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USA Today
06-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Alex Ovechkin breaks NHL history with 895th career goal to pass Wayne Gretzky's record
Alex Ovechkin breaks NHL history with 895th career goal to pass Wayne Gretzky's record Alex Ovechkin has officially made NHL history! On April 6 against the New York Islanders, Ovechkin scored his 895th career NHL goal, breaking the league record held by Wayne Gretzky since 1999. It's a record many didn't believe would fall in the modern game of hockey, but Ovechkin's push intensified this season — even despite sustaining a broken leg in late 2024. Entering the 2024-25 NHL season, Ovechkin — age 39 — needed 42 goals to break the NHL record. The moment is a long time coming for the life-long Washington Capital, who cements his place as the NHL's best, most potent goal scorer in league history. And given he has one year left on his contract with the Capitals, it seems as if there will be more goals to come before his career comes to a close. Here's the moment the historic goal was scored against Islanders and how Ovechkin and the Capitals celebrated the momentous occasion. What a moment.
USA Today
05-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Alex Ovechkin ties Wayne Gretzky's NHL scoring record. See his path to 894
Alex Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky as the NHL's career goal leader on Friday night – a mark that once seemed insurmountable and earned Gretzky the nickname The Great One. The Great Eight, as the Washington Capital is sometimes called, began the season 41 goals behind Gretzky's 894. But, perhaps, numbers fall short of conveying how dominant the two players' careers have been. Ovechkin scored his 40th and 41st of the year on April 4. From goals to points, our series of charts below — based on NHL and Hockey Reference data — show the gulf that Gretzky and Ovechkin have created between themselves and their contemporaries as they solidified their positions as two of the league's greats. Three NHL players scored more than 800 goals in their careers It's interesting to note in the chart below, how one player has stood out from others of their generations since the 1950s when Maurice Richard became the NHL's first 400-goal scorer — and later first 500-goal scorer. A couple decades later Gordie Howe finished his 33-year career with 801 goals. Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. So how did Gretzky and Ovechkin get there? Combine consistent all-star play with health and longevity, and their career milestones became more plausible. Gretzky lost a large portion of his 1992-93 season to a back injury, while Ovechkin lost 16 games this year to a broken leg. Otherwise, both stayed on the ice during the prime of their careers. How many goals does Ovechkin have in his career Both Ovechkin and Gretzky averaged about 49 goals per season, but some might say Ovechkin is still in the prime of his career, considering the relatively consistent trajectory of his scoring. So who is better, Gretzky or Ovechkin? Here are a few more points to help you decide. Whether it's Jordan vs. LeBron or Brady vs. Mahomes, comparisons between great players of different eras can often be a fool's errand. That said, a couple key differences in the eras: Goalies' gear covers more of the goal today Only a few years separate Ovechkin and Gretzky, but like any other sport, hockey equipment evolved during these four-plus decades. Consider how different goalies' pads and mitts were, below, during Gretzky's and Ovechkin's first seasons. To be fair, goalies wore more modern-day uniforms in Gretzky's final seasons, and two years before Ovechkin entered the NHL, the length of goalie pads was limited to 38 inches. NHL scoring at its highest levels in Gretzky era Some will argue that Ovechkin is a greater goal scorer because scoring has become more challenging. Gretzky's early years were played when the NHL averaged the highest average points per game. Of 25 players who scored 65 goals or more in a season, 19 were in Gretzky's era. That includes four seasons where Gretzky scored 71 or more. Ovechkin tallied 65 once. Gretzky has conceded that he may soon lose his scoring title in the coming months. "It's just a matter of time, whether it's late this year, early next year, whenever," Gretzky said about his record this past fall, according to the NHL. "I mean, he's a great player. He's a great goal scorer." But the measure of a great hockey player isn't only how many goals they rack up. Consider how Ovechkin compares to his contemporaries on career points – goals and assists added together. How many career points has Ovechkin earned In his 20 years in the NHL, Gretzky's play contributed to more goals for his teams than any player by far. In addition to leading the league in goals five times, he led the NHL in assists 16 