Capitals: 3 ways Alex Ovechkin can become NHL’s all-time top scorer

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 29: (L-R) Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals, coach Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Justin Faulk #27 of the Carolina Hurricanes and coach Paul Coffey react from the bench area during the Metropolitan Division and Pacific Division match-up of the 2017 Honda NHL All-Star Game at Staples Center on January 29, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

So how does Alex Ovechkin become the NHL’s all time top scorer?

Let’s do the math and figure out the amount of goals and length of time it can take for Alex Ovechkin to catch Gretzky.

So far this season Ovechkin has 40 goals entering Saturday night’s contest against the Flyers and 698 on his career. Ovechkin needs 197 goals to break Gretzky’s “unbreakable” record.

40 goals at this point in the season means Ovechkin is on pace for 61 goals. Let’s say he finishes there. That would bring him to 719. Next season is his final season in his current contract and he’ll turn 35. Let’s say he scores 40 goals, that would bring him to 759.

Now Ovechkin wants nothing more than to retire a Capital and same with the fans and the team. Say he signs a four year extension but his numbers begin to dip as age catches up. He still scores 35 that first season to get up to 794. That would give Ovechkin exactly 100 goals needed to tie.

This is where it gets tricky. Can he score 100 goals in his next three seasons in that projected contract. For the exercise of numbers decline 30 goals followed by 25 and 20, that would get him to 869 just short of Gretzky.

WASHINGTON, DC -FEBRUARY 4:Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates the second of his three goals in the third period at Capital One Arena February 04, 2020 in Washington, DC. The Washington Capitals beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-2 with help from a hat trick from Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) in the third period.(Photo by Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Ovechkin needs just a few more 40 goal seasons and he’ll get there for sure. Ovechkin scores 40 goals and 35 to get to 794. He follows that up with another 40 goal season to get him up to 834. At this point, he’ll be entering his age 38 season. 30 goals those next two seasons to tie it is very doable and of course he’ll have a crooked number like 31 or 33 to get him just over the hump.

Whether Ovechkin catches Gretzky or not, us Capitals fans have been spoiled the last 15 years of witnessing greatness before our eyes. Our very own version of Gretzky who arguably might be better.