The Washington Capitals captain acheieved NHL history by scoring his 895th career goal and now Alex Ovechkin is 105 goals away to 1,000. Could he do it? Maybe.
It's really up to the Great 8
It's a hard question. Yes he could do it we think if he decides to play longer than his contract which is up after next season believe it or not. Either way what he did this season and on Sunday was truly remarkable.
Ovechkin scored his record breaking 895th career goal agaisnt the New York Islanders and Ilya Sorokin was the victim in net. Ovechkin broke Gretzky's 31 year old record in his 1,487th career game, the exact number of games Gretzky finished his career with. Ovechkin holds many other records, including for he most power play goals, most game winning goals, most goals in road games, and most goals with the same team in NHL history.
Ovechkin's resume shows he's the only player in the NHL to win a Stanley Cup, a Conn Smythe, an Art Ross, a Hart, a Ted Lindsay and a Maurice Richard Trophy. The 39 year old has scored 42 goals in 61 games this season which is good for a 0.69 goals per games played rate. He also has 20 goals in his last 27 games.
Only Leon Draisaitl (52 goals, age 29), William Nylander (44 goals, age 28) and Tage Thompson (43 goals, age 27) have more. Ovechkin is on pace to finish the season with 45 goals and should he reach the mark he would pass Gordie Howe for the most goals in a season by a player age 39 or older. Howe did it when he was 40 in the 1968-69 season.
Ovechkin was named the NHL's First Star of the Week naturally and the Caps are pulling out all the stops when they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night. Fans will get to welcome Ovechkin home for the first time and be sure to get there or tune in early for the pregame ceremony honoring Ovechkin's 895.
So best case scenario is Ovechkin finishes this season with 45 goals or more. Then comes next season which is the final year of the contract that he signed in 2021. Will that be Ovechkin's last year in the NHL?
If he is, then no he will not reach 1,000 goals. But if he wants to give it another go, don't count out the Great Eight if he chooses to play beyond next season.