Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin is on the doorstep of an NHL scoring record that many thought was unbreakable.
The 39-year-old Ovechkin is closing in on Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record of 894. “The Great One” scored his final goal on March 29, 1999. “The Great Eight” could very well surpass that mark 26 years later.
Ovechkin entered the 2024-25 NHL season with 853 career NHL goals. He started the season off red-hot with 15 goals in 18 games. But after suffering a broken fibula in November, he missed five weeks. That time off didn’t affect his goal-scoring prowess: He recorded four goals in his first five games back from injury.
On Thursday, Ovechkin got one goal closer with the 888th of his career, a fine number for “The Great Eight,” against the Philadelphia Flyers. He is now seven goals away from passing Gretzky with 13 games remaining in the regular season.
“It’s just a matter of time, whether it’s late this year, early next year, whenever,” Gretzky told NHL.com earlier this season about Ovechkin’s chances of breaking his record. “I mean, he’s a great player. He’s a great goal scorer.”
As he approaches Gretzky’s record, Ovechkin has partnered with Hockey Fights Cancer and the V Foundation for Cancer Research to launch “THE GR8 CHASE for Victory Over Cancer.” The campaign will see Ovechkin donate a dollar amount equal to his career NHL goal total for each goal he scores for the rest of his career. Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Capitals, will match every donation.
After going scoreless Saturday against the Florida Panthers, Ovechkin will continue his chase for Gretzky’s mark on Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets.
We will track Ovechkin’s race to 894 goals and beyond all season.
NHL top-10 in career goals
1. Wayne Gretzky (894)
2. Alex Ovechkin (888)
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)
Remaining 2024-25 regular-season games
Tue, Mar 25: at Winnipeg, 8 p.m. ET
Thu, Mar 27: at Minnesota, 8 p.m. ET
Sun, Mar 30: vs. Buffalo, 3 p.m. ET
Tue, Apr 1: at Boston, 7 p.m. ET
Wed, Apr 2: at Carolina, 7 p.m. ET
Fri, Apr 4: vs. Chicago, 7 p.m. ET
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
Ovechkin milestone goal timeline
No. 1: Oct. 2, 2005 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (Pascal Leclaire)
No. 50: April 13, 2006 vs. Atlanta Thrashers (Mike Dunham)
No. 100: Oct. 12, 2007 vs. New York Rangers (Henrik Lundqvist)
No. 200: Feb. 5, 2009 (Jonathan Quick)
No. 300: April 5, 2011 (James Reimer)
No. 400: Dec. 20, 2013 (empty net)
No. 500: Jan. 10, 2016 (Andrew Hammond)
No. 600: March 12, 2018 (Connor Hellebuyck)
No. 700: Feb. 22, 2020 (Mackenzie Blackwood)
No. 800: Dec. 13, 2022 (Petr Mrazek)
Hat tricks by season (32 career)
2005-06: 1
2006-07: 1
2007-08: 3
2008-09: 3
2009-10: 1
2010-11: 1
2011-12: 0
2012-13: 2
2013-14: 1
2014-15: 0
2015-16: 2
2016-17: 2
2017-18: 3
2018-19: 3
2019-20: 4
2020-21: 0
2021-22: 1
2022-23: 2
2023-24: 0
2024-25: 2
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Lexi Thompson, 5 others tied atop Meijer LPGA Classic
Lexi Thompson loads up for a deep drive during the second day of the LPGA Classic on June 13. Six players, including Lexi Thompson, are tied at the top of the leaderboard on Saturday after three rounds of the Meijer LPGA Classic in Belmont, Mich. Thompson carded a 4-under 68, as did co-leaders Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark and Paraguay's Sofia Garcia. Sweden's Madelene Sagstrom tied for the best round of the day, carding a 5-under 67, while South Korea's Hye-Jin Choi and Spain's Carlota Ciganda each posted a 3-under 69 to create the six-player logjam. "Of course it was a close call last year, but it's fair game tomorrow," said Thompson, who lost to Lilia Vu in a playoff at the Blythefield CC layout in 2024. "Everybody is going to come out swainging. Good weather tomorrow, so I know […]
Rays’ five-run fourth and solid relief stops Mets
