Watch: Ovechkin breaks smaller Gretzky record

Washington Capitals left winger Alex Ovechkin (8) hugs goaltender Charlie Lindgren (79) after a game against the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden. Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Alex Ovechkin breaks smaller Wayne Gretzky record

By Adam Gretz | Last updated 2/10/24

Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin is inching closer to Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record (894 goals), scoring the 834th goal of his career on Saturday in a 3-0 win over the Boston Bruins.

That goal also helped him break a different — and significantly smaller — Gretzky record.

His goal on Saturday was the 57th empty-net goal of his career, breaking the record that had previously been set by Gretzky.

Have a look.

8️⃣3️⃣4️⃣ pic.twitter.com/fwPQ11txse
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 10, 2024

Alex Ovechkin scores his 12th goal of the season and the 834th of his career to extend the Capitals lead to 3-0 with 26 seconds remaining in regulation. It marks Ovechkin's 57th career empty-net goal, passing Wayne Gretzky (56) for the most in NHL history.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 10, 2024

Ovechkin is now 60 goals away from Gretzky's all-time record.

At his current pace this season (12 goals in 47 games) he is on track for 20 goals in 82 games this season,. Assuming he stays on that pace that would be an additional eight goals the rest of the way, leaving him 52 shy going into next season.

When Ovechkin was at his peak scoring 52 goals in one year would have been a slam dunk. But now that he is 38 years old and going to be 39 on opening day next season his pace has finally started to slow down.

If he can go on a hot streak in the second half of this season and put together one more big year there is still a chance he could break Gretzky's record sometime late next season.

More realistically, though, he might need the 2025-26 season to get there.

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