After breaking the 800-goal barrier during the 2022-23 season, Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin now has his sights set on breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL career goals record of 894.
Ovechkin began the 2024-25 season with 853 goals and now has 868.
The date when Ovi eclipses Gretzky depends on his goal-scoring pace, which is now a bit complicated as Ovi is currently week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Per ESPN Research:
If he misses two weeks (seven games), he would break the record on Feb. 25 vs. Calgary if he maintains his scoring pace from this season; on March 22 against Florida if he scores at his career pace; and on Apr. 1 against Boston if he scores at his pace since 2020-21.
If he is out until the Christmas break (16 games), he would break the record on March 15 against San Jose using this season's scoring pace; on Apr. 12 against Columbus using his career pace; in the Capitals' opening game of 2025-26 using his pace since 2020-21.
Follow along here as we chronicle each subsequent goal Ovechkin scores this season, including goal highlights, the upcoming Capitals schedule and how to watch.
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Upcoming schedule | Goal videos
The NHL's top 10 in career goals
1. Wayne Gretzky (894)
2. Alex Ovechkin (868)
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)
Goals scored in 2024-25
No. 868, 867: Nov. 18 vs. UTA
A day after his hat trick against Vegas, Ovechkin scored two more against the Hockey Club -- and might've had another if he wasn't knocked out of the game following a collision with Jack McBain. Goal No. 867 was assisted by Pierre-Luc Dubois, while No. 868 was on the power play, and assisted by John Carlson and Dylan Strome.
Alex Ovechkin nets his second goal of the game to put the Capitals up 4-1 over the Utah HC, and moves within 26 goals of tying Wayne Gretzky's all-time record.
Alex Ovechkin finds the back of the net to give the Capitals a 3-1 lead over Utah, and moves within 27 goals of tying Wayne Gretzky's all-time record.
No. 866, 865, 864: Nov. 17 vs. VGK
Back in 2018, Ovechkin and the Capitals won the Stanley Cup in Vegas. There was less at stake in this game, but Ovi came through with a hat trick in the Caps' 5-2 win: a first-period, power-play tally (assisted by John Carlson and Dylan Strome), a second-period score assisted by Matt Roy, and an empty-net goal to cap it off (assisted by Aliaksei Protas and Martin Fehervary).
Alex Ovechkin lights the lamp
Alex Ovechkin nets goal for Capitals
Alex Ovechkin nets his 864th career goal after his shot banks off Alex Pietrangelo's stick.
No. 863, 862: Nov. 9, 2024 vs. STL
Did you seriously think that an 8-1 win for the Capitals would not include any goals from Ovechkin? Ovi scored in the second period (assisted by Aliaksei Protas and Dylan Strome) to make it 2-1, then added a power-play tally in the third (assisted by Strome and Tom Wilson) to make it 4-1.
Alex Ovechkin's wrist shot finds the net to pad the Capitals' lead vs. the Blues and creep ever closer towards Gretzky's scoring record.
Alex Ovechkin nets 862nd goal
No. 861: Nov. 6, 2024 vs. NSH
Ovechkin scored his eighth goal of the season at 10:25 of the third period on assists from Dylan Strome and Martin Fehervary.
Alex Ovechkin nets 861st NHL goal vs. Nashville
No. 860: Nov. 3, 2024 vs. CAR
Though the Capitals lost, 4-2, Ovi notched a first-period, power-play tally, on assists from John Carlson and Dylan Strome.
Alex Ovechkin scores on the power play, which is his 860th career goal, making him 34 shy of tying Wayne Gretzky for the most goals of all time.
No. 859: Nov. 2, 2024 vs. CBJ
Ovechkin was one of six different Capitals to score in the team's route of the BJs, and his goal was assisted by Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas.
Alex Ovechkin slaps it in from distance to get his 859th career goal and pad the Capitals' lead vs. the Blue Jackets.
No. 858: Oct. 31, 2024 vs. MTL
A 6-3 Capitals win with an Ovechkin goal as the capper? The fans went home happy from this one. Assists on this goal were from Aliaksei Protas and Dylan Strome.
Alex Ovechkin pads the Capitals' lead vs. the Canadiens with his 858th career goal.
No. 857, 856: Oct. 29, 2024 vs. NYR
A raucous, 5-3 win for the Capitals included two first-period tallies from Ovi, both assisted by Aliaksei Protas and Dylan Strome.
Alex Ovechkin nets his second goal of the first period to retake the Capitals' early lead vs. the Rangers.
Alex Ovechkin scores early in the first period to give the Capitals a quick 1-0 lead over the Rangers.
