In March 1999, Wayne Gretzky, playing for the New York Rangers, scored his 894th goal against New York Islanders goalie Wade Flaherty. The record would sit untouched for more than two decades.
Alex Ovechkin is a wonder on the ice. The Washington Capitals’ standout added another accomplishment to his already decorated resume on April 6. Ovi scored his 895th NHL goal against Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin during the second period of the game at the UBS Arena. However, for Ovechkin, the feeling of this massive achievement has not yet been fully realized.
Alex Ovechkin Will Savor His Achievement at the End of His Career
On April 6, the UBS Arena broke into unparalleled celebration when Ovi scored the 895th goal to break Gretzky’s record. The camera cut to Gretzky’s figure in the stands, as he applauded Ovechkin for this massive feat. Ovi’s Capitals teammates rejoiced while fans continued to cheer him on. But for the man himself, the time for celebration has not yet arrived.
Ovechkin, at the presentation of the “Corporation of Good” project at the DobroFON charity program, had a rather interesting reply to the question of whether he realizes that he is the best sniper in NHL regular championship history. The 39-year-old admitted that such realization will come only when he retires. Although he acknowledged the excitement and energy others were feeling around him, Ovi wants to relish the moment only at the end of his career.
“The realization of the record will come when you finish your career. Mine is still going on. But I see the excitement around me. I understand that it’s really cool. People watched, cheered, worried. Everyone who comes up to me really knows that this happened. I understand that thanks to my family, father, mother, wife, friends, team, I did it.”
Ovi is well aware of his incredible career so far. He has spent 20 seasons with the Capitals and accumulated 1,623 points in 1,491 regular-season games. Ovechkin’s exceptional ability to score goals and his tendency to drop gloves against opponents make him a figure like none other in the league, who continues to turn heads at 39.
But when it comes to celebrating a career milestone, Ovechkin is taking it slow. “I realize that I have a wonderful career when this drive passes. And now I just see that there is hype. Were there tears of joy? I will cry later.”
Ovi now has 897 goals, continuing to better his record. He also has 726 assists in his NHL regular-season career. On average, the 39-year-old has spent more than 20 minutes on ice per game in his regular-season career in the league. Could Ovi be looking to set more records by delaying the celebration?