times, leading to a career points record that may never be eclipsed. The Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby joined the NHL in the 2005-06 season with Ovechkin. Crosby has assisted on nearly 50% more goals than Ovechkin has, putting him dozens of points ahead. Below, the top 50 players in career points. Only four have played this season: How old is Alex Ovechkin and other milestones Should Ovechkin run out of regular-season games this year, he'll turn 40 in September with one more year on his current Capitals' contract. In addition to the career goal record, he'll have more chances to pile up career statistics. A couple of them: ◾ Points: Ovechkin overtook Phil Esposito's career points mark of 1,590 in early February, putting him 11th (1,617) in the category. Joe Sakic, 10th in points at 1,641, could be within reach next season. ◾ Goalies scored on: Ovechkin already leads in this category with 181 goalies in his 20 years. Less than 9% of those who have played in the league have even scored 180 or more goals. How many goals does Ovechkin have this year How many empty net goals has Ovechkin made After returning from his broken leg in late December, Ovechkin scored his 17th goal of the season in his first game back, collecting his 62nd empty-net goal of his career. He scored his 65th empty-netter March 15. Empty-net goals are a perk of playing for one of the top teams in the NHL for several years, and Ovechkin has taken advantage of empty nets more often than any player in league history, according to Statmuse. He topped Gretzky's 56 empty netters last season when he tallied three. Rounding the top five of empty-net goal scorers, according to Statmuse: Marian Hossa, 40, Brad Marchand, 38, and Sidney Crosby, 37.
USA Today
05-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Alex Ovechkin ties Wayne Gretzky's NHL scoring record
Alex Ovechkin ties Wayne Gretzky's NHL scoring record Alex Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky as the NHL's career goal leader on Friday night – a mark that once seemed unsurmountable and earned Gretzky the nickname The Great One. The Great Eight, as the Washington Capital is sometimes called, began the season 41 goals behind Gretzky's 894. But, perhaps, numbers fall short of conveying how dominant the two players' careers have been. Ovechkin scored his 40th and 41st of the year on April 4. From goals to points, our series of charts below — based on NHL and Hockey Reference data — show the gulf that Gretzky and Ovechkin have created between themselves and their contemporaries as they solidified their positions as two of the league's greats. Ovechkin tracker: How many goals does Alex Ovechkin need to pass Wayne Gretzky? Tracking all his stats Three NHL players scored more than 800 goals in their careers It's interesting to note in the chart below, how one player has stood out from others of their generations since the 1950s when Maurice Richard became the NHL's first 400-goal scorer — and later first 500-goal scorer. A couple decades later Gordie Howe finished his 33-year career with 801 goals. Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. So how did Gretzky and Ovechkin get there? Combine consistent all-star play with health and longevity, and their career milestones became more plausible. Gretzky lost a large portion of his 1992-93 season to a back injury, while Ovechkin lost 16 games this year to a broken leg. Otherwise, both stayed on the ice during the prime of their careers. How many goals does Ovechkin have in his career Both Ovechkin and Gretzky averaged about 49 goals per season, but some might say Ovechkin is still in the prime of his career, considering the relatively consistent trajectory of his scoring. So who is better, Gretzky or Ovechkin? Here are a few more points to help you decide. Whether it's Jordan vs. LeBron or Brady vs. Mahomes, comparisons between great players of different eras can often be a fool's errand. That said, a couple key differences in the eras: Goalies' gear covers more of the goal today Only a few years separate Ovechkin and Gretzky, but like any other sport, hockey equipment evolved during these four-plus decades. Consider how different goalies' pads and mitts were, below, during Gretzky's and Ovechkin's first seasons. To be fair, goalies wore more modern-day uniforms in Gretzky's final seasons, and two years before Ovechkin entered the NHL, the length of goalie pads was limited to 38 inches. NHL scoring at its highest levels in Gretzky era Some will argue that Ovechkin is a greater goal scorer because scoring has become more challenging. Gretzky's early years were played when the NHL averaged the highest average points per game. Of 25 players who scored 65 goals or more in a season, 19 were in Gretzky's era. That includes four seasons where Gretzky scored 71 or more. Ovechkin tallied 65 once. Gretzky has conceded that he may soon