Alex Ovechkin breaks NHL goals record: How the Capitals star’s illustrious career compares to Wayne Gretzky’s

Alex Ovechkin has kept his history of being a dangerous scorer throughout his career, and will go down as one of the highest offensive players of Nhl History.

Finally, Ovechkin arrived on the NHL mountain as the highest scorer in the history of the league. Ovecchkin went to Wayne Gretzky with the 895th goal of his career for Sunday loss 4-1 against the islanders of New York

Ovecchkin has spent the last seasons in the record of goals of all Gretzky’s time and finally broke on Sunday afternoon. During the last three campaigns, The Capitals Star has collected 115 goals to win the illustrious plateau.

Alex Ovechkin statistics, records: A look at the capital of the capital by numbers after passing Wayne Gretzky

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During the last three seasons, Ovechkin mounted these state lines:

• 2022-23 season: 42 goals and 0.58 goals per game in 73 games
• 2023-24 season: 31 goals and 0.39 goals per game in 79 games
• 2024-25 season: 42 goals and 0.69 goals per game in 61 games

Ovecchkin ended up scoring six goals during his last five games to set the record.

The capital star was forced to deal with a certain adversity during the last two seasons that may have delayed the brand of all Gretzky’s time. In 2023-24, Ovecchkin had what can be classified as a descent season in which he scored only 31 goals, the second lowest total in his career. In the meantime, Ovechkin also suffered a broken leg in mid -November and lost for a month of action.

Comparing Ovecchkin and Gretzky

When you look at the careers of both Ovechkin and Gretzky, a large number of strange similarities are evident. It took 1,487 games to score 895 race goals, while Gretzky scored his 894 goals in 1,487 competitions.

Ovecchkin had the opportunity to overcome Gretzky’s record in one game less, as he recorded two goals in Friday’s 5-3 victory against Chicago Blackhawks. With the capitals leading a goal at the end of Friday’s game, Ovechkin Could have scored an empty net accountBut of the real fashion of Ovechkin, he informed the capital coach, Spencer Carkry, that he wanted to overthrow “the big” with a goalkeeper in the fold.

The two players exceeded almost the same number of goals in the same number of games and even marked a very similar clip. Ovecchkin is tied by seventh in NHL history with 0.60 goals per game. Ironically, Gretzky is tied with Ovechkin with 0.60 goals per game.

The conclusion of Gretzky’s iconic career was very different from the production Ovecchkin has registered in the last stages of his career. Gretzky did not score 30 goals in each of his last five seasons of the NHL, while Ovechkin has passed the 30 goals score in each professional season apart from the 2020-21 campaign that was shortened by the Covid-19 Pandemic.

In addition, Gretzky won only nine goals in his last professional season in 1998-99. On the other hand, Ovechkin is still one of the most lethal scorers of the NHL even at the age of 39 and recorded his 14th season of 40 goals from his career by 2024-25.

Ovechkin’s path was harder

While Gretzky produced some superhuman seasons, it is also worth noting that the league was a completely different animal in the 70’s and 1980’s when Gretzky entered.

The athletics of many of the players in the league, including defenders, was not what it is now, as the game’s speed has been dramatically raised over the last decade. In addition, goalkeeper techniques and teams have improved greatly over the last three decades.

For example, during the 1985-86 season, when Gretzky registered 215 career points (52 goals, 163 assists), only two NHL goalkeepers scored a goals in the average less than 3.00. Philadelphia Flyers goalkeeper Bob Froese led the league with 2.55 goals in the average, while the Montreal Canadiens network Doug Soeteert had the second highest at 2.77.

Compare these numbers with the 2023-24 season, when 33 NHL goalkeepers recorded a Under-3.00 goals in the average. Winnipeg Jets Netontder Connor Hellebuyck ended up winning the vezin trophy as the best goalkeeper in the league with a 2.04 goals against the average.

How far can ovechkin climb?

Gretzky possibly produced the most impressive offensive career in NHL history, but the growth of the game causes Ovechkin to reach the same more special feat.

With the record of all the official goals in his rearview mirror, Ovechkin now has the possibility of creating a certain distance between him and Gretzky. At the age of 39, Ovechkin is one more season in his current contract and the capitals fight for the presidents’ trophy this season. If Ovechkin decides that he wants to play a few more seasons, maybe 1,000 career goals could be within the field of possibilities.

Regardless of how many more goals can accumulate -these two will always be considered some of the most lethal scorers that have ever put the skates.