Video: Alex Ovechkin Breaks Wayne Gretzky's Goal Scoring Record

Alex Ovechkin has finally done it! He has beaten the legendary Wayne Gretzky's goal scoring record. A record many thought was unbeatable. A record many thought Ovi couldn't take. Many thought Ovi would slow down and could not sustain his goal scoring pace, but at 39 years of age and another 40+ goal season, Ovi has made history!

On April 6, 2025 against the New York Islanders in the second period Ovi ripped one past goaltender (who in seven games has never let Ovi score on him) Ilya Sorokin and did a belly slide celebration towards center ice. Both benches emptied and every fan was on their feet. In attendance were his family, Gretzky, and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to have a formal seven minute pause and celebration which was league sanctioned and approved. In Hindsight, should this not have been eight minutes? His wife and children got hugs from all of Ovi's teammates in a heartwarming moment in NHL history. A tribute video followed, that Ovi watched with tears in his eyes and a smile on his face. 

Gretzky also came on the ice with Bettman to shake his hand and congratulate Ovi on the record. Gretzky made a speech that was met with a lot of laughs, memorable moments, and he said this moment was historic and reminiscent. When he spoke about the referees do a great job he was met with boos, but when he finished by saying he wanted to be the first one to shake his hand the boos became cheers. Even the wives exchanged gifts, and were brought flowers.

Ovi also made a speech and thanked his boys, the organization, and admitted he would never pass the great one. It was short and sweet, which ended by thanking his fans and saying "we did it!" Photos were taken, and the crowd again cheered deafeningly "OVI! OVI! OVI!"

Gretzy scored 894 goals in 1487 games played, and Ovi scored 895 goals in 1487 games played. A bit eerie, but a super unique statistic surrounding this record.

A Different Era

Ovi has a lot of sneaky records surrounding goal scoring that you might not know about. I understand that depending on your generation, you may still think Gretzky was a better goal scorer. Let's keep in mind that these players were active in different eras, and in my opinion with the elite skill level of players overall, and the athleticism and size of goalies; it is much harder to score goals in today's NHL.

From a young age today's hockey players are put through camps and programs, have strict diets and exercise regimens, have personal trainers and chefs, skating coaches, shooting coaches, wellness coaches, and the list goes on. We are not terribly far removed from the average NHL player having a second job in the summer, or smoking between periods.

Athletes, and NHL players in particular, are built differently today. Equipment has come a long way, particularly goalie equipment and pads. We can thank Anaheim Duck; Jean-Sebastien Giguere for the regulation size goalie pads we have today. JS Giguere had to reduce the size of his goalie pads after the 2003 playoffs and was the target of some criticism as his pads were considered oversized.

The point is; both of these players were in the league at different times and the game is different in both eras, so it is difficult to compare apples to oranges. I maintain the stance that it has never been harder to score goals in the league. Today's era is a skill based league. Gone are the majority of enforcers and bruisers, and here are the small Martin St. Louis stature players who are pure skill, and goaltenders who have the build of an NBA player.

The Rivalry

When Sidney Crosby and Ovi broke into the league, they kickstarted the greatest rivalry between players in NHL history. Together, they impacted the game in a way nobody thought possible. These two have met in the playoffs 11 times, and have played against each other 97 times. The Winter classic in 2011 where the Washington Capitals etched the hosting Pittsburgh Penguins was an absolute spectacle.

Remember the dueling hat trick game? Imagine these titans deep into their rivalry, in a playoff game; both scoring hat tricks trying to put their teams on their back to lead them to victory and prove to the other that they are the superior player. Dave Steckel was the only player besides Ovi and Crosby to score in that game, helping the Caps get the win. An amazing second round playoff game, and watching Ovi and Crosby go goal for goal showed how passionate and skilled they both were in their prime.

