Washington Capitals` iconic player, Alex Ovechkin, stands as a legend in the National Hockey League. Having already secured his place in hockey lore, he is now intently pursuing Wayne Gretzky`s unparalleled career goals record.
At 39 years old, Ovechkin is incredibly close to becoming the NHL`s all-time leading scorer. He has the potential to surpass Gretzky`s milestone of 894 goals before this season concludes. Currently, the Capitals` prominent forward boasts 890 career goals. This comes after netting his 37th goal of the season this past Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres, narrowing the gap to 6-4 during the third period. In the same game, Ovechkin came close to another goal but was credited with an assist instead, setting up a tip-in by teammate Pierre Luc Dubois in what ended as an 8-5 defeat for Washington.
With only nine games remaining in the 2024-25 season, Ovechkin requires just five more goals to overtake Gretzky`s record within this season.
While Ovechkin appears likely to break “The Great One`s” record, the approaching end of the regular season leaves him with no room for error. Should Ovechkin maintain his current scoring rate, he might just achieve the feat of breaking Gretzky`s record by April 17, the regular season`s final day.
Achieving one or two multi-goal games would significantly boost his chances. He has managed this five times this season, though only once since late November. Below is the Washington Capitals` upcoming schedule, along with the average goals allowed per game by each opponent.
Capitals Upcoming Schedule
- April 1: at Bruins (3.28)
- April 2: at Hurricanes (2.64)
- April 4: vs. Blackhawks (3.59)
Ovechkin`s career totals are impressive, with 1,613 points comprising 890 goals and 723 assists. On March 9th, he marked another milestone, becoming the 11th player in NHL history to reach 1,600 career points.
In the 2022-23 season, Ovechkin scored 42 goals, and remarkably, he has achieved at least 41 goals in 13 out of his 19 NHL seasons.
The 2023-24 season saw him make history again, securing an NHL record for his 18th 30-goal season, surpassing Mike Gartner`s previous record of 17. He has now extended this record to 19 seasons.
Keep following CBS Sports for ongoing updates on Ovechkin`s goal count as he continues his pursuit of Gretzky`s all-time record.
