Chasing Greatness: Ovechkin’s Chase for Gretzky’s NHL Goal Record Brimming with Reverence for the Legend

Alex Ovechkin is on pace to overtake Wayne Gretzky as the most prolific goal scorer in NHL history. Barring injury, the Washington Capitals left winger could set the record by the end of this season.

Gretzky scored 894 goals in an incredible career that ended in 1999 at the age of 38.

If all goes according to the current pace, the 39-year-old Ovechkin will be the new scoring king in the spring of 2025 – or 31 years after Gretzky surpassed Gordie Howe in 1994.

Just for fun, let’s take a look at the longevity of some of the most famous records in the four major sports:

NHL: 31 years is the expected time it would take for someone to break Gretzky’s goal scoring record.

MLB: 31 years is how long it took for someone – Barry Bonds – to pass Hank Aaron (755 home runs) as the best home run hitter in Major League Baseball history. Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s record of 714 home runs in 1976. Bonds passed Aaron in 2007. (Ruth held the record for 39 years.)

N.F.L.: It took 29 years for Jim Brown’s touchdown record to be broken. Jerry Rice did it with his 127th TD in 1994. Rice finished with a still-standing record of 208 touchdowns.

NBA: 39 years is how long it took for LeBron James to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. He set the record in 2023, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who set the record on April 5, 1984.

And so the old saying is true. Records are made to be broken, even if it takes decades to achieve that.

Howe felt immense pressure as he tried to pass the legendary Maurice “Rocket” Richard. He set the NHL record by scoring his 545th career goal on November 10, 1963.

“Now,” Howe said after reaching the goal, “I can start enjoying life again.”

Gretzky felt a different kind of pressure as he was about to pass Howe. Howe was his childhood hero, so clearing his record was almost an out-of-body experience. When he was about seven years old, he went into the barbershop and made a simple request: “Give me a Gordie Howe haircut.”

And during his march to No. 1, Gretzky spoke of Howe with reverence.

“Gordie is still the greatest in my eyes,” Gretzky said at the time. “And the greatest in everyone else’s minds.”

Always stylish and modest, Gretzky tries to beat Ovechkin’s record. (Interesting side note: Gretzky scored his 894 goals in 1,487 games, but Ovechkin is expected to do so in about 1,500 games.)

Related: Wayne Gretzky on the Gray Cup? Fun facts about the NHL and CFL championship trophies

Gretzky said he wants to travel with the Capitals when Ovi is close to breaking the record. And Ovechkin told NHL.com that Gretzky is one of his biggest supporters.

“Even when I’m having a breakdown, sometimes he’ll text me and say, ‘Don’t worry about that. It will come.’ He is on my side,” said Ovechkin, who seems to be pursuing the famous record with little stress.

Like Gretzky as he pursued Howe, Ovechkin exudes appreciation for the man whose record he is closing in on.

“He’s the best player there is,” he said, “and he’s a great person.”

While Ovechkin is expected to own the goal-scoring record for the foreseeable future, it’s hard to imagine fans considering the Capitals superstar a better player than Gretzky.

In addition to his 894 goals, Gretzky finished with 1,963 career assists — 714 more than Ron Francis, the No. 2 player on the all-time list, and about 1,250 more than Ovechkin.

No offense to Ovechkin, but the Great One was the greatest. However, that should not detract from the Great 8’s march to an astonishing achievement.

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