BY ELLIOT AVE-LALLEMANT

On April 6th, 2025, Russian hockey player Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals scored his 895th goal, surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time scoring record of 894. This is truly a feat unlike any other in NHL history. Ovechkin scored this historical goal in front of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Wayne Gretzky himself against the New York Islanders. 

Ovechkin, nicknamed “The Great 8,” has had an NHL career spanning multiple decades, earning him a Stanley Cup and many, many, NHL All Star games. On the international stage, Ovi has won multiple gold medals for his country, including the 2008, 2012, and 2014 IIHF games. 

Ovechkin could have completed this record much sooner against the Chicago Blackhawks when they pulled their goalie late in the third period, making an empty net goal very possible for a GOAT like Ovechkin. In a moment of humility, Ovechkin refused to go on the ice, saying that he didn’t want to break a record on an empty net and that he wanted to score it in a real game scenario. 

Ovi has been a legend of the game of ice hockey, and with this record under his belt, he just might have cemented himself as the GOAT of hockey (after Wayne Gretsky of course).

Featured image: Sportsnet