Alex Ovechkin scored his 855th career goal against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night, moving him just 39 goals away from tying Wayne Gretzky for a share of the NHL’s all-time goals record. Gretzky has been open with his support of Ovechkin’s chase, previously stating that he’d even like to travel with the Capitals once Ovechkin gets close to breaking the once-thought-unbreakable mark of 894 career goals.
While Gretzky has certainly been publicly supportive of The Great Eight, he’s also apparently been playing cheerleader for Ovi in private. Ovechkin revealed some of those details in a recent chat with NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti.
“It’s great,” Ovechkin said. “Even when I have a slump, he will sometimes text me and say, ‘Don’t worry about it. It will come.’ He’s on my side.
“If that kind of person is rooting for me, it’s pretty cool stuff. He’s the best player out there and he’s a great human. He supports me and it’s a pretty cool thing.”
Ovechkin experienced the biggest slump of his career last season, scoring just eight goals in his first 43 games. After concerns began to rise about the possibility of age regression putting an end to his chase of The Great One, Ovechkin responded by scoring 23 goals in 36 games, putting him back on pace to catch Gretzky with two years remaining on what is likely his final NHL contract.
The big Russian winger has two goals through six games this season, leaving him on track for 27 goals this year if he plays the full 82-game slate. However, Ovechkin has scored at least 42 goals 13 times in his previous 19 NHL seasons, including as recently as the 2022-23 campaign (42) so the chase being completed later this year isn’t entirely out of the question.
“It’s just a matter of time, whether it’s late this year, early next year, whenever,” Gretzky told Gulitti. “I mean, he’s a great player. He’s a great goal scorer.”
Ovechkin’s pursuit of Gretzky was a huge topic over the offseason, and several NHL players were asked to comment on the chase. The media frenzy will only get more intense the closer Ovechkin gets and he’ll have to continue to field questions on it — no matter how exasperating that can be.
“I’m always saying the same thing: If I make it, it’s good, but it’s still 42 goals,” Ovechkin said last April. “It’s kind of a long way. But it’s possible if you’re going to be healthy, yeah.”
Gretzky is well aware of the pressure that comes with the chase of the record he has held since March 23, 1994, when he leaped over his idol Gordie Howe (801). Ovechkin hopes Gretzky will again lend his ear once he nears achieving the same feat.
“I hope when it’s going to be close, he’ll give me some advice,” Ovechkin said. “But not yet.”
Ovechkin’s Capitals are 5-1 to start the season. Improvements over the offseason have bolstered not only the team as a whole but also the level of offensive talent around Ovechkin for his chase. The team is averaging 4.33 goals per game, almost two goals more than the 2.63 average they finished the 2023-24 campaign with.
