Alexander Ovechkin: How the "Great 8" broke the unbreakable goal record

For decades, Wayne Gretzky's mark of 894 goals was considered the record no one would ever reach. On 6 April 2025, Alexander Ovechkin did exactly that. This article looks back at his historic career – and at the moment that rewrote hockey history.

See the current record statistics

The moment that made history

On 6 April 2025 the moment arrived: with his 895th career goal, Alexander Ovechkin passed Wayne Gretzky and became the greatest goal scorer in NHL history. Fittingly for the magnitude of the moment, the goal came on the power play – from his legendary spot in the left slot – against the New York Islanders and goalie Ilya Sorokin. An almost poetic detail: Ovechkin needed exactly 1,487 games for his record goal – precisely as many as Gretzky had played in his entire career.

With that, one of the longest and most debated record chases in sporting history came to an end. A record many thought untouchable now bears a new name.

Alex Ovechkin's career highlights

Alexander Ovechkin's career is a string of milestones. Since his NHL debut in 2005, he has redefined goal scoring. Among his greatest achievements:

• Greatest goal scorer in NHL history – currently at 929 goals (as of the end of the 2025/26 season) and thus ahead of Gretzky's 894.
• First player ever with 900 goals – he broke through this barrier on 5 November 2025.
• Multiple winner of the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the top goal scorer of a season.
• Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player (MVP).
• Stanley Cup win in 2018 with the Washington Capitals – the crowning achievement of his career and the last missing piece of the puzzle.

With the Stanley Cup at the latest, his place in the Hockey Hall of Fame was secured. The goal record has made him immortal for good.

Gretzky vs. Ovechkin: two eras, one record

The direct comparison is what really brings Ovechkin's achievement into focus. Wayne Gretzky played in the 1980s – an era in which far more goals were scored and defences were less athletic. Ovechkin, by contrast, scored his goals in a more defensively solid, more physically demanding and faster era, in which goaltenders and systems make scoring vastly harder.

On top of that comes his exceptional reliability: for nearly two decades Ovechkin remained almost injury-free and played nearly every game, season after season. In the modern, intense NHL that is a rarity – and one of the keys to why he was able to reach the record at all.

What makes his shot so deadly

A large share of Ovechkin's goals come from his legendary one-timer on the power play – from the left side, the so-called "Ovi spot". Alongside technique and positioning, his equipment is decisive: Ovechkin plays a very open, pronounced toe curve (P08), which favours maximum shot power and a quick, high release.

If you want to know how much the curve influences your shot, our big ice hockey curve guide compares all the common curves – from balanced mid-curves to aggressive toe curves like Ovechkin's P08.

What comes next?

With the record broken, only one question remains: where is the limit? At 929 goals, Ovechkin has set the bar so high that – much like Gretzky's mark once did – it seems almost out of reach for generations to come. Whether he continues his career or hangs up his stick, he has recently left open. One thing is certain: every further goal pushes up a record no one will measure up to for a very long time.

👉 Want to play with the same aggressive toe curve as "Ovi"? Configure your custom stick including the P08 curve.

For the current NHL goal-scorer ranking: records.nhl.com