The 2025-26 season has turned into a relentless, record-chasing tour for Alex Ovechkin. Even at 40, the longtime star keeps rewriting the history books, knocking down milestones that once seemed untouchable.
And now, a three-time Stanley Cup champion believes he still has one more legendary mark left to conquer, the ultimate record held by Wayne Gretzky.
Alex Ovechkin Closing in on Wayne Gretzky’s Legendary Territory
On March 22, 2026, against the Colorado Avalanche, Ovechkin became just the second player in NHL history to reach 1,000 combined goals (regular season + playoffs). He joined Gretzky (1,016 total) as the only member of this elite club.
As of late March, Ovechkin sits at 926 regular-season goals and 77 playoff goals, an astonishing total that continues to climb.
Three-time Stanley Cup champion Sergei Fedorov, who won titles in 1997, 1998, and 2002, shared his admiration for Ovechkin’s relentless work ethic. “He made a thousand shots to score a thousand goals. And nobody knows how many shots he’s made in total to reach that thousand!” Fedorov said. “And nobody will ever know. Because Ovechkin’s training process hasn’t stopped since he was 8 years old. And he’s still shooting, shooting…”
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Days after reaching 1,000 goals, Ovechkin scored a last-second hat trick against the Utah Mammoth, echoing Michael Jordan’s iconic 5.2-second shot in the 1998 NBA Finals.
That night also added multiple achievements. Utah became the 21st franchise Ovechkin has recorded a hat trick against, breaking the mark previously held by Brett Hull.
The hat trick was the 34th of his career, moving him past Hull into fourth all-time. He now trails only Mike Bossy (39), Mario Lemieux (40), and Gretzky (50).
Earlier this season, Ovechkin reached 20 goals for the 21st straight season, one behind Gordie Howe’s record. He sits at 29 goals, one away from a record 20th 30-goal campaign.
He’