Ovechkin gets hat trick, needs fewer than 30 goals to top Gretzky record

Alex Ovechkin’s 2024-25 season is full of milestones.

He’s playing in his 20th season in the NHL and the Washington Capitals are celebrating their 50th anniversary.

And if things continue to go well this season, Ovechkin can reach a milestone once thought unreachable.

Ovechkin, 39, entered this season needing 42 goals to break Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 career goals, which has stood since 1999. The Capitals star, who had 42 goals two seasons ago, has scored 13 times this season, including a hat trick on Sunday night.

“It’s not a question of if he’s going to break the record,’ Gretzky, now a TV analyst on TNT, said during a recent broadcast. ‘It’s a question of when is he going to break the record, which is great for the game. It’s positive and he’s been a classy player for our sport for so many years.’

If Ovechkin falls short this season — he scored 31 goals last season — he has one more season left on his contract.

Here’s where Ovechkin stands in his chase of Gretzky’s goal record:

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have?

Ovechkin has 866 career goals.

How close is Alex Ovechkin to Wayne Gretzky’s goal record?

Ovechkin needs 29 goals to break Gretzky’s record.

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have this season?

Ovechkin has 13 goals (tied for the league lead) and 10 assists in 17 games. He didn’t hit 13 goals until his 48th game last season. He’s on pace for 62 goals this season.

What did Alex Ovechkin do in his last game?

Ovechkin had three goals on five shots in Sunday’s 5-2 win against the Vegas Golden Knights. His power play wrist shot from the left faceoff circle went off Vegas’ Alex Pietrangelo and past goalie Ilya Samsonov in the first period.

It was Ovechkin’s first career goal against Samsonov, a former teammate who became the 177th goalie he has scored against. That ties him with Patrick Marleau at second overall, one behind Jaromir Jagr.

Ovechkin scored again in the second period, taking a pass from Matt Roy on a 2-on-1 break, skating into the zone and ripping a wrist shot past Samsonov from the right faceoff circle.

Ovechkin completed the hat trick with an empty-net goal.

When is Alex Ovechkin’s next game?

Ovechkin plays Monday, Nov. 18, at the Utah Hockey Club. Technically, Utah is a new NHL franchise, so he has never faced the team. But he has 10 goals in 26 career games against the former Arizona Coyotes.

Alex Ovechkin career goal breakdown

Even strength: 546, third overall

Power play: 315, a record

Short-handed: 5

Empty net: 59, a record

Game winners: 131, second overall

Multi-goal games: 176, second overall

Hat tricks: 31, sixth overall

How did Alex Ovechkin fare last season?

He had an uncharacteristically slow start, including a 14-game goal drought. But he started picking up after the All-Star Game, scoring in six of seven games with another stretch of eight goals in five games and finished with 31. By picking up his 18th 30-goal season, he broke the record he shared with Hall of Famer Mike Gartner. Ovechkin broke Gretzky’s record for empty-net goals and moved into second place all-time with 19 consecutive 20-goal seasons. He also improved to 129 game-winning goals, leaving him six behind record-holder Jagr.

Who are the NHL’s top all-time goal scorers?

The top 20 NHL all-time goal scorers have all topped 600 goals and Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby can join them this season. All of the players are in the Hockey Hall of Fame, except Ovechkin, Crosby and Jagr, who is still playing in Czechia.

1. Wayne Gretzky,  894 goals in 1,487 games

2. Alex Ovechkin, 866 goals in 1,443 games

3. Gordie Howe, 801 goals in 1,767 games

4. Jaromir Jagr, 766 goals in 1,733 games

5. Brett Hull, 741 goals in 1,269 games

6. Marcel Dionne, 731 in 1,348 games

7. Phil Esposito, 717 goals in 1,282 games

8. Mike Gartner, 708 goals in 1,432 games

9. Mark Messier, 694 goals in 1,756 games

10. Steve Yzerman, 692 goals in 1,514 games

11. Mario Lemieux, 690 goals in 915 games

12. Teemu Selanne, 684 goals in 1,451 games

13. Luc Robitaille, 668 goals in 1,431 games

14. Brendan Shanahan, 656 goals in 1,524 games

15. Dave Andreychuk, 640 goals in 1,639 games

16. Jarome Iginla, 625 goals in 1,554 games

17. Joe Sakic, 625 goals in 1,378 games

18. Bobby Hull, 610 goals in 1,063 games

19. Dino Ciccarelli, 608 goals in 1,232 games

20. Jari Kurri, 601 goals in 1,251 games

21. Sidney Crosby, 599 goals in 1,292 games