Sunday was a historic day for hockey as Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals became the NHL`s all-time leading scorer. He surpassed Wayne Gretzky by netting his 895th career goal against the New York Islanders. This achievement cements Ovechkin`s legendary status, especially since he broke Gretzky`s long-standing record, which many thought was impossible to reach.
While Ovechkin, at 39, has achieved this incredible goal record, several other NHL records are likely to remain untouched. These include some held by Gretzky himself. Let`s examine some of hockey`s seemingly unbreakable records, many of which still belong to “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 during a power play in the second period against the New York Islanders. Ovechkin received congratulations from Gretzky, marking his place as the NHL`s undisputed goal-scoring leader.
With five games remaining in the 2024-25 season, Ovechkin could potentially reach 900 career goals before the season ends. Looking ahead, he might even have a chance at 1,000 career goals if he continues to play 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 stand forever. 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 career goal record came from his extraordinary 1981-82 season with the Edmonton Oilers, where he scored 92 goals in 80 games. No player in the 21st century has even come close to this, with no one surpassing 70 goals in a season. The highest single-season goal count since 2000 belongs to Auston Matthews, who scored 69 in the 2023-24 season.
In the 1981-82 season, Gretzky also became the fastest player to reach 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 record that seems unbreakable: the single-season records for assists and points in the 1985-86 season. Gretzky recorded 163 assists and 215 points (52 goals, 163 assists) in 80 games. This remarkable season occurred during a period when Gretzky led the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cups.
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. Darryl Sittler of the Toronto Maple Leafs scored 10 points (six goals, four assists) in an 11-4 victory against the Boston Bruins. This broke the previous record of eight points in a game, initially 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 indicated his future greatness. “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 best rookie and became one of hockey`s all-time greats 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.
Selanne`s record has a slight asterisk, as Gretzky had 137 rookie points (51 goals, 86 assists) in 1979-80, but was not considered a rookie due to his World Hockey Association experience with the Indianapolis Racers.
139 Points by a Defenseman – Bobby Orr (1970-71)
Bobby Orr`s 1970-71 season remains the greatest for a defenseman in NHL history, setting the standard for blueliners for over half a century. Orr achieved an unparalleled 139 points (37 goals, 102 assists) and set a plus-minus record (+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 as the NHL`s ultimate “iron man” goalie. From 1955 to 1963, Hall played 502 consecutive games, an even more remarkable feat given the limited protective gear for goalies then, including the absence of masks and helmets.
Hall was not only durable but also one of the best goalies of his time. He is credited with developing the butterfly style of goaltending and earned the nickname “Mr. Goalie.” Hall won two Stanley Cups and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975.
691 Wins by a Goaltender – Martin Brodeur
Another seemingly unbreakable record for NHL goalies belongs to Martin Brodeur, who retired with 691 wins in 1,266 games. Brodeur spent most of his career with the New Jersey Devils, winning three Stanley Cups and two Olympic gold medals for Team Canada.
11 Stanley Cup Wins – Henri Richard
It`s highly unlikely any NHL player will ever match Henri Richard`s record of 11 Stanley Cup wins. Richard won 11 Cups with the Montreal Canadiens dynasty, including five straight from 1955-56 to 1959-60. “Pocket Rocket” holds the record for the most championships by an individual player in North American sports, tied with NBA legend Bill Russell.
