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Alex Ovechkin career goal tracker: How close is the Capitals captain to breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin continues to inch his way closer and closer to Wayne Gretzky’s career goal record. 

The Russian superstar remains one of the game’s most dangerous goal-scorers, with his signature one-time slap shot from the left dot continuing to terrorize goaltenders, even in his 18th season in the league. 

It’s improbable that Ovechkin breaks the record this season — he’s more than 70 goals behind Gretzky, with just a couple of weeks to go in the 2022-23 season. However, he can continue to cut the deficit significantly, which he already has. 

He’s already broken one Gretzky record this year. Ovechkin scored his 40th goal on March 21, making it 13 seasons in his career with at least 40 goals. It surpassed the previous mark of 12 seasons, held by the legendary Gretzky.

MORE: Who has the most points in an NHL season?

It feels more like when, not if the Great 8 breaks the Great One’s record at this point, but the 37-year-old Washington winger still has a ways to go. Here is a look at where Ovechkin stands with regard to Gretzky’s career goal record. 

All stats updated through April 4 games. 

NHL all-time goals leaders

Gretzky surpassed Gordie Howe for the goals record with No. 802 on March 23, 1994. It occurred in the second period at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif., when Gretzky put the puck past Canucks goalie Kirk McLean to break the record, which had stood for 14 years.

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Nearly 29 years later, Gretzky remains in first. For as close as Ovechkin is, he is still more than 70 goals away from Gretzky, who scored his last goal on March 29, 1999.

Most career goals in NHL history

PLAYER
TEAMS
GOALS

Wayne Gretzky
Oilers, Kings, Blues, Rangers
894

Alex Ovechkin
Capitals
822

Gordie Howe
Red Wings, Whalers
801

Jaromir Jagr
Penguins, Capitals, Rangers, Flyers, Stars, Bruins, Devils, Panthers, Flames
766

Brett Hull
Flames, Blues, Stars, Red Wings, Coyotes
741

Most goals in an NHL season

PLAYER
TEAM
SEASON
GOALS

Wayne Gretzky
Edmonton Oilers
1981-82
92

Wayne Gretzky
Edmonton Oilers
1983-84
87

Brett Hull
St. Louis Blues
1990-91
86

Mario Lemieux
Pittsburgh Penguins
1988-89
85

Phil Esposito
Boston Bruins
1970-71
76

Alexander Mogilny
Buffalo Sabres
1992-93
76

Teemu Selanne
Winnipeg Jets
1992-93
76

Will Alex Ovechkin catch Wayne Gretzky?

Gretzky holds a ton of records in NHL history, many of which will never be broken. But the career goal record is one that he may not hold onto. 

As of April 4, 2023, Ovechkin is 72 goals away from matching Gretzky’s mark of 894. For his career, the Capitals captain is averaging 0.61 goals per game, meaning at that rate, he would score 50 goals in an 82-game season, a feat that Ovechkin is very familiar with. 

If Ovechkin stays healthy and is able to produce at his career average, he would still be at least two years away from breaking the record, as it looks like it would happen at some point during the 2024-25 NHL season. 

MORE: Who are the oldest active players in the NHL this season?

The biggest obstacle for Ovechkin will be injuries. As long as he stays on the ice, he’s likely to pass Gretzky by the time his contract expires in 2026. The Great 8 has stayed healthy for the majority of his career, so if we had to make a guess here at The Sporting News, we would say that Ovechkin does pass Gretzky as the NHL’s all-time goal leader. 

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have?

Ovechkin nabbed goals 801 and 802, passing Howe for second all time, on Dec. 23 against the Jets inside a raucous Capital One Arena in Washington, a fitting setting given his affinity for the building.

The first goal was an eye-popping snapshot that beat Winnipeg goalie David Rittich

The second was an empty-netter in the waning seconds.

Ovechkin entered the 2022-23 season with 780 career goals. He posted 50 last season, which included career No. 767 to pass Jaromir Jagr for third place on the all-time scoring list. 

He’s up to 42 goals this season, bringing his career total to 822. Ovechkin has now scored at least 30 times in every season of his career with exception being the shortened 2020-21 season where he had 24 in 45 games.

He is also broke Gretzky’s record for the most 40-goal seasons, securing his 13th campaign by reaching the milestone with his goal on March 21. 

MORE: Ranking the NHL’s top 50 players for the 2022-23 season

Alex Ovechkin career stats

Ovechkin has made scoring goals look easy in the NHL ever since he arrived in North America from Russia. In his rookie season, he put up 52 goals, finishing four shy of the Sharks’ Jonathan Cheechoo for the Rocket Richard Trophy. However, he did earn the Calder as Rookie of the Year.

The Great 8 has gone on to win the Rocket Richard Trophy nine times, including hitting the 50-goal mark nine times in his career. No other player has won the award more than twice. 

SEASON
GP
GOALS
G/GP
ASSISTS
POINTS

2005-06
81
52
0.64
54
106

2006-07
82
46
0.56
46
92

2007-08*
82
65
0.79
47
112

2008-09*
79
56
0.71
54
110

2009-10
72
50
0.69
59
109

2010-11
79
32
0.41
53
85

2011-12
78
38
0.49
27
65

2012-13*
48
32
0.67
24
56

2013-14*
78
51
0.65
28
79

2014-15*
81
53
0.65
28
81

2015-16*
79
50
0.63
21
71

2016-17
82
33
0.40
36
69

2017-18*
82
49
0.60
38
87

2018-19*
81
51
0.63
38
89

2019-20*^
68
48
0.71
19
67

2020-21
45
24
0.53
18
42

2021-22
77
50
0.64
40
90

2022-23
71
42
0.59
31
73

* Won the Rocket Richard Trophy
^ Co-winner with David Pastrnak

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