Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is one of the most celebrated players in NHL history. This legendary forward has already secured his place in history, and he is now very close to breaking Wayne Gretzky`s all-time goal record.
At 39 years old, Ovechkin is on the verge of becoming the NHL`s all-time leading scorer. He needs just four more goals to surpass Gretzky`s record of 894 before this season ends. Currently, Ovechkin has 891 career goals, after scoring his 38th goal of the season on Tuesday.
With eight games remaining in the 2024-25 season after Tuesday`s game, Ovechkin needs to score four more goals to overtake Gretzky`s record.
While Ovechkin is likely to break Gretzky`s record, there is little room for error as the regular season nears its end. If Ovechkin maintains his current scoring pace, he could potentially break Gretzky`s record by April 17, the final day of the regular season.
Scoring multiple goals in a game or two would significantly improve his chances. He has achieved this five times this season, but only once since late November. Here’s a look at the Capitals` upcoming schedule and the average goals allowed per game by their opponents.
Capitals Upcoming Schedule
- April 1: at Bruins (3.28)
- April 2: at Hurricanes (2.64)
- April 4: vs. Blackhawks (3.59)
- April 6: at Islanders (3.06)
Ovechkin has accumulated 1,614 total points in his career (891 goals, 723 assists). On March 9th, he became the 11th player in NHL history to reach 1,600 points.
Ovechkin scored 42 goals in the 2022-23 season and has reached at least 41 goals in 13 of his 19 NHL seasons.
In 2023-24, he achieved a record 18th 30-goal season in the NHL, surpassing Mike Gartner`s previous record of 17. He now has 19 such seasons in his career.
Keep following Ovechkin`s goals this season as he approaches Gretzky`s all-time record.
