Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is on pace to pass Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goal record before season’s end.
Ovechkin, 39, entered this season needing 42 goals to break Gretzky’s record of 894 career goals, which has stood since 1999. The Washington captain, who scored three times on Sunday afternoon, has 29 goals this season. He needs 13 more with 25 games left to become the NHL’s all-time leader.
Ovechkin scored 15 times in his first 18 games before suffering a fractured left fibula during a Nov. 18 game against the Utah Hockey Club. He has scored 14 times since he returned on Dec. 28.
This season, he moved into second place with 20 consecutive 20-goal seasons and set a record for number of goalies scored against in his career. Sunday, he tied the records for game-winning goals and most franchises against which he has a hat trick.
If he doesn’t reach Gretzky’s goal record this season, he has one more season left on his contract.
Here’s where Ovechkin stands in his chase of Gretzky’s goal record:
OVECHKIN VS. GRETZKY: See how the superstars compare
How many career goals does Alex Ovechkin have?
Ovechkin has 882 career goals.
How many goals does Alex Ovechkin need to pass Wayne Gretzky?
Ovechkin needs 13 goals to break Gretzky’s record.
How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have this season?
Ovechkin has 29 goals and 17 assists in 41 games. Factoring in the 16 games he missed, that is a 46-goal pace, giving him a chance to break the record this season.
What did Alex Ovechkin do in his last game?
Ovechkin scored three goals on nine shots in a 7-3 victory against the Edmonton Oilers. On the first goal, he took a drop pass from Dylan Strome and ripped a wrist shot past Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard.
His second goal was a typical Ovechkin one, a one-timer on the power play from his office in the left faceoff circle. Pickard is the 181st goalie that Ovechkin has scored against in his career. The goal also was the eventual game-winner, allowing Ovechkin to tie Jaromir Jagr’s record of 135.
Edmonton pulled Pickard for an extra skater in the third period, and Ovechkin scored into the empty net for the hat trick. The hats poured down on the ice as he took a lap around the ice. The Oilers are the 20th franchise against which Ovechkin has scored a hat trick. That ties Brett Hull’s record.
When is Alex Ovechkin’s next game?
The Capitals play Tuesday, Feb. 25, at home against Calgary. He has 17 goals in 26 career games against the Flames.
Alex Ovechkin goals in 2024-25
Oct. 19: 1 vs. New Jersey
Oct. 23: 1 vs. Philadelphia
Oct. 29: 2 vs. N.Y. Rangers
Oct. 31: 1 vs. Montreal
Nov. 2: 1 vs. Columbus
Nov. 3: 1 vs. Carolina
Nov. 6: 1 vs. Nashville
Nov. 9: 2 vs. St. Louis
Nov. 17: 3 vs. Vegas
Nov. 18: 2 vs. Utah
Dec. 28: 1 vs. Toronto
Dec. 29: 1 vs. Detroit
Jan. 2: 1 vs. Minnesota
Jan. 4: 1 vs. N.Y. Rangers
Jan. 11: 1 vs. Nashville
Jan. 16: 1 vs. Ottawa
Jan. 23: 1 vs. Seattle
Jan. 30: 1 vs. Ottawa
Feb 1: 1 vs. Winnipeg
Feb. 4: 1 vs. Florida
Feb. 6: 1 vs. Philadelphia
Feb. 23: 3 vs. Edmonton
Alex Ovechkin career goals breakdown
Even strength: 558, third overall
Power play: 319, a record
Short-handed: 5
Empty net: 64, a record
Game winners: 135, tied for first with Jaromir Jagr
Overtime goals: 27, a record
Multi-goal games: 178, second overall
Goalies scored against: 181, a record
Hat tricks: 32, tied for fifth overall. Ovechkin has hat tricks against 20 franchises, tying Brett Hull’s record.
20-goal seasons: 20, tied for second
30-goal seasons: 18, a record
40-goal seasons: 13, a record
Alex Ovechkin empty-net goals
Ovechkin has a record 64 empty-net goals, but Gretzky is up there, too, with 56. Ovechkin passed Gretzky in that category last season.
Alex Ovechkin goals per season
Season: Goals, career total
2005-06: 52, 52
2006-07: 46, 98
2007-08: 65*, 163
2008-09: 56*, 219
2009-10: 50, 269
2010-11: 32, 301
2011-12: 38, 339
2012-13: 32*, 371
2013-14: 51*, 422
2014-15: 53*, 475
2015-16: 50*, 525
2016-17: 33, 558
2017-18: 49*, 607
2018-19: 51*, 658
2019-20: 48*, 706
2020-21: 24, 730
2021-22: 50, 780
2022-23: 42, 822
2023-24: 31, 853
2024-25: 29, 882
*-led league in goals that season
NHL’s top goal scorers all-time
The top 21 NHL all-time goal scorers all have 600 or more goals. All of the players are in the Hockey Hall of Fame, except Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and Jagr, who are still playing.
1. Wayne Gretzky, 894 goals in 1,487 games
2. Alex Ovechkin, 882 goals in 1,467 games
3. Gordie Howe, 801 goals in 1,767 games
4. Jaromir Jagr, 766 goals in 1,733 games
5. Brett Hull, 741 goals in 1,269 games
6. Marcel Dionne, 731 in 1,348 games
7. Phil Esposito, 717 goals in 1,282 games
8. Mike Gartner, 708 goals in 1,432 games
9. Mark Messier, 694 goals in 1,756 games
10. Steve Yzerman, 692 goals in 1,514 games
11. Mario Lemieux, 690 goals in 915 games
12. Teemu Selanne, 684 goals in 1,451 games
13. Luc Robitaille, 668 goals in 1,431 games
14. Brendan Shanahan, 656 goals in 1,524 games
15. Dave Andreychuk, 640 goals in 1,639 games
16. Jarome Iginla, 625 goals in 1,554 games
17. Joe Sakic, 625 goals in 1,378 games
18. Bobby Hull, 610 goals in 1,063 games
19. Sidney Crosby, 610 goals in 1,328 games
20. Dino Ciccarelli, 608 goals in 1,232 games
21. Jari Kurri, 601 goals in 1,251 games