lose his scoring title in the coming months. "It's just a matter of time, whether it's late this year, early next year, whenever," Gretzky said about his record this past fall, according to the NHL. "I mean, he's a great player. He's a great goal scorer." But the measure of a great hockey player isn't only how many goals they rack up. Consider how Ovechkin compares to his contemporaries on career points – goals and assists added together. How many career points has Ovechkin earned In his 20 years in the NHL, Gretzky's play contributed to more goals for his teams than any player by far. In addition to leading the league in goals five times, he led the NHL in assists 16 times, leading to a career points record that may never be eclipsed. The Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby joined the NHL in the 2005-06 season with Ovechkin. Crosby has assisted on nearly 50% more goals than Ovechkin has, putting him dozens of points ahead. Below, the top 50 players in career points. Only four have played this season: Evander Kane on what it's been like watching the Alex Ovechkin-Sidney Crosby rivalry Edmonton Oilers' Evander Kane weighs in on the Ovechkin-Crosby rivalry and talks about what it's been like to watch both players through the years. Sports Seriously How old is Alex Ovechkin and other milestones Should Ovechkin run out of regular-season games this year, he'll turn 40 in September with one more year on his current Capitals' contract. In addition to the career goal record, he'll have more chances to pile up career statistics. A couple of them: ◾ Points: Ovechkin overtook Phil Esposito's career points mark of 1,590 in early February, putting him 11th (1,617) in the category. Joe Sakic, 10th in points at 1,641, could be within reach next season. ◾ Goalies scored on: Ovechkin already leads in this category with 181 goalies in his 20 years. Less than 9% of those who have played in the league have even scored 180 or more goals. How many goals does Ovechkin have this year How many empty net goals has Ovechkin made After returning from his broken leg in late December, Ovechkin scored his 17th goal of the season in his first game back, collecting his 62nd empty-net goal of his career. He scored his 65th empty-netter March 15. Empty-net goals are a perk of playing for one of the top teams in the NHL for several years, and Ovechkin has taken advantage of empty nets more often than any player in league history, according to Statmuse. He topped Gretzky's 56 empty netters last season when he tallied three. Rounding the top five of empty-net goal scorers, according to Statmuse: Marian Hossa, 40, Brad Marchand, 38, and Sidney Crosby, 37.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The 5 best Alex Ovechkin moments from his NHL career
Alex Ovechkin is, without a doubt, a one-of-a-kind hockey player. Not only is the long-time Washington Capital the best goal scorer the NHL has ever seen, the grizzled veteran has quite the personality too. Hockey fans have seen Ovechkin's humor shine through on and off the ice for the last two decades in various ways, from Stanley Cup celebrations to All-Star antics and more. To celebrate Ovechkin's race to beat Wayne Gretzky's NHL goals record, let's take a look at the best, most humorous moments — mostly off the ice — from his NHL career. Let's dive in! MORE: Alex Ovechkin will break Wayne Gretzky's goals record against one of these 5 teams. Ovechkin closes out the rally in fitting fashion — Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) June 12, 2018 This article originally appeared on For The Win: The best Alex Ovechkin moments from his NHL career
USA Today
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
The 5 best Alex Ovechkin moments from his NHL career
The 5 best Alex Ovechkin moments from his NHL career Alex Ovechkin is, without a doubt, a one-of-a-kind hockey player. Not only is the long-time Washington Capital the best goal scorer the NHL has ever seen, the grizzled veteran has quite the personality too. Hockey fans have seen Ovechkin's humor shine through on and off the ice for the last two decades in various ways, from Stanley Cup celebrations to All-Star antics and more. To celebrate Ovechkin's race to beat Wayne Gretzky's NHL goals record, let's take a look at the best, most humorous moments — mostly off the ice — from his NHL career. Let's dive in! MORE: Alex Ovechkin will break Wayne Gretzky's goals record against one of these 5 teams. 5. Ovechkin's truly varied commercial appearances over the years 4. Ovechkin scores a hilarious All-Star shootout goal with props 3. Ovechkin delivers an expletive-filled Stanley Cup celebration story Ovechkin closes out the rally in fitting fashion — Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) June 12, 2018 2. Ovechkin begs to be the last during the 2015 All-Star Draft 1. Ovechkin does a keg stand out of the Stanley Cup
