Wayne Gretzky is NHL's all-time leading goal scorer, but in today's time, there's more hype around Alex Ovechkin's 'Gr8 chase'. Ovechkin has a total of 889 goals to his name and is slowly and steadily nearing Gretzky's 894 goal record. So there is excitement among fans with each goal that he scores.
Wayne Gretzky names Alex Ovechkin to break his goal record
This was always going to be a possibility as the great Wayne Gretzky had predicted it way back in 2016. During an interview with NHL.com in February 2016, Gretzky was asked if Ovechkin had a chance to break his goal record. During that time, Ovechkin had 505 goals to his name.
I don't mean this to sound egotistical, but the first 500 are the easy ones; it's the next 500, when you're getting a little bit older and your body is a little bit worn down, the travel and physical part of the game catches up to you, Gretzky said.
He's got the one thing that you've got to have to get to 894, you've got to have a passion for scoring goals. He has that passion for scoring goals. People don't realize, even as good as you are, you've got to get to those dirty areas and that's how you're going to score goals, and he does that, Gretzky added.
Alex Ovechkin is showing no signs of slowing down as he has maintained his pace, which Gretzky was talking about in his 2016 interview. The former has scored 36 goals so far this season which also includes two hat-trick goals. Gretzky mentioned that it gets tougher to score with age but feels Ovechkin can do the impossible if he maintains his pace.
If he can sustain his pace, there's no question in my mind that he has the ability and the talent and the work ethic to be able to do it. And if he does it, I'll be the first guy there to shake his hand. If there is one guy out there that can do it, there's no question it's him. Records are made to be broken, Gretzky further added.
Not just this, Gretzky once even mentioned that the landmark of 802 goals set by Gordon Howe was also considered as unbreakable.
Alex Ovechkin six goals away from creating NHL history
On March 25, 2025, Alex Ovechkin scored once again and it was his 889th NHL goal. He scored the goal against Winnipeg Jets and is now six goals away from creating NHL history (five to equal).
With four minutes left on the clock in the third period, Ovechkin got a pass from Aliaksei Protas in the left circle. He quickly took a wrist shot to beat Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck on the short side. The goal tied the game 2-2 and gave hope to Washington for a win but it was Winnipeg who managed to walk away with a 3-2 victory in overtime.