Alex Ovechkin is a goal away from catching The Great One. (Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images)
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters)
Alex Ovechkin scored career goal No. 893 for the Washington Capitals on Friday night against the Chicago Blackhawks, putting him one shy of matching Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL record of 894 and two short from breaking the decades-old record.
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The Capitals star got this one on a one-timer with assists from Dylan Strome and John Carlson.
Ovechkin’s goal was his 40th of the season, making it the 14th 40-goal campaign of his 20-year NHL career. He’s currently third in goals scored this season and will likely come up short in his bid for a 10th Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy. Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers leads the NHL with 52 scores.
Ovechkin is also the first player in NHL history to notch 40 goals three different times after turning 35. He has recorded as many 40-goal seasons in his 30s as he did in his 20s.
The Eastern Conference-leading Capitals have six games to play in the regular season. Now that Ovechkin is in striking distance of Gretzky’s record, “The Great One” has begun accompanying NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to every Capitals game until the record is broken.
Ovechkin ranks third on the NHL goals leaderboard despite playing at least nine fewer games than every other player in the top 10. He broke his fibula in November, which forced him to miss nearly five weeks and created significant doubt he could break the record this season. In the time since his return, the 39-year-old has been on a tear, with 25 goals and 17 assists in 42 games.
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He still has a year left on his Capitals contract and is unlikely to remain with the team after that. Even if he goes scoreless for the rest of the season, it’s still a matter of “when” and not “if” he breaks the record. But to do so at the end of the season, for a team battling for the Presidents’ Trophy, is about as great an environment as fans of the “Great Eight” could hope for.
Capitals remaining schedule
Sun, Apr 6: at Islanders, 12:30 p.m. ET
Thu, Apr 10: vs. Carolina, 7:30 p.m. ET
Sat, Apr 12: at Columbus, 7 p.m. ET
Sun, Apr 13: vs. Columbus, 6 p.m. ET
Tue, Apr 15: at Islanders, 8 p.m. ET
Thu, Apr 17: at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. ET
1. Wayne Gretzky (894)
2. Alex Ovechkin (893)
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)
