Washington Capitals: In appreciation of Alex Ovechkin and chasing down Wayne Gretzky

Alex Ovechkin is about to be awarded yet another Rocket Richard trophy at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas tonight. If that sentence sounds familiar, it’s because it is.

Over the last few months and years, a debate has been swelling about Alex Ovechkin’s place in history, as each year he defies the aging curve and racks up another league-leading season for the Washington Capitals.

washington capitals — LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 20: Alex Ovechkin (L) and Nickals Backstrom of the Washington Capitals arrive with the Stanley Cup at the 2018 NHL Awards presented by Hulu at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on June 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)

Ovechkin has 658 career goals, which places him 13th in NHL history behind Luc Robitaille, Teemu Selanne and Mario Lemieux. The number everyone wants to talk about, though, is 894.

Ovechkin trails that number, Wayne Gretzky’s all-time mark, by 236 goals. In short, he’s still got a ways to go. But Ovechkin, and even Gretzky, aren’t putting it out of the question.

LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 20: Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals poses for a portrait with (l-r) the Prince of Wales Trophy, the Stanley Cup trophy, Conne Smythe Trophy and the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy at the 2018 NHL Awards at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on June 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

So let’s take a dive into Ovechkin’s Hall of Fame career, and the possibility of breaking one of the sport’s most unbreakable records.