Fast forward 15 years and they are both pillars of the hockey community, cornerstones for their respective franchise, and role models and idols to their teammates and future NHL players. Crosby led Team Canada to a Four Nations Face-Off victory this season and was the most valuable player in that best on best tournament, and took the record this season for most consecutive point per game seasons from Gretzky. And now Ovi has broken the goal scoring record in the same season. Let's not discount that Ovi is 39 years old, still breaking records, and missed a portion of the season with a broken leg and still has a 40+ goal season, in which he sits third in the league this season. Not too bad for a couple old guys in the league, eh?

Records and Accomplishments

Back onto my point about goal records, there are a lot of them. Some are known, some are unknown. I think they are neat statistics so let's list them here to give you some perspective on what Ovi has been able to accomplish during his career;

Ovi won the Stanley Cup in 2018. Given his rival Crosby had won three, I believe that Ovi's stanley cup win is his most important accomplishment in his career.

He has also been an NHL all star 13 times, won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy for most goals in the NHL a whopping nine times! He's also won the Art Ross Trophy, Hart Memorial Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award three times each, and the Conn Smythe Trophy.

That's a lot of trophies, but what about records? Majority of Ovi's records come surrounding his goal scoring prowess. Here are a few;

Firstly, he now holds the record for most goals scored at 895. Obviously that's what we are here to discuss today, but he also holds several more. Ovi has the most goals scored by a left winger (obviously) at 895. He has the most goals by a left winger in a season at 65. He has the most game winning goals at 136. He has the most power play goals at 318. He has the most 30, 40 and 50 goal seasons at 18, 14 and 9 respectively.

He is tied for the most 50 goal seasons with Gretzky and Mike Bossy, to be fair. He is also tied for the most consecutive 30 goal seasons at 15 with Jaromir Jagr and Mike Gartner. Some pretty elite company on these last two records.

A funny record is the most empty net goals at 61. I still believe he should have completed his hat trick last game when he tied the goal scoring record with an empty netter, especially since he was at home, but to each their own.

Ovi also has the most goals with a single franchise, again at 895. He has the most shots on goal at 6757. He also has the most game opening goals at 136.

I could go on, but what you need to know is this guy loves to shoot the puck and score. Most often from his “office”. Ovi sits at the point and continues to see success. Everyone on the ice knows he is there, and that a shot is coming, but nobody is able to stop him. He is truly a Russian goal scoring machine. And now, quite literally, the greatest of all time.

Career Legacy

Ovi has been in the league since the 2005-2006 season. He's put up huge numbers, and growing up watching his rivalry with Crosby has been a treat to watch. It's only fitting that this be the second real player spotlight I have written about, alongside Crosby. In his debut in the league, not only was Ovi a threat offensively, but he was hitting guys like a freight truck. Not only did you have to keep your head up for his massive hits, but he was probably going to score on you, too.

In 1486 games played he has scored 895 goals, 724 assists, for 1619 points. He is still scoring at over a point per game, while averaging nearly 20 minutes a game at 39 years old. And somehow, in a season resurgence the Capitals are likely going to win the President's Trophy this year for most points in the league. Have we mentioned that at one point Ovi broke his leg this year, and was skating only a few weeks later to continue his hunt to break the goal scoring record?

Closing Thoughts

Ovechkin is the greatest goal scorer, not only of his generation, but of all time. His breaking the all time record and taking it from arguably the greatest player of all time, is befitting. The great eight has officially passed the great one, and nobody is more deserving.

At 39 years old, Ovi continues to score goals at a monster pace and prove he still belongs in the league and is a threat every time he steps onto the ice. I hope that he continues as long as he can, and sticks with the Capitals for his entire career. He has single handedly made that franchise what it is today, and he has helped grow the game of hockey exponentially throughout his career, and for that all hockey fans will forever be indebted to him.

Thank you Ovi, for 20 years of amazing hockey. You're still amazing to watch and one of the best players of all time. Your legacy is cemented, and I hope you keep grinding for more seasons to come.