Wayne Gretzky's record of 894 career goals was once considered unbreakable, but Alex Ovechkin had other ideas.
The Washington Capitals superstar has scored at a prodigious rate throughout his 20-year NHL career and overtook The Great One with goal No. 895 on Sunday.
RELATED: The oral history of Ovi's "electric" 2005 rookie season
With sole possession of the record now in Ovi's hands, take a look back at how he got here this season.
Ovechkin stands alone
When: April 6, 2025
Where: UBS Arena
Opponent: New York Islanders
Opposing goalie: Ilya Sorokin
Fittingly, Ovechkin surpassed Gretzky with a rocket of a power-play goal from the left faceoff circle and was promptly mobbed by his teammates. He accomplished the feat in his 1,487th contest, which is coincidentally the same number of games Gretzky finished his career with.
"They say records are made to be broken, but I'm not sure who is going to get more goals than that," Gretzky said of Ovechkin's historic tally.
1 goal to go
When: April 4, 2025
Where: Capital One Arena
Opponent: Chicago Blackhawks
Opposing goalie: Spencer Knight
With Gretzky himself in the house to bear witness, Ovechkin rifled home his second goal of the game to match the all-time record. Ovi was mobbed by his teammates and received a loud and lengthy ovation from the fans.
2 goals to go
When: April 4, 2025
Where: Capital One Arena
Opponent: Chicago Blackhawks
Opposing goalie: Spencer Knight
Ovechkin wasted no time potting No. 893, going top corner to open the scoring 3:52 into the game. The goal was his 40th of the season, the 14th time he's reached the mark in his 20-year career. At 39, Ovechkin is the second-oldest player in NHL history to score 40 goals, trailing only Gordie Howe, who netted 44 at age 40.
3 goals to go
When: April 2, 2025
Where: Lenovo Center
Opponent: Carolina Hurricanes
Opposing goalie: Frederik Andersen
We've seen this one before. Ovechkin moved within three of Gretzky with a vintage one-timer on the power play, his most dangerous weapon over the past 20 years. Ovi is on the doorstep of his 14th 40-goal campaign and has seven games remaining this season to set the record.
4 goals to go
When: April 1, 2025
Where: TD Garden
Opponent: Boston Bruins
Opposing goalie: Jeremy Swayman
Ovechkin's 891st goal was one of the easiest of his career, as he slammed Dylan Strome's pass into a yawning cage to extend Washington's lead in the first period. The tally was Ovechkin's 322nd power-play marker, adding to his all-time record. It was a little closer to the net than usual though.
5 goals to go
When: March 30, 2025
Where: Capital One Arena
Opponent: Buffalo Sabres
Opposing goalie: James Reimer
Ovechkin reminded fans of his net-front prowess on his 890th career tally as he redirected Rasmus Sandin's point shot to give the Capitals life against the Sabres. Pierre-Luc Dubois tipped home an Ovechkin shot a few minutes later, but the comeback bid ultimately fell short.
6 goals to go
When: March 25, 2025
Where: Canada Life Centre
Opponent: Winnipeg Jets
Opposing goalie: Connor Hellebuyck
Ovechkin's 889th career tally came against the top goalie in the NHL, and it also came at the perfect time. Washington was down 2-1 against the Jets until the Great Eight ripped it from the left circle with four minutes remaining in regulation. His goal secured a point for the Capitals, though they lost in overtime.
7 goals to go
When: March 20, 2025
Where: Capital One Arena
Opponent: Philadelphia Flyers
Opposing goalie: Samuel Ersson
Ovechkin loves scoring against the Flyers, and he victimized them once again for his 888th career goal. The tally was his 52nd versus Philadelphia, moving him ahead of Mario Lemieux for the second most all-time. Sidney Crosby tops that particular list with 56 goals.
8 goals to go
When: March 15, 2025
Where: SAP Center
Opponent: San Jose Sharks
Opposing goalie: Georgi Romanov
The Great Eight got within eight goals of overtaking Gretzky with a deft deflection in San Jose to wrap up the Capitals' 5-1 victory. Ovechkin scored on Romanov, making the latter the 182nd different netminder the sniper has beat in his career.
9 goals to go
When: March 9, 2025
Where: Capital One Arena
Opponent: Seattle Kraken
Opposing goalie: Empty-net goal
Career goal No. 886 was also the 1,600th point of Ovechkin's illustrious NHL tenure. He's just the 11th player in league history to accomplish the feat, and the second active player to do it after Sidney Crosby achieved the feat earlier in the season.
10 goals to go
When: March 5, 2025
Where: Madison Square Garden
Opponent: New York Rangers
Opposing goalie: Igor Shesterkin
Ovechkin moved within 10 of the all-time record with a game-tying goal in the third period of a key Metropolitan Division clash. Scoring on the Rangers is nothing new for Washington's captain, as his 46th tally against the Blueshirts is the second most against any opponent in his illustrious career.
11 goals to go
When: March 1, 2025
Where: Capital One Arena
Opponent: Tampa Bay Lightning
Opposing goalie: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Ovechkin spoiled Vasilevskiy's shutout bid with a sick slot shot late in the third period of Washington's 3-1 loss. It was his 31st goal of the campaign, tying his output from last season in 35 fewer games.
