Sunday was a historic day for hockey as Washington Capitals icon Alex Ovechkin became the NHL`s all-time leading scorer, surpassing Wayne Gretzky with his 895th career goal against the New York Islanders. This achievement highlights Ovechkin`s Hall of Fame career, especially as he exceeded Gretzky`s record, which stood for 25 years and seemed almost impossible to challenge.
While Ovechkin, at 39, has reached this incredible milestone, numerous NHL records appear to be untouchable, including some held by Gretzky. Here’s a look at some of hockey`s most likely unbreakable records, many of which are still held by “The Great One.”
- Alex Ovechkin`s 895 Goals (and Counting)
- Wayne Gretzky`s 2,857 Career Points
- 92 Goals in 80 Games – Gretzky
- 163 Assists, 215 Points in 80 Games – Gretzky
- 10 Points in One Game – Darryl Sittler (Feb. 7, 1976)
- 76 Rookie Goals – Teemu Selanne (1992-93)
- 139 Points by a Defenseman – Bobby Orr (1970-71)
- 502 Consecutive Games by a Goaltender – Glenn Hall
- 691 Wins by a Goaltender – Martin Brodeur
- 11 Stanley Cup Wins – Henri Richard
Alex Ovechkin`s 895 Goals (and Counting)
After matching Wayne Gretzky`s record of 894 goals, Ovechkin made history on Sunday by scoring his 895th goal on a power play against the New York Islanders. Ovechkin received congratulations from Gretzky himself, cementing the Washington Capitals star`s place as the NHL`s top scorer.
With five games remaining in the 2024-25 season, Ovechkin could potentially reach 900 goals before season`s end and might even aim for 1,000 if he continues playing into his forties.
Wayne Gretzky`s 2,857 Career Points
Despite losing the all-time goal record to Ovechkin, Gretzky`s record for career points is likely to remain unchallenged. Gretzky amassed 2,857 points (894 goals, 1,963 assists), far surpassing any other player in NHL history. Jaromir Jagr is second with 1,921 points, and Sidney Crosby leads active players with 1,682. Ovechkin, for comparison, has 1,619 career points after Sunday`s game.
92 Goals in 80 Games – Gretzky
A significant portion of Gretzky`s goal record came from his phenomenal 1981-82 season with the Edmonton Oilers, where he scored 92 goals in 80 games. No player in the 21st century has come close to this, with even 70 goals in a season remaining elusive. Auston Matthews holds the highest single-season goal count since 2000, scoring 69 in the 2023-24 season.
In the 1981-82 season, Gretzky also became the fastest to score 50 goals in a season, achieving it in just 39 games.
163 Assists, 215 Points in 80 Games – Gretzky
Following his 92-goal season, Gretzky set another possibly unbreakable record during the 1985-86 season for most assists and points in a single season. He recorded 163 assists and 215 points (52 goals, 163 assists) in 80 games, marking another incredible statistical season during which he won four Stanley Cups with the Oilers.
10 Points in One Game – Darryl Sittler (Feb. 7, 1976)
The only instance of a player scoring ten or more points in a single NHL game occurred on February 7, 1976, when Darryl Sittler of the Toronto Maple Leafs scored 10 points (six goals, four assists) in an 11-4 victory over the Boston Bruins. This broke the previous record of eight points in a game, set by Maurice Richard in 1944 and matched by Bert Olmstead in 1954.
76 Rookie Goals – Teemu Selanne (1992-93)
Teemu Selanne`s rookie season in 1992-93 signaled his future greatness, as “The Finnish Flash” scored 76 goals (132 points), setting the NHL record for rookie goals. Selanne was drafted 10th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 1988 but played in Finland before making his historic NHL debut.
Selanne won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL`s top rookie and went on to become a legend over his 21-year career. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017 and named one of the NHL`s 100 Greatest Players the same year.
Gretzky also set a rookie record with 137 points (51 goals, 86 assists) in 1979-80, but was not officially considered a rookie due to his time with the World Hockey Association`s Indianapolis Racers.
139 Points by a Defenseman – Bobby Orr (1970-71)
Bobby Orr`s 1970-71 season remains the benchmark for defensemen in the NHL. Orr scored an unmatched 139 points (37 goals, 102 assists) and set a record for plus-minus (+124) for any position. Paul Coffey is the only player to have come close to Orr`s record, and no other defenseman has surpassed 110 points.
502 Consecutive Games by a Goaltender – Glenn Hall
Glenn Hall is renowned among NHL goalies for his incredible durability. From 1955 to 1963, Hall played 502 consecutive games, an even more impressive feat considering the minimal protective gear available to goalies then.
Hall, nicknamed “Mr. Goalie,” was not only durable but also a top goalie of his era and is credited with developing the butterfly style. He won two Stanley Cups and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975.
691 Wins by a Goaltender – Martin Brodeur
Another likely untouchable record for NHL goalies belongs to Martin Brodeur, who retired with 691 wins in 1,266 games. Brodeur spent almost his entire career with the New Jersey Devils, winning three Stanley Cups and two Olympic gold medals for Canada.
11 Stanley Cup Wins – Henri Richard
It is highly unlikely any NHL player will ever match Henri Richard`s record of 11 Stanley Cup wins. Richard won these titles with the Montreal Canadiens dynasty, including five consecutive from 1955-56 to 1959-60. “Pocket Rocket” holds the record for most championships by an individual in North American sports, sharing this honor with NBA legend Bill Russell.
