweden, too. There seemed to be a lot of analysis of your play at the U18s. I know it wasn't the tournament you were hoping for, but how would you evaluate your play there? I don't see those (analysis reactions). I'm not looking too much at like articles or anything. But like I'm aware that I didn't play as good as I know I can or should have played. And I don't want to sit here and say like excuses because I felt tired. I didn't feel tired. I felt like my body was fresh and the jet lag was not too bad. So there's no excuses like there. Like the hardest thing about it was … Djurgården's tournament was long, like second-round Game 7s and then right into the final. And my minutes were kind of low at the end. It was like maximum five minutes a game. You're playing against men, important games, following the game plan 100, playing straight, no mistakes. And going from that to the next day playing on a small rink at my own age group and you are projected being the player who should produce and put in points, I think it was hard to do the transition from the first men's league to the U18 so quick and without any training, exhibition games. I think that was the hardest. It was hard to get into it and start producing. You started the season coming off an injury and seemed to get better as the year went along. What did you feel like you learned as a player this season and playing in that league? I think the biggest steps I took this season was to really start playing good at the high level. I was playing with men who were really good and I started producing. I started controlling the puck, holding the puck, being strong in battles. I started winning battles and had like many shots on the net, started producing points. I could run over guys if I had to. It's good for me knowing what I'm capable of even at that high level. That's what I've learned this season. Your coach mentioned he thought you were learning you didn't need to hold back and could be aggressive. Yeah, I'm becoming a little more aggressive. I'm not a player who's searching for hits, searching to kill someone. That's not my style. But if I have to and if I had a good chance and feel like it's the right thing to do, then I'm never afraid to do it, even against 40-year-old men. If you return to Djurgården next season, you'll get a chance to play in the SHL. What would that opportunity mean for you to continue on with the team and test your game at the next level? The SHL, like you said, it's an even higher level. Like right now, I'm trying to prepare myself as much as I can for that league. Like, I have to get stronger, so I'm working on my physicals, I am working on ice in every part — my shot, my skating, my battling. I know it's another level and I need to be better if I want to be a good player at that level. Are there any players you try to model your game after? I think play similar to (Aleksander) Barkov. I would probably say him. … He has a good size like me, strong, good hockey sense. He's smart. He takes care of every zone, like defense and offensive. He works hard, looks like he's competing, really competing. 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Soon you're going to get a taste of him there.' Frondell's shot was voted best among the draft class by most of the people Pronman recently talked to for his draft confidential. Another look at his shot: Two things that stand out about Frondell from watching multiple games of this past season are how he can make plays on the move and how he seeks to get to the middle of the ice for his shot. He can speed up and slow down and then position for the most optimal shot. This is an extended look at Frondell over a shift: Frondell has some creativity to his game, too. This is an example of that: This is another example of getting to the middle of the ice: Frondell didn't have an outstanding U18 tournament, but he was still noticeable without the production. The biggest criticism of Frondell was his inconsistent play this season. Kimby thinks Frondell has the potential to alter that. 'I think that he has everything within himself,' Kimby said. 'One of the things for me is to learn to release it night after night. Even if he's young, he's so strong. Sometimes even playing against men, you could almost feel like he didn't bring every muscle or every piece of power that he had. Because even in our league, he got penalties because he ran over guys sometimes. So that's one of the things just for him to get comfortable understanding that, well, this is how good I am, just to dominate. And I'm not saying it's a mental thing because it's not, because he's really strong, but to be comfortable just owning every game.' The Blackhawks have drafted a lot of centers over the last three years. That list includes Bedard, Frank Nazar, Ryan Greene, Oliver Moore, Paul Ludwinski, Martin Misiak, Sacha Boisvert, John Mustard, A.J. Spellacy, Martin Misiak and Aidan Thompson. It's unlikely all of them will make the NHL, and if they do, not all of them will play center. 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They can play anywhere and help the team. But there's also a change that could occur from game to game, shift to shift or season to season where it gives the coach options. … We'll draft these other players who — I think for the most part — they've all bounced around and played different positions growing up. … We are looking for the best players, and they'll find a way to be effective and determine who's best suited for what positions. So we'll figure that out down the line.' Realistically, the wing is probably where Frondell would project right now with the Blackhawks. His skill set would be ideal on Bedard's or Nazar's line. He'd give the Blackhawks more size, an elite shot and an ability to create off the rush. Frondell will likely play next season in the SHL. He could be ready for the NHL by the 2026-27 season. Until then, he'll have the ideal player to look up to in Krüger.
