Whom You Know: #NHLPeachy @NHL THE GR8 CHASE: Alex Ovechkin Ties Wayne Gretzky for NHL Goals Record

Sunday, April 6, 2025

#NHLPeachy @NHL THE GR8 CHASE: Alex Ovechkin Ties Wayne Gretzky for NHL Goals Record

#NHLStats has been tracking The Gr8 Chase with more than a dozen Stats Packs since 2019-20 focused on Alex Ovechkin, who scored his 893rd and 894th career goals Friday at home to tie Wayne Gretzky (894) for the most goals in NHL history and move within one of breaking the record “The Great One” has held for more than 31 years. To honor his historic pursuit of Gretzky’s record, #NHLStats will deliver a unique Stats Pack after each Ovi goal through the record-breaking No. 895.

* Ovechkin scored his 894th career goal in his 1,486th game, which is one fewer than Gretzky played in his NHL career (894 goals in 1,487 GP). “The Great 8” scored goal Nos. 893 and 894 in the same game and needed only 182 contests to jump from the 800-goal benchmark (Dec. 13, 2022) to 894 – exactly half the games “The Great One” played from goal No. 800 to 894 (364 GP).

* A mere shot away from the ultimate record as NHL all-time goals leader, Ovechkin also moved closer to another Gretzky benchmark with his 179th career multi-goal game – second most in League history behind Gretzky (189). Ovechkin has tallied 79 of his multi-goal games since age 30, which is second most all-time (two back of Phil Esposito) and 52 more than Gretzky had after his 30th birthday (27).

* In addition to the on-ice accolades, which include 18 individual NHL awards and a Stanley Cup championship as captain, Ovechkin has let his personality shine through. Watch some of the funniest moments of the true Great 8 – who has had his “not going to be suck this year” mantra on full display during The Gr8 Chase.

* A career Capital, Ovechkin is one of five players among the top 25 goal scorers in League history to only ever wear one uniform in the NHL – joined on that list by Steve Yzerman (10th; DET), Mario Lemieux (11th; PIT), Sidney Crosby (18th; PIT) and Mike Bossy (24th; NYI).

Since Ovechkin played in his first NHL game (Oct. 5, 2005), there has been significant youth hockey growth in the Washington, D.C., area – with a 71% increase in hockey players in the Potomac Valley since his rookie season, surpassing more than 20,000 players for the first time in history.

Since the Capitals launched their ‘Learn to Play’ program in 2016, supported by the NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund, 9,000+ players have been introduced to hockey for the first time. In response to the increased demand for access to youth hockey, the Capitals have built or refurbished 14 outdoor inline/ball hockey rinks.

At the heart of “The Ovechkin Effect” is his involvement as an ambassador for the American Special Hockey Association (ASHA), an organization he’s been involved with for more than 20 years. His support includes free ice time for players and coaches, hosting skating sessions, a street hockey event, and donating ‘Ovi’s 8’s’ tickets to ASHA athletes and their families.

* Before today and dating back to the first day of NHL play in 1917, a total of nine players had topped the League in career goals (outright or tied) – but that changed Friday when Ovechkin tied Gretzky with goal 894. The Great 8 is the eighth player to put his name on that list since Feb. 23, 1921, when Joe Malone took a lead he would hold for nearly two years. Ovechkin (894) is now one tally away from overtaking Wayne Gretzky (894) for a record The Great One has held outright for more than 31 years. Click here to view the full progression of the record.

* Ovechkin’s relentless pursuit of the NHL all-time goals record has seen him score nearly as many goals since celebrating his 30th birthday (419) as he had in his 20s (475). He is on track to become the fifth player in League history to lead his team in goals at age 39-plus and could become the second player in that age range to finish among the top 10 in the NHL in goals (Gordie Howe, below, did so three times: 3rd in 1967-68 at age 40; 5th in 1968-69 at age 40; 7th in 1966-67 at age 39).

* Ovechkin has dazzled fans in D.C. for 20 seasons and over that time has accumulated the third-most home goals in League history, tallying 439 times on home ice to rank behind only Wayne Gretzky (492) and Gordie Howe (449) in that category. All but two of Ovechkin’s home goals were scored at Capital One Arena (formerly MCI Center & Verizon Center) – with the others collected outdoors during home games played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium and Nationals Park – which places him behind only Gordie Howe for the most career home goals at a single venue.

* Entering April 4, Ovechkin was among the forward leaders in top shot speed (98.96 miles per hour; tied for fourth) and average shot speed (68.03 mph; 97th percentile) and ranks second at the position in 90-plus mph shots (27) behind Tage Thompson of the Sabres (49); no other forward has more than 14 such shots this season. His goal Wednesday in Carolina (No. 892) clocked in at 89.35 mph, which was his third-hardest shot for a goal this season behind 94.00 mph on Nov. 18 (No. 868) and 92.19 mph on Nov. 2 (No. 859).

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