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 on Saturday, has 34 goals this season and needs eight more with 15 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 19 times in 33 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 15):
OVECHKIN VS. GRETZKY: Comparing the two greats
OVECHKIN’S REMAINING GAMES: How he has fared vs. teams
How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have?
Ovechkin has 887 career goals.
How many goals does Alex Ovechkin need to pass Wayne Gretzky?
Ovechkin needs eight goals to break Gretzky’s record.
Can Alex Ovechkin break Wayne Gretzky’s record this season?
Ovechkin has 34 goals and 21 assists in 51 games. Factoring in the 16 games he missed, that is a 44-goal pace, giving him a chance to reach the 42 goals he needs to break the record this season. As of Saturday, Ovechkin has played in 10 fewer career games than Gretzky.
What did Alex Ovechkin do in his last game?
Ovechkin had one goal, one assist and four shots in a 5-1 win against the San Jose Sharks. He scored in the third period with a defection goal against Georgi Romanov, the record 182nd different goalie that Ovechkin has scored on during his career.
When is Alex Ovechkin’s next game?
The Capitals play Tuesday, March 18 at home against Detroit. Ovechkin has 25 goals in career 37 games against the Red Wings, including one goal in two games this season.
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
Alex Ovechkin career goals breakdown
Even strength: 561, 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 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: 34, 887
*-led league in goals that season
NHL all time goal leaders
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, 887 goals in 1,477 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. Sidney Crosby, 615 goals in 1,339 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