Wayne Gretzky is widely regarded as the greatest hockey player of all time, and for good reason. Many of his records seem untouchable, and for years, fans believed that his goal-scoring record would never be broken.
Enter Alex Ovechkin. The Washington Capitals’ superstar winger is now on the brink of making history by surpassing Gretzky’s legendary goal total. Drafted first overall in 2004, Ovechkin has been a dominant force in the NHL since his rookie season in 2005-06. However, time is working against him—he’s already 39 years old and will turn 40 before the 2025-26 season starts.
As of February 23, Ovechkin is just 12 goals away from tying Gretzky’s record and 13 away from breaking it. So, the big question is: can he do it before the season ends? Let’s break it down.
Can Alex Ovechkin break Wayne Gretzky’s record this season?
Ovechkin has played 40 games this season and has already racked up 29 goals. The Capitals, sitting at a strong 38-11-8 record, still have 25 games left to play.
To break the record, he needs to score 13 more goals in those 25 games. That averages out to 0.52 goals per game, which is actually lower than his current scoring rate of 0.67 goals per game. Based purely on math, he’s on track to surpass Gretzky before the regular season wraps up.
In fact, according to The Washington Post’s Neil Greenberg, there’s an 83% chance that Ovechkin will officially claim the goal-scoring crown by the end of this season.
Ovechkin’s career at a glance
Looking at Ovechkin’s stats over the years, his consistency has been nothing short of incredible. He’s had multiple 50+ goal seasons, and even as he’s gotten older, he’s continued to find the back of the net at an impressive rate. Here’s a quick snapshot of his goal-scoring over the years:
Career Goals Breakdown
- Total career goals: 882
- Goals this season: 29 (as of Feb. 23)
- Goals needed to tie Gretzky: 12
- Goals needed to break the record: 13
- Games remaining in the season: 25
The Capitals have a packed schedule with some key matchups coming up. Here are some of the games where Ovechkin could make history:
- Feb. 25 vs. Flames
- March 1 vs. Lightning
- March 7 vs. Red Wings
- April 6 at Islanders
- April 17 at Penguins (final regular-season game)
If Ovechkin maintains his current scoring pace, he could very well break the record in March or early April. The hockey world will be watching closely as he inches closer to cementing his legacy as one of the greatest goal-scorers in NHL history.
Now, the only question left is: which game will be the one where Ovechkin finally dethrones The Great One?