If you’re at least remotely familiar with Caps hockey, then you’ve probably heard that Alex Ovechkin is 42 goals shy of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s goal-scoring record. But that’s not the only history that Ovechkin could make this year.
Here is a list of milestones that are within Ovi’s reach.
1500 NHL games. Ovechkin has played 1426 NHL regular season games, all with the Capitals. He holds the record for most NHL games played by any Russian and by any Washington Capital. Without any injuries or major hurdles, Ovechkin could reach 1500 games by the end of this season. He would be the 22nd player in NHL history to do so.
20+ Goal Seasons. If Ovechkin scores 20 or more goals this year (which he has done every NHL season), he will tie Ron Francis (20) for the second most 20-goal seasons in NHL history. Ovechkin would also join Gordie Howe (22) as the second player in NHL history to score 20-plus goals in 20 consecutive seasons.
Washington DC’s Longest-Tenured Athlete. Ovechkin is starting his 20th NHL season. He will be Washington DC’s longest-tenured athlete, regardless of sport. The only other DC athletes to have played 20 seasons with their team are Walter Johnson (Washington Senators: 1907-1927) and Darrell Green (Washington Redskins: 1983-2002).
700+ Goals and 700 Assists. Ovechkin can become just the sixth player in NHL history with 700-plus goals and 700 assists (currently Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr, Gordie Howe, Marcel Dionne and Phil Esposito). Already with 853 goals, Ovechkin just needs 3 more assists to achieve this milestone.
Goals Scored At Age 39. Ovechkin will be entering his ‘age 39’ season. If he scores more than 39 goals this year, he will pass Howe for the most goals scored in a season at age 39.
Goals Scored At Home. Gretzky currently holds the most NHL goals scored at home (492), followed by Howe (449). Ovechkin is currently third, with 419. In the final two years of his current contract, he is within reach of scoring 30 more goals at home to become second on this list.
Game-Winning Goals Scored. Jaromir Jagr holds the record for most game-winning goals (135). Ovechkin is just six goals behind that number (129).
Hat Tricks. Ovechkin currently has 30 hat tricks, the sixth most all time. By the end of his current contract, he could pass Mike Bossy for third most all time. To do this, Ovechkin would have to score nine more hat tricks before he retires.
Gretzky’s “Untouchable” Goals Record. The elephant in the room. For years, Gretzky’s goal record (894) was long considered impossible to beat.
Until Ovechkin came along.
If Ovechkin scores 42 goals this year, which he has done in 13 of 19 NHL seasons, he will break Gretzky’s record. Ovechkin said recently that he thinks he would’ve broken the record already if not for COVID-shortened seasons and NHL lockouts. His team, especially Rasmus Sandin, John Carlson, and head coach Spencer Carbery, believe he can break Gretzky’s record.
This will be a monumental achievement not only for Ovechkin and the Capitals, but for the game of hockey.
Here is a list of records that Ovechkin already holds:
