Washington Capitals celebrity Alex Ovechkin is on the doorstep of an NHL file that many thought was unbreakable.
The 39-year-old Ovechkin is closing in on Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL targets file of 894. “The Nice One” scored his remaining purpose on March 29, 1999. “The Nice Eight” may very properly surpass that mark earlier than the tip of the 2024-25 season.
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Ovechkin entered this season with 853 profession NHL targets and began off pink sizzling with 15 targets in his first 18 video games. A damaged fibula in November took him out of the lineup for nearly 5 weeks, however when he returned to the Capitals he did not miss a beat with 4 targets in his first 5 video games again from harm.
Ovechkin’s newest purpose, No. 890 of his profession, got here towards the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday. He scored in entrance of the purpose to chop Buffalo’s result in 6-4 halfway by way of the third interval. Buffalo went on to an 8-5 win.
He is now 4 targets away from tying Gretzky and 5 targets from breaking the file. The Capitals have 9 video games remaining on their schedule after Sunday.
“It is only a matter of time, whether or not it is late this yr, early subsequent yr, each time,” Gretzky advised NHL.com earlier this season about Ovechkin’s possibilities of breaking his file. “I imply, he is an ideal participant. He is an ideal purpose scorer.”
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As he strikes nearer to breaking Gretzky’s file, Ovechkin has partnered with Hockey Fights Most cancers and the V Basis for Most cancers Analysis to launch “THE GR8 CHASE for Victory Over Most cancers.” The marketing campaign will see Ovechkin donate a greenback quantity equal to his profession NHL purpose complete for every purpose he scores for the remainder of his profession. Monumental Sports activities & Leisure, which owns the Capitals, will match each donation.
Ovechkin continues his chase for Gretzky’s mark on Tuesday towards the Boston Bruins.
We are going to observe Ovechkin’s race to 894 targets and past all season.
1. Wayne Gretzky (894)
2. Alex Ovechkin (890)
3. Gordie Howe (801)
4. Jaromir Jagr (766)
5. Brett Hull (741)
6. Marcel Dionne (731)
7. Phil Esposito (717)
8. Mike Gartner (708)
9. Mark Messier (694)
10. Steve Yzerman (692)
Ovechkin in 2005. (Joel Richardson/The Washington Submit by way of Getty Pictures)
(The Washington Submit by way of Getty Pictures)
Tue, Apr 1: at Boston, 7 p.m. ET
Wed, Apr 2: at Carolina, 7 p.m. ET
Fri, Apr 4: vs. Chicago, 7 p.m. ET
Solar, Apr 6: at Islanders, 12:30 p.m. ET
Thu, Apr 10: vs. Carolina, 7:30 p.m. ET
Sat, Apr 12: at Columbus, 7 p.m. ET
Solar, Apr 13: vs. Columbus, 6 p.m. ET
Tue, Apr 15: at Islanders, 8 p.m. ET
Thu, Apr 17: at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. ET
Alex Ovechkin has scored on 180 completely different goaltenders since coming into the NHL in 2005. (Jamie Sabau/NHLI by way of Getty Pictures)
(Jamie Sabau by way of Getty Pictures)
No. 1: Oct. 2, 2005 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (Pascal Leclaire)
No. 50: April 13, 2006 vs. Atlanta Thrashers (Mike Dunham)
No. 100: Oct. 12, 2007 vs. New York Rangers (Henrik Lundqvist)
No. 200: Feb. 5, 2009 (Jonathan Fast)
No. 300: April 5, 2011 (James Reimer)
No. 400: Dec. 20, 2013 (empty internet)
No. 500: Jan. 10, 2016 (Andrew Hammond)
No. 600: March 12, 2018 (Connor Hellebuyck)
No. 700: Feb. 22, 2020 (Mackenzie Blackwood)
No. 800: Dec. 13, 2022 (Petr Mrazek)
2005-06: 1
2006-07: 1
2007-08: 3
2008-09: 3
2009-10: 1
2010-11: 1
2011-12: 0
2012-13: 2
2013-14: 1
2014-15: 0
2015-16: 2
2016-17: 2
2017-18: 3
2018-19: 3
2019-20: 4
2020-21: 0
2021-22: 1
2022-23: 2
2023-24: 0
2024-25: 2