Don’t forget about Alexander Ovechkin’s goal record chase

The 2024-25 NHL season is going to be as exciting and highly anticipated as ever. One of the big stories coming in is the goal record chase for Alexander Ovechkin. It is going to make for a lot of fun nights of Washington Capitals hockey. 

Ovechkin currently has 853 goals. He needs 41 more to tie Wayne Gretzky who holds the all-time mark with 894. He is then 42 away from breaking the record which will be one of the most iconic moments in the history of the NHL. 

A Russian superstar is going to break the goal-scoring record held by the Canadian golden boy who is widely considered the greatest hockey player ever.

He also will have done it in the greatest generation of goalies to ever exist. Scoring was at a premium in Ovechkin’s era and he didn’t have a problem with it at all. 

Alexander Ovechkin is going to have a very big moment for the NHL soon

In his 19-year NHL career, Ovechkin has had 42 or more goals 13 times. Of the six that were not on the list, two of them were shortened by either a lockout or the COVID-19 pandemic.  He already has the record of those games that were never missed. 

Last season, Ovechkin had 31 goals but only had 8 on Christmas Day. In the second half of the season, he went on a tear. It is the type of tear that would break the record if he had that pace all of next season. 

There is about a 50/50 chance that he will break this record in 2024-25. He is entering his age 39 season so Father Time isn’t on his side in terms of being the same player he once was but we know he can still shoot the puck extremely well. 

Ovechkin also demonstrated a slight change to his game in 2023-24. He wasn’t afraid to go to different areas on the ice to make a difference. That mentality could be good for him as he chases the big record. 

There are some new faces there in Washington who will try to help him as well. Andrew Mangiapani and Pierre Luc-Dubois are skilled players who can make a difference. Ovechkin also found some chemistry with Dylan Strome last year which could help him. 

If there is a chance to get a glimpse of Ovechkin in 2024-25, it needs to be taken. Whether it is attending a game involving the Capitals or watching on TV, it will be a must-see. The buildup to it will make it so much fun to observe.