The Gr8 One has surpassed The Great One.
Alex Ovechkin has become the all-time NHL goal-scorer, recording his 895th career goal on Sunday when he scored at 7:26 of the second period against the Islanders at UBS Arena, surpassing the 894 goals that Wayne Gretzky scored over the course of his 20-year NHL career after tying Gretzky on Friday.
Ovechkin, 39, recorded the goal in his 1,487th game of his career, which began during the 2005-06 season after he was selected first overall in the 2004 NHL Draft by the Capitals.
Sunday’s game was paused after the goal to honor Ovechkin, with his family, Gretzky and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman taking the ice.
Ovechkin entered the 2024-25 season 42 goals shy of breaking Gretzky’s mark.
Ovechkin had kicked off the current season with 15 goals over the first 18 games and had been on pace to break the record in February, but he broke his left leg in November, which forced him to miss 16 games before he returned to action following the league’s Christmas break.
Gretzky had owned the NHL goal record going back to when he had scored his 802nd goal to move past Gordie Howe’s mark back on March 23, 1994, and The Great One scored his final career goal, No. 894, on March 29, 1999.
The NHL legend has been rooting for Ovechkin to break his career goals record for several years and in an interview with NHL.com earlier in the season, Gretzky had said that “it’s just a matter of time” that the Russian scorer would topple it.
“Whether it’s late this year, early next year, whenever. I mean, he’s a great player. He’s a great goal scorer,” Gretzky said.
In December, The Great One praised what Ovechkin had done for the game of hockey since he entered the league.
“What he’s done is remarkable,” Gretzky told The Athletic in December. “Listen, it’s good for the sport, it’s great for the game, and hopefully I’m there to shake his hand the night he breaks the record.”
Howe had been on hand when Gretzky passed Howe in 1994, and Gretzky paid it forward.
Gretzky, 64, has been a part of a traveling caravan — along with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and other league and Capitals personnel — that has been following Ovechkin since April 2 in Carolina in his pursuit of the record.
Ovechkin — playing in his 20th season in the NHL this year — already marked his 14th season of scoring at least 40 goals and has the league record for most 30-goal seasons with 19.
He is tied with Gretzky and Islanders legend Mike Bossy for most 50-goal seasons with nine.
