Gretzky’s whole of 894 objectives had lengthy appeared unapproachable. Ovechkin handed it even after lacking 16 video games in November and December due to a damaged left leg, a testomony to his sturdiness and a knack for placing the puck within the internet constantly for 20 years. He surpassed 40 objectives this season for a 14th time — two greater than Gretzky and in addition probably the most in league historical past.
Even earlier than this, Ovechkin owned the NHL data for power-play objectives, photographs on aim and the most goalies scored towards, now including Sorokin to that record. Solely Gretzky has extra multi-goal video games, and Ovechkin earlier this season turned simply the sixth participant with 700 objectives and 700 assists, becoming a member of Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Jaromir Jagr, Marcel Dionne and Phil Esposito.
Ovechkin final moved up the all-time goal-scoring record Dec. 23, 2022, when he obtained Nos. 801 and 802 to tie and move Howe.
The chase by the Nice 8, a nickname honoring his jersey quantity, captured consideration from North America to Ovechkin’s native Russia, the place billboards and goal-counters cheered on and tracked his effort. It helped Ovechkin that his staff is among the finest within the NHL this season, defying expectations.
Gretzky broke Howe’s report slightly over 31 years in the past, since he scored 802 on March 23, 1994. He added 92 extra earlier than retiring in 1999 after a complete of 1,487 video games over 20 seasons.
Even with this one falling to Ovechkin — which he has stated he’s enthusiastic about — Gretzky holds 55 NHL data, and two appear actually untouchable: 2,857 whole factors and 1,963 assists, the latter of which is greater than anybody else has in objectives and assists mixed.
For NHL playoff objectives, which don’t depend towards the report, Gretzky has probably the most (122). Ovechkin has 72. Gretzky additionally had one other 56 within the World Hockey Affiliation common season and playoffs, whereas Ovechkin has 57 from his time within the KHL, Russia’s prime league.
Returning to Russia to play in entrance of household and pals is an possibility in some unspecified time in the future for Ovechkin, who has one season left after this one on the five-year, $47.5 million contract he signed in 2021, which took him by way of age 40 to provide him sufficient time to chase Gretzky’s report. As an alternative, he obtained it finished earlier than simply about anybody might have realistically anticipated.
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(This story will likely be up to date)