No. 855: Oct. 23, 2024 vs. PHI
Ovechkin has a knack for empty-net goals, and added to his career total in that category to cap off a win against Philly, with an assist from Dylan Strome.
Alex Ovechkin scores goal vs. Flyers
No. 854: Oct. 19, 2024 vs. NJ
It took to the fourth game of the Capitals' season for Ovechkin to get his first marker of the campaign, on assists from John Carlson and Dylan Strome.
Alex Ovechkin nets goal for Capitals
Upcoming schedule
Note: All games available to ESPN+ subscribers at no extra charge as part of NHL Power Play on ESPN+, unless otherwise noted. Blackout restrictions apply.
Thu, Nov 21: vs. Colorado, 7:00
Sat, Nov 23: vs. New Jersey, 7:00
Mon, Nov 25: at Florida, 7:00
Wed, Nov 27: at Tampa Bay, 7:30 (TNT/Max)
Fri, Nov 29: vs. Islanders, 3:00
Sat, Nov 30: at New Jersey, 7:00
Tue, Dec 3: vs. San Jose, 7:00
Fri, Dec 6: at Toronto, 7:00
Sat, Dec 7: at Montreal, 7:00
Thu, Dec 12: at Columbus, 7:00
Sat, Dec 14: vs. Buffalo, 7:00
Mon, Dec 16: at Dallas, 8:00
Tue, Dec 17: at Chicago, 8:30
Fri, Dec 20: vs. Carolina, 7:00
Sun, Dec 22: vs. Los Angeles, 5:00
Mon, Dec 23: at Boston, 7:00
Sat, Dec 28: at Toronto, 7:00
Sun, Dec 29: at Detroit, 5:00
Tue, Dec 31: vs. Boston, 12:30
Thu, Jan 2: vs. Minnesota, 7:00
Sat, Jan 4: vs. Rangers, 12:00 (ABC/ESPN+)
Mon, Jan 6: at Buffalo, 7:00
Wed, Jan 8: vs. Vancouver, 7:30
Fri, Jan 10: vs. Montreal, 7:00
Sat, Jan 11: at Nashville, 8:00
Tue, Jan 14: vs. Anaheim, 7:00
Thu, Jan 16: at Ottawa, 7:00
Sat, Jan 18: vs. Pittsburgh, 7:00
Tue, Jan 21: at Edmonton, 9:00
Thu, Jan 23: at Seattle, 10:00
Sat, Jan 25: at Vancouver, 10:00
Tue, Jan 28: at Calgary, 9:00
Thu, Jan 30: at Ottawa, 7:00
Sat, Feb 1: vs. Winnipeg, 7:00
Tue, Feb 4: vs. Florida, 7:00
Thu, Feb 6: at Philadelphia, 7:00
Sun, Feb 9: vs. Utah, 12:30
Sat, Feb 22: at Pittsburgh, 3:00 (ABC/ESPN+)
Sun, Feb 23: vs. Edmonton, 1:00 (TNT/truTV/Max)
Tue, Feb 25: vs. Calgary, 7:00
Thu, Feb 27: vs. St. Louis, 7:00
Sat, Mar 1: vs. Tampa Bay, 12:30
Mon, Mar 3: vs. Ottawa, 6:30
Wed, Mar 5: at Rangers, 7:30 (TNT/truTV/Max)
Fri, Mar 7: vs. Detroit, 7:00
Sun, Mar 9: vs. Seattle, 3:30
Tue, Mar 11: at Anaheim, 10:00
Thu, Mar 13: at Los Angeles, 10:30
Sat, Mar 15: at San Jose, 5:00
Tue, Mar 18: vs. Detroit, 7:00
Thu, Mar 20: vs. Philadelphia, 7:00
Sat, Mar 22: vs. Florida, 5:00
Tue, Mar 25: at Winnipeg, 8:00
Thu, Mar 27: at Minnesota, 8:00
Sun, Mar 30: vs. Buffalo, 3:00
Tue, Apr 1: at Boston, 7:00
Wed, Apr 2: at Carolina, 7:00
Fri, Apr 4: vs. Chicago, 7:00
Sun, Apr 6: at Islanders, 12:30 (TNT/truTV/Max
Thu, Apr 10: vs. Carolina, 7:30
Sat, Apr 12: at Columbus, 7:00
Sun, Apr 13: vs. Columbus, 6:00
Tue, Apr 15: at Islanders, 8:00 (ESPN)
Thu, Apr 17: at Pittsburgh, 7:00 (ESPN)