Alex Ovechkin is nearing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record of 894 by scoring his 834th goal, breaking Gretzky’s record for empty-net goals, and despite a slower pace at age 38, he still has a chance to break Gretzky’s record, potentially needing until the 2025-26 season.
Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals’ shining star, is on the brink of hockey history. He’s edging ever closer to Wayne Gretzky’s legendary all-time goals record of 894. Just this Saturday, he netted his 834th goal in a solid 3-0 victory against the Boston Bruins. And oh, what a goal it was.
This wasn’t just any goal, though. It marked his 57th empty-netter, nudging him past another Gretzky milestone. Yep, he’s now the king of the empty-net goal, a record previously held by “The Great One” himself. Pretty cool, right?
So, here’s the deal. Ovechkin is now just 60 goals shy of Gretzky’s towering record. Based on his current season’s rhythm (12 goals in 47 games), he’s pacing towards 20 goals in an 82-game stretch. Doing the math, that leaves him about 52 goals short as we look towards next season.
Remember the days when Ovi could easily rack up 52 goals in a single season? Well, those days might seem like a distant memory. After all, he’s 38 now and will be hitting 39 when the next season rolls around. Time, it seems, is catching up with him.
But don’t count him out just yet. If Ovechkin can ignite a spark and hit a hot streak in the season’s second half, who knows? We might just see him closing in on Gretzky’s record by the end of next season.
Then again, being realistic, it might take until the 2025-26 season for him to actually break the record. But hey, in hockey, as in life, you never say never.
