Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin continues to stay 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 Tuesday, has 36 goals this season and needs six more with 11 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 21 times in 37 games 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. He tied records for game-winning goals and most franchises against which he has a hat trick. And he became the first player to score 200 goals in three different decades.
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 (stats through March 25):
OVECHKIN VS. GRETZKY: Comparing the two greats
CAPITALS SCHEDULE: How Ovechkin has fared vs. remaining teams
How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have?
Ovechkin has 889 career goals.
How many goals does Alex Ovechkin need to pass Wayne Gretzky?
Ovechkin needs six goals to break Gretzky’s record.
Can Alex Ovechkin break Wayne Gretzky’s record this season?
Ovechkin has 36 goals and 24 assists in 55 games. Factoring in the 16 games he missed, that is a 43-goal pace, giving him a chance to reach the 42 goals he needs to break the record this season. As of Tuesday, Ovechkin has played in six fewer career games than Gretzky.
What did Alex Ovechkin do in his last game?
Ovechkin had one goal on four shots in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets. He took a pass from Aliaksei Protas in his office in the left faceoff circle and snapped a shot past Vezina Trophy favorite Connor Hellebuyck with four minutes left in regulation. By forcing overtime, the Capitals remained a point ahead of the Jets for first place in the league.
When is Alex Ovechkin’s next game?
The Capitals play Thursday at Minnesota. Ovechkin has 20 goals in 24 regular-season games against the Wild, including one this season.
Alex Ovechkin vs. Wayne Gretzky stats
Games: Gretzky 1,487 | Ovechkin 1,481
Goals: Gretzky 894 | Ovechkin 889
Assists: Gretzky 1,963 | Ovechkin 721
Points: Gretzky 2,857 | Ovechkin 1,610
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
Feb. 25: 1 vs. Calgary
March 1: 1 vs. Tampa Bay
March 5: 1 vs. N.Y. Rangers
March 9: 1 vs. Seattle
March 15: 1 vs. San Jose
March 19: 1 vs. Philadelphia
March 25: 1 vs. Winnipeg
Alex Ovechkin career goals breakdown
Even strength: 563, third overall
Power play: 321, a record
Short-handed: 5
Empty net: 65, 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: 182, 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: 19, a record
40-goal seasons: 13, a record
Alex Ovechkin empty-net goals
Ovechkin has a record 65 empty-net goals, but Gretzky is up there, too, with 56. Ovechkin passed Gretzky in that category last season.
Alex Ovechkin goals by 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: 36, 889
*-led league in goals that season
NHL all-time goal scorers
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, 889 goals in 1,481 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. Joe Sakic, 625 goals in 1,378 games
17. Jarome Iginla, 625 goals in 1,554 games
18. Sidney Crosby, 617 goals in 1,343 games
19. Bobby Hull, 610 goals in 1,063 games
20. Dino Ciccarelli, 608 goals in 1,232 games
21. Jari Kurri, 601 goals in 1,251 games