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- New York Times
Should Ottawa target Marco Rossi this offseason? Senators mailbag, Part 1
We are weeks away from the 2025 NHL Draft and the free-agent market opening. The rumour mill is churning as we wait for the Ottawa Senators to handle contract negotiations with their remaining pending free agents. Those deals will shape how active they'll be in free agency. Let's take your questions on whether the Sens could offer a performance bonus-laden contract to Claude Giroux, whether Marco Rossi is a fit for the Senators and which prospects could challenge for an NHL roster spot next year. Note: Questions have been lightly edited for length and clarity. We've seen the need for truly top-end talent AND depth in these playoffs. With that in mind, do you think a perennial playoff team, but a first-round or second-round exit, is the Sens' ceiling? Or do they have what it takes to make a deep run as currently constructed (including prospects in the system)? — Mike M. Advertisement I think the Senators are good enough to make the playoffs and could win a round depending on their opponent. They have a No. 1 goalie, a No. 1 defenceman and a No. 1 centre. They have an impact first-liner in Brady Tkachuk, who has proven he can play in the playoffs. Their supporting cast is decent. They have a game plan that involves committing to playing defence. There's work to be done, but the Sens have a good foundation. The Senators are counting on that internal growth to take that next step. But what about filling holes in the roster, such as a need for scoring and potentially another defenceman to offset Nick Jensen's recovery from a nagging hip injury? That question will only be resolved once we know what Ottawa is doing with its remaining free agents before July 1. Finally, what about the other teams in the Atlantic? The Florida Panthers are two wins away from a Cup. Barring serious regression and/or injuries, the Tampa Bay Lightning still look like a playoff team. The Toronto Maple Leafs should be, too. The Montreal Canadiens became a playoff team last year and the Detroit Red Wings continue to knock on the door as well. And maybe the Buffalo Sabres will be one day, too. I think the Senators need to show that they're more impressive than other teams in the Atlantic. It's possible. But they need to prove it wasn't a fluke. Of course, projections for any team go out the window because of the magic of the playoffs. All it takes is one run, and how you play after that run, for your perception to change. I think Ottawa's good enough to be a playoff team right now. But expectations need to be higher than that. Would love a one-year assessment of the (Carter) Yakemchuk pick given it's this window's last top 10 pick (hopefully) and chance to get a star, his progression being hard to judge by box score stats alone, and the glut of other D prospects picked in that range that tempt 'what if' thinking. — Alexei K. Advertisement It's a bit too early to tell with Yakemchuk, I think. He experienced some injury trouble during the second half of his WHL season and wasn't as much of a factor as he should have been during the playoffs. The one game I watched in full last December was his last game before the Christmas holidays. The offensive instincts were there, but he needed to work on gap control, having an active stick and positioning at the time. But until we see him up close at the pro level, I'm going to consider any real assessment of Yakemchuk to be premature. I think the Senators still got a high-end prospect with size and offensive ability, but I'm not comfortable saying the Sens got a better prospect than guys like Zeev Buium, Zayne Parekh and the like. Yakemchuk should be at the Ottawa development camp next month after the draft, and he'll likely head back to Calgary after that to get himself in shape for a training camp battle. The Sens continue to monitor his progress with help from development coach Wade Redden. My impression is that the Senators will give Yakemchuk every opportunity to make the team, as questions surround Jensen's health. My colleague Scott Wheeler thinks Yakemchuk could play in the NHL this fall, too. Are there any players from Belleville that you can see pushing for an NHL roster spot next year? — Keith C. Leevi Merilainen could have the best odds of that, but it doesn't appear to be a slam dunk as of now. It has everything to do with whether Anton Forsberg remains in the organization. Up to now, I haven't heard any confirmation that his time in Ottawa is done. We'll see. Something else to consider: Ottawa's goaltending depth across the organization looks pretty thin if it lets Forsberg go. We know Linus Ullmark is the No. 1 guy. But