Alex Ovechkin finally reached the NHL’s goal-scoring mountain top… or so we all thought.
Ovi scored his 895th career tally on Sunday, passing Wayne Gretzky for the most ever… in the regular season.
While his pursuit of that long-thought unbreakable record is over, Ovechkin’s chase of Gretzky actually has a potential encore yet to come.
“The Great One” still owns another NHL goal record that is within reach for Ovechkin to surpass before his career comes to a close. And after that, he might consider hunting down a familiar name he already passed back in 2022.
Most NHL Goals (including playoffs)
| Rank | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wayne Gretzky | 1,016 |
| 2 | Alex Ovechkin | 967 |
Ovechkin is guaranteed five more games in this year’s regular season and at least four games in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs to inch closer to Gretzky’s total in the regular season and playoffs combined.
Ovechkin’s most productive playoffs came in 2018 when he scored 15 goals in 24 playoff games to earn the Conn Smythe Trophy and led the Capitals to their first-ever Stanley Cup championship. If he has another performance like that this year, he’ll only need 34 goals at any point in the 2025-26 season to pass Gretzky.
Most professional goals (incl. playoffs + international)
| Rank | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaromir Jagr | 1,106 |
| 2 | Wayne Gretzky | 1,098 |
| 3 | Alex Ovechkin | 1,042 |
Jaromir Jagr, who defied Father Time for seven years in his native Czechia after leaving the NHL in 2018, holds the crown for most professional all-time hockey goals after passing Gretzky in February of 2023. Thanks to Ovechkin’s four seasons in the Russian Super League (RSL) and a short stint in the KHL during the 2012-13 NHL lockout, he’s within striking distance of Gretzky and Jagr exiting the 2024-25 season.
Perhaps if the IOC and IIHF restore Russia from its international competition ban, Ovechkin could also play in the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics and finally win that long-elusive gold medal he’s wanted.
Most 50-goal seasons in NHL history
| Rank | Player | 50-goal seasons |
|---|---|---|
| T-1 | Alex Ovechkin | 9 |
| T-1 | Wayne Gretzky | 9 |
| T-1 | Mike Bossy | 9 |
With five games left in the regular season for the Caps this year, Ovechkin (42 goals) would likely have to extend his five-game scoring streak and log a multi-goal game or two in order to reach his 10th career 50-goal season.
If he does so, he would break the three-way tie he’s locked in with Gretzky and Mike Bossy for most 50-goal seasons in an NHL career. Without missing 16 games due to breaking his leg earlier this season, Ovechkin may already own the record.
Most multi-goal games in NHL history
| Rank | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wayne Gretzky | 189 |
| 2 | Alex Ovechkin | 179 |
Another record the Capitals captain could close in on is the most multi-goal games in NHL history. Gretzky sits on top with 189, while Ovechkin trails by just 10. Friday’s two-goal performance to tie Gretzky at 894 markers was his sixth multi-goal game of the year, so it’s not out of the question.
Most career hits in NHL history
| Rank | Player | Hits |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cal Clutterbuck | 4,029 |
| 2 | Matt Martin | 3,927 |
| 3 | Alex Ovechkin | 3,735 |
Separate from putting the puck in the back of the net, Ovechkin is currently only 295 hits from passing Cal Clutterbuck for the most in NHL history. He’s totaled 102 hits in 61 games played this year, with missing time due to injury combined with his more conservative playing style compared to his early career.
Ovechkin, though, could be jockeying with left winger Matt Martin, who sits 192 bodychecks ahead and is still active for the New York Islanders.
Most assists in Capitals franchise history
| Rank | Player | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicklas Backstrom | 762 |
| 2 | Alex Ovechkin | 724 |
[Feels sick.] Well, on second thought, maybe he should just hang up his skates after this season.
Ovechkin has one year remaining on his contract with the Capitals, so he is still on schedule to continue chasing more records. Outside of records he doesn’t own yet and his newly earned goals record, he also could extend his lead on, among others, having the most points by a left winger (1619), most shots on goal (6852), most game-winning goals (136), most overtime goals (27), most power-play goals (325), and most goaltenders scored on (183).
The 39-year-old is now also only five goals away from being the first player in NHL history to reach 900 career goals.