Jun 14, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe (8) scores from third base on a wild pitch by New York Mets starting pitcher Tylor Megill (38) during the fourth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Junior Caminero homered to ignite a five-run fourth inning Saturday, while Taylor Walls doubled twice and knocked in two runs as the visiting Tampa Bay Rays stopped the New York Mets by an 8-4 count. Drew Rasmussen (6-4) allowed four runs on seven hits and a walk over five innings, fanning three, as Tampa Bay won for the 17th time in 23 games. The Rays handed New York just its second series loss in 13 series this season at Citi Field and tied Toronto for the American League's top wild-card spot. Tylor Megill (5-5) […]
Sam Burns stays one stroke ahead at U.S. Open
Jun 14, 2025; Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA; Sam Burns plays his shot from the 15th tee during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images OAKMONT, Pa. -- Sam Burns saved par at the final hole after playing partner J.J. Spaun made bogey and earned a one-shot lead at the U.S. Open on Saturday at Oakmont Country Club. Burns carded a 1-under-par 69 to climb to 4 under for the week, one better than Spaun (69) and Australia's Adam Scott, who made a late charge to shoot 67. Norway's Viktor Hovland (70) is three off the pace at 1 under. Burns, Spaun and Hovland are all vying for their first major championship. Carlos Ortiz, vying to become the first Mexican man to win a major, was bogey-free until a mis-read of his par save at […]
Rangers squander late lead, outlast White Sox in 11
Jun 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis García (53) hits a single during the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images Adolis Garcia ripped a two-out single to score pinch runner Evan Carter with the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning, lifting the Texas Rangers to a 5-4 victory over the reeling White Sox on Saturday in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers captured their third straight win, their sixth in their last seven outings and guaranteed a third consecutive series victory. Chicago, conversely, has dropped four straight and suffered its second straight lost series. Garcia's hit off of Tyler Alexander (3-7) came after Texas wasted a bases-loaded opportunity with one out in the 10th and made a winner out of Jacob Latz (1-0), its sixth […]
Bia Haddad encara McCartney Kessler em busca do bicampeonato do WTA 250 de Nottingham
Bia Haddad, número 22 do mundo. (Foto: Instagram / @biahaddadmaia) A brasileira Bia Haddad Maia conheceu, neste sábado (14), sua primeira adversária no WTA 250 de Nottingham. A número 22 do mundo encara McCartney Kessler, dos Estados Unidos, no torneio simples. Enquanto isso, ela também fará parceria com Laura Siegemund, da Alemanha, na modalidade de duplas. O torneio começa nesta segunda-feira, dia 16, vai até o dia 22, e dará 275 mil dólares (R$ 1,5 milhão) à campeã. Campeã de 2022, Bia Haddad Maia chega em Nottingham este ano buscando seu bicampeonato. Enquanto alguns ainda olham para o ranking do WTA, onde ela está em 22⁰, a maioria das pessoas considera Beatriz a favorita a levar o troféu. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE A primeira adversária de Bia Haddad no WTA 250 de Nottingham será a americana McCartney Kessler (42ª no ranking), que […]
Torcedores do Corinthians fazem protesto por reforma de estatuto do clube
Torcida corintiana fez protestos por mudanças em estatuto (Foto: Gustavo Vasco / Corinthians) Mais um protesto de torcedores do Corinthians aconteceu neste sábado (14). Um grupo foi à porta do Parque São Jorge com faixas nas quais reivindicavam mudanças no estatuto do clube e protestavam contra dirigentes. Voto a sócio-torcedor é principal pedido A manifestação ocorreu de forma pacífica, sem maiores problemas. O principal pedido dos torcedores presentes foi a permissão para que os sócios-torcedores do Timão, integrantes do programa Fiel Torcedor. possam votar nas eleições para presidente do clube, algo até agora restrito apenas aos associados. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “Fiel Torcedor com direito a voto já!”, “Reforma do estatuto já!”, “Fora ratazanas” e “Associados, abram os olhos!” foram algumas das mensagens direcionadas à diretoria que foram mostradas pelos torcedores no protesto deste sábado, que é mais uma parte do ambiente […]
Be the first to leave a comment