WASHINGTON, DC — Alex Ovechkin got one step closer to history Saturday afternoon, scoring his 872nd career goal against the New York Rangers. He now has four goals in the last five games since returning from a broken leg.
Not only is Ovechkin now within striking distance of Gretzky’s record, but he might get to 894 before The Great One did.
Ovechkin now has 19 goals in 23 games this season, good for a pace of .826 goals per game. If he continues scoring at that rate, he’ll tie the record in 1,476 career games — three fewer games than Gretzky needed to hit no. 894 (1,479 games).
Gretzky ended his NHL career with 1,487 games played but did not score in his final eight games, earning his final goal on March 29, 1999 against the New York Islanders.
Asked if he had thought about the chance to tie the record faster than Gretzky, Ovechkin seemed almost startled by the possibility, laughing and shaking his head.
“No,” he answered before ending the media scrum, muttering “Jesus” as he walked away.
To be fair, Ovechkin’s current scoring pace is mind-bending. He is now on track to tie Gretzky against the Los Angeles Kings on March 13 before breaking the record against the San Jose Sharks on March 15. Fittingly, Gretzky himself became the NHL’s all-time goals leader while wearing a Kings uniform, breaking Gordie Howe’s all-time record on March 23, 1994 partway through his eight-season tenure in LA.
Despite missing 16 games after fracturing his fibula, Ovechkin has barely missed a step since coming back after the NHL’s holiday break. He’s only gained more confidence in the games since he made his return.
“I feel every game better, touches, skating-wise,” he said Saturday. “I’ll take it.”
Ovechkin has averaged 0.8 goals per game since returning from injury, slightly below than his average over the whole season, but even that pace would beat Gretzky, hitting the record against the Sharks on March 15 and breaking it in his 1,478th career contest — a home game against the Detroit Red Wings on March 18.
Even Ovechkin’s teammates are in awe of his current hot streak. Connor McMichael, who grew up watching Ovechkin, told reporters he was still amazed by what his now-teammate is accomplishing.
“It’s incredible,” he said. “Ever since I was a kid, I grew up watching him do all these amazing things. And now to have a front row seat to him doing something really special has been awesome. He’s been helping our team win night in and night out, so I can’t say enough good things about him.”
Gretzky has said he plans to travel with the Capitals once Ovechkin nears the all-time record, mirroring how Howe watched live as Gretzky broke the all-time points record. He’s repeatedly cheered Ovechkin along as he gets closer to his once-unthinkable goal.
“He’s human,” Gretzky said of Ovechkin last month. “He’ll get a little bit nervous near the end, but he’s been nothing but positive for our sport and that’s most important, and he’s been great for the Washington Capitals.”
Ovechkin will get another chance to advance towards Gretzky on the road when the Capitals face the Buffalo Sabres Monday night.
