“The Great 8 Chase” Concludes: Alex Ovechkin Breaks Wayne Gretzkey’s Record for most All-Time NHL goals
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April 8th, 2025- Juhlia Acacia
On Sunday, April 6th at UBS arena, Alex Ovechkin slid his 895th goal past Islanders’ goaltender Ilya Sorokin to become the National Hockey League’s all-time leader goal scorer. At 7:26 in the second period, he got to work on the power play with his long-time teammates Tom Wilson and Dylan Strome, who were both credited with assists.
Ovechkin belly-flopped on the ice to celebrate. Shortly after, his teammates flocked to him as tens of thousands of Capital and Islanders fans began to chant “Ovi!” “Ovi!” The former record holder Wayne Gretzky, expressed his excitement for “The Great 8” from his box and during an on-ice ceremony with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Capitals Owner Ted Leonis, and Ovechkin's family. Ovechkin was then gifted a painting.
Ovechkin directly after scoring his record-breaking goal, visibly ecstatic
Ilya Sorokin
"I'm probably going to need a couple more days, a couple more weeks to realize what it means to be No. 1.”
Ovechkin had never scored on Russian native Ilya Sorokin, and he thanked “his brother” for letting him score the record-breaking goal. He proceeded to ask Sorokin for his stick and signed it with pleasure, printing “895” across it as well.
The previous record that stood with 894 goals in 1,487 games was broken in the same number of games (1,487), on the Capitals’ 21st anniversary of the draft lottery in which they won the right to pick Alex Ovechkin. A coincidence so ironic it could be labeled as fate.
Although Gretzky still holds the record for most NHL goals in a season, (92) which is much higher than Ovechkin’s season high (65), Ovechkin’s consistency throughout seasons gave him an edge in which he ultimately broke the record.
Gretzky (left) and Ovechkin (right) celebrating the passing of the torch
The 2024-2025 season started great for Alex Ovechkin as put up 15 goals in 18 games. Many believed this was the year he would break the all-time goal record until he suffered from a fractured fibula which forced him to watch from the sidelines for 16 games. When he returned from IR on December 28th, he came back determined and scored 27 times in 43 games.
Although the Capitals lost 4-1 to a Metropolitan division rival, the game is considered a win for all fans. The Capitals have already clinched a playoff spot and stand in first place in both the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference.
“They say records are made to be broken, but I’m not sure who’s going to get more goals than that.”
-Wayne Gretzky
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