12 goals to go
When: Feb. 25, 2025
Where: Capital One Arena
Opponent: Calgary Flames
Opposing goalie: Dan Vladar
Ovechkin notched his 883rd career goal with a power-play tally early in the third period of a 3-1 loss to the Flames. It was his 30th of the season, marking the 19th time in 20 campaigns that he's reached that plateau. Ovechkin became the fourth player in NHL history to net 30 in a season at age 39 or older, joining Gordie Howe, Johnny Bucyk, and Teemu Selanne.
13 goals to go
When: Feb. 23, 2025
Where: Capital One Arena
Opponent: Edmonton Oilers
Opposing goalie: Empty-net goal
Ovechkin put an exclamation mark on a dominant outing against the Oilers with a long-range empty-net snipe for goal No. 882. The hatty was his second of the season and 32nd of his career, matching Phil Esposito for the fifth most in NHL history.
14 goals to go
When: Feb. 23, 2025
Where: Capital One Arena
Opponent: Edmonton Oilers
Opposing goalie: Calvin Pickard
Ovechkin scored his second goal in 10 minutes against the Oilers to move within 14 of glory. His 881st career tally was a replica of one we've seen hundreds of times: a power-play one-timer from the left circle. It also stood as the game-winner, which tied Ovi with Jaromir Jagr for the most such goals in NHL history (135).
15 goals to go
When: Feb. 23, 2025
Where: Capital One Arena
Opponent: Edmonton Oilers
Opposing goalie: Calvin Pickard
Ovechkin recorded goal No. 880 after the Oilers allowed him to waltz into the slot uncovered in a battle of two Stanley Cup hopefuls. Pickard is the 181st goalie Ovechkin has beaten in his career, adding to a record he broke earlier this season.
16 goals to go
When: Feb. 6, 2025
Where: Wells Fargo Center
Opponent: Philadelphia Flyers
Opposing goalie: Ivan Fedotov
Ovechkin notched a goal in his fourth consecutive game to tally No. 879 and move within 16 of Gretzky. Fedotov is the 180th goalie Ovechkin has scored on, adding to the NHL record he set earlier this season.
17 goals to go
When: Feb. 4, 2025
Where: Capital One Arena
Opponent: Florida Panthers
Opposing goalie: Empty-net goal
Ovechkin inched closer to the record without an opposing goalie in the crease, but it came from way downtown and with only a fraction of a second left on the clock. The tally was his 25th of the season, and he increased his NHL-record total of empty-netters to 63.
18 goals to go
When: Feb. 1, 2025
Where: Capital One Arena
Opponent: Winnipeg Jets
Opposing goalie: Connor Hellebuyck
No. 877 was no cheapie, coming on a one-time blast from the top of the zone that was too much to handle for Hellebuyck, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner and 2025 favorite. It also came at a crucial moment, tying the game for Washington.
19 goals to go
When: Jan. 30, 2025
Where: Canadian Tire Centre
Opponent: Ottawa Senators
Opposing goalie: Anton Forsberg
Most of Ovechkin's power-play goals have come from one-timers on the left half wall, but this one was slightly different. With the puck at the top of the zone and no passing options, Ovechkin ripped home a laser of a wrist shot off the post and in.
20 goals to go
When: Jan. 23, 2025
Where: Climate Pledge Arena
Opponent: Seattle Kraken
Opposing goalie: Empty-net goal
Ovechkin pulled within 20 of passing Gretzky with an empty-netter to seal Washington's 3-0 victory in Seattle. It was the 62nd such goal of his career, already the most of all time.
21 goals to go
When: Jan. 16, 2025
Where: Canadian Tire Centre
Opponent: Ottawa Senators
Opposing goalie: Leevi Merilainen
Ovechkin sunk the Senators with a wicked wrister to move within 21 goals of Gretzky. The Capitals icon made history with this tally, scoring on the 179th netminder of his career to break his tie with Jaromir Jagr for the all-time record.
22 goals to go
When: Jan. 11, 2025
Where: Bridgestone Arena
Opponent: Nashville Predators
Opposing goalie: Empty-net goal
Ovechkin blocked a shot late in regulation and cruised to goal No. 873 with a sweat-free finish to seal a victory for the Capitals. Although it was an empty-netter, the marker was significant: Ovi joined Gordie Howe on the exclusive list of players to record 20 straight 20-goal seasons.
23 goals to go
When: Jan. 4, 2025
Where: Capital One Arena
Opponent: New York Rangers
Opposing goalie: Jonathan Quick
Ovechkin came back from a 16-game absence due to a broken fibula and picked up right where he left off. He scored his fourth goal in the five contests after his return by tucking one just under Jonathan Quick's pad. The tally gave the Capitals a 5-3 lead and would stand as the game-winner in Washington's 7-4 victory, the 133rd game-winning goal of the Russian's magnificent career.
24 goals to go
When: Jan. 2, 2025
Where: Capital One Arena
Opponent: Minnesota Wild
Opposing goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury
Ovechkin beat Marc-Andre Fleury, his longtime rival, with a long-range wrister late in the second period of Washington's first game of 2025. It was Ovechkin's 28th career goal on Fleury, marking the most he's scored against any netminder. Fleury would get the last laugh, though: The Wild earned a 4-3 shootout victory.
25 goals to go
When: Dec. 29, 2024
Where: Little Caesars Arena
Opponent: Detroit Red Wings
Opposing goalie: Alex Lyon
Ovechkin got closer to passing Gretzky's all-time mark in the final days of 2024. He ripped a snap one-timer from the faceoff circle in the first period, though the Red Wings took a 4-1 lead after the frame en route to a 4-2 victory.
