Alex Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky’s longstanding record for the most goals in NHL history by scoring the 895th of his career on Sunday.
The Washington Capitals’ captain did so against the New York Islanders by beating fellow Russian Ilya Sorokin on a power play in the second period. Ovechkin had never scored on Sorokin before, making his countryman the 183rd different goaltender he has beaten. The goal cut New York’s lead to 2-1 in the second period.
Sunday’s game stopped for several minutes after Ovechkin’s goal, as teammates mobbed the 39-year-old Russian to celebrate the accomplishment, which replaced a record that had stood for 31 years. A tribute video was played at the Islanders’ home arena, UBS Arena, and the NHL’s new all-time leading goalscorer was congratulated by Gretzky on the ice.
Ovechkin, nicknamed “The Great 8,” now has 42 goals on the season, despite missing 16 games due to a broken fibula. He surpassed 40 goals this season for the 14th time — two more than Gretzky and also the most in league history.
Even before this, Ovechkin owned the NHL records for power-play goals, shots on goal and the most goalies scored against, now adding Sorokin to that list. Only Gretzky has more multi-goal games, and Ovechkin earlier this season became just the sixth player with 700 goals and 700 assists.
Gretzky, known as “the Great One,” scored 894 goals in his 20-year career, which ended in 1999. Even with this one falling to Ovechkin, Gretzky holds 55 NHL records, and two seem truly untouchable: 2,857 total points and 1,963 assists, the latter of which is more than anyone else has in goals and assists combined. Gretzy was in attendance Friday when Ovechkin tied his record in the Capitals’ home game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Ovechkin, the first overall pick in 2004, has spent his entire NHL career with the Capitals. The 12-time All-Star won the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is awarded to the Stanley Cup playoffs MVP, when the Capitals took home their first championship in 2018. He’s also a three-time NHL MVP and has led the league in goals nine times in his 20 seasons.
For NHL playoff goals, which do not count toward the record, Gretzky has the most (122). Ovechkin has 72. Gretzky also had another 56 in the World Hockey Association regular season and playoffs, while Ovechkin has 57 from his time in the KHL, Russia’s top league.
Returning to Russia to play in front of family and friends is an option at some point for Ovechkin, who has one season left after this one on the five-year, $47.5 million contract he signed in 2021, which took him through age 40 to give him enough time to chase Gretzky’s record.
Instead, he got it done earlier than just about anyone could have realistically expected.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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