in a world where Merilainen is No. 2, that leaves Mads Sogaard as their No. 3. Even if Forsberg goes, I'm inclined to think the Senators will vie for a veteran goalie in free agency. Advertisement Stephen Halliday showed some promise at the AHL level with 19 goals and 51 points in 71 games. Depending on what the Sens do with their pending free agents, maybe he gives himself a chance to play on the fourth line with a good showing at training camp. In addition to Yakemchuk battling for a roster spot, I'd look at Donovan Sebrango as a possibility for the seventh defenceman. He played two games last year. It only makes sense that he gets a good look in the fall. It seems like this is the perfect opportunity to pay Claude Giroux via performance bonus, which is allowed on contracts for players aged 35 and above. I'm thinking he could count for a league-minimum cap hit this year and give him $4-5 million in easily achievable performance bonuses, which, from my understanding, would count next year. But with the cap going up, and Nick Jensen and David Perron off the books, they might be OK with it? Can you do a deep dive on this? I don't see this strategy used by teams very often. — Matthieu K. On this week's Ask CJ on the Chris Johnston Show, Johnston tackled a similar question about Brad Marchand. I'd recommend checking that out if you want an in-depth explanation from him. Anyway, yes, the Senators could tender a one-year contract with those performance bonuses that can carry into the next season. For those wanting an update on Giroux, senior vice president Dave Poulin said negotiations are ongoing on Tuesday at a season-ticket-holder event. Joe Pavelski is a notable example of this strategy. He signed a one-year deal in 2023-24 with a $3.5 million cap hit and $2 million in performance bonuses. Combined with bonuses for Thomas Harley, that went up to about $2.6 million in performance overage bonuses carried over into 2024-25, according to PuckPedia. But some money was saved because the Stars were under the cap. That could work as some comparison for Giroux in this case. Are the Senators willing to live with having four or five million on their books in bonuses on their cap? Depends on how much space they'll have. The Sens are currently projected to have $35 million in cap space in 2026, but what does that look like with a new Shane Pinto contract? What about other players they acquire through trade or free agency? Jensen and Perron look like cap casualties in 2026, but is it a guarantee that they both leave? Those are some of the factors the Sens would have to consider. Of course, Giroux has to want that contract, too. What if he wants two years instead of one, for example? Anyway, it's a good idea worth considering. I wouldn't be surprised if the Sens tried to pitch that idea already. I feel that the Sens have too many top-nine forwards but not enough top-six. With that in mind, do you think Marco Rossi could be an interesting option for the Sens? Would Ridly Greig and a second-round pick be enough to make a trade? Thanks! — Olivier N. I get teams and fans being interested in Marco Rossi, a 60-point centre who can score from high-danger areas and looks to be on the outs in Minnesota before his prime. But here's why your trade proposal might not work. My understanding is that the Wild would rather have players in exchange for Rossi instead of draft picks. The Wild probably won't need that 2026 second the Sens could offer (Ottawa doesn't have a second-rounder in this month's draft). Secondly, if the Wild want players, Greig doesn't fit the bill. His snarl and grit make him an excellent middle-of-the-lineup player, but it remains to be seen if he's a top-six player. I think Shane Pinto would be a more intriguing piece for Minnesota than Grieg. His ceiling is higher, and he's a centre with some size who can play well defensively while providing offence in your middle six. Secondly, is Rossi a veritable top-six player on this team, especially in the playoffs? It's worth asking. This spring in the playoffs, Rossi's ice time was limited between 9:27 and 12:10 in the six games he played against Vegas. He did have a multi-point outing in the series in Game 3, but played just 10:52 — and that was two-thirds of his points production in that series. Rossi had a 40.74 Corsi rating at five-on-five in the postseason and a 28.57 percent high-danger chances rate, according to Natural Stat Trick. That's not good enough, in my eyes. I think Rossi is a talented player who could benefit in an environment where he doesn't have to worry about being out of a team's middle six. I'm just not completely sure he would be a top-six player for Ottawa. (Top photo of Marco Rossi: Robert Edwards / Imagn Images)
