Alex Ovechkin opens up about his ultimate goal and it’s not about chasing Wayne Gretzky (Image Source: IMAGN)
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has one goal in mind: Hoist another Stanley Cup.
Ovechkin enters this season with 853 career goals in 1,426. His impressive longevity is what allowed him to get within striking distance of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record of 894.
Ovechkin, however, is not focused on the 42 more goals he needs to become the NHL’s all-time goal scorer. He’s more centered on winning another Stanley Cup with the Capitals.
“The most important thing is to win another Cup,” Ovechkin said via Capitals beat reporter Sammi Silber’s post on X/Twitter.
The Capitals won their first-ever championship in 2018 with Ovechkin leading the way. The championship ended years of frustration after quick playoff exits or missing the postseason altogether.
Since then, the Caps have regressed while Ovechkin’s performance has gradually declined. Still, after various offseason moves, the Capitals look poised to compete in the tough Metro Division. Washington will need to get past teams like the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes.
But with Alex Ovechkin on board, the Caps have as good a chance as any team in the division. It will likely be a matter of the team rallying around Ovechkin to make another deep playoff run.
Alex Ovechkin could pass Wayne Gretzky this season
Ovechkin needs just 42 more goals to become the NHL’s all-time leader in goals. However, Ovechkin is 39 and seemingly on the decline. He scored 31 goals last season, a noticeable dropoff since scoring 50 and 42 in the two previous seasons.
It’s worth pointing out that Ovechkin has at least two more years to break the record. His current contract expires in 2026. Beyond that, there’s no telling if he will continue playing or opt for retirement. So, even if he doesn’t catch Gretzky this season, it’s possible he could do it next season.
“Every year it gets harder to score goals,” Ovechkin admitted to the Washington Times.
The comment underscores the fact that Ovechkin is now entering his 20th NHL season (via Washington Times):
“Yet he isn’t a young man anymore. Ovechkin struggled at the start of last season, notching just eight goals through the team’s first 41 games. He caught fire in the spring, notching 23 goals in the final 41 games to bring his season total to a more respectable 33.”
Barring injuries, Ovechkin has proven he has the longevity to play two more seasons and should pass the record before hanging up his skates.
Hockey fans will be excited to see if Ovechkin can pass Gretzky. Otherwise, it may be a long time before anyone else breaks the record. Currently, Sidney Crosby is second on the active goal-scoring list with 592. The player with the most reasonable chance to catch Gretzky is Auston Matthews with 368.
It would take a long time for Matthews to catch Gretzky, so Ovechkin could give fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness history.
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