Alex Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky's NHL all-time career goal record
It took a long time, but Alex Ovechkin became the NHL's all-time leading scorer with number 895 on Sunday.
The 39-year-old surpassed Wayne Gretzky's record of 894 goals after scoring in the second period of the Washington Capitals' 4-1 defeat to the New York Islanders in Elmont, New York.
Ovechkin equaled the record with two goals against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday. Gretzky established the goal scoring record on March 23, 1994, while playing for the Los Angeles Kings. Ovechkin scored his 895th goal in his 1,487th game, and Gretzky scored 894 goals in 1,487 games.
The game was promptly suspended, and a ceremony commemorating the historic event was held on the ice, with Gretzky in attendance.
"What a day, huh?" Ovechkin said at center ice. "Like I always say, it’s a team sport. Without my boys, the fans, the trainers, coaches, I would never stand there and I would never pass the Great One. Fellas, thank you so much. "I love you so much."
“Thank you, (Ilya Sorokin) to let me score 895 … and the last thing, all of you fans, for all the world, Russia, we did it, boys, we did it. It’s a history!”
Gretzky informed the crowd he does not believe Ovechkin's record, which he has held for more than 31 years, would be broken.
“We’re here today to celebrate this guy here, number eight. I can tell you firsthand I know how hard it is to get 894. Eight-ninety-five is pretty special,” Gretzky said.
“They say records are made to be broken, but I’m not sure who’s going to get more goals than that.”
Gretzky joked with Capitals owner Ted Leonsis that when he broke the goals mark, he was given a Rolls-Royce, and the owner would have to think of a present for his star.
Ovechkin, the first overall choice in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, has been one of the league's most feared offensive players since his rookie season, when he scored 52 goals. Since then, he has scored at least 30 goals every year except for the Covid-shortened 2020-21 season.
Ovechkin's professional career began in Russia in 2001 with Dynamo Moscow. He was such a highly regarded NHL prospect that the Florida Panthers devised a plan to choose him in 2003, one year before he was actually eligible to be taken.
Oveckin has also earned a record nine Maurice "Rocket" Richard awards, which are awarded yearly to the NHL's leading goal scorer. He has earned three MVP awards and led the Capitals to a Stanley Cup victory in 2018, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most important player in the playoffs.
Ovechkin is the tenth player in the league's 107-year history to have the most goals. He is the fourth player to achieve that feat in the previous 72 years, behind Gretzky, Gordie Howe, and Maurice Richard.
“To reach this milestone and pass Wayne Gretzky, which is something nobody thought possible, truly is special,” Mark Howe, the son of Gordie Howe, said in a statement. "It's great for you, great for your family and great for the National Hockey League."
Maurice Richard Jr., Maurice Richard's son, added: "On behalf of the Richard family, I would like to congratulate Alex Ovechkin for doing what everyone thought was impossible: breaking Wayne Gretzky's record of 894 goals."
Ovechkin has scored 72 goals in 151 postseason games. Washington has not won the Stanley Cup with Ovechkin since 2018, and has yet to go past the first round of the playoffs since then.
In terms of his future in Washington, Ovechkin signed a five-year contract deal in 2021 that will take him through next season. Ovechkin has already stated that 2025-26 may be his final NHL season before returning to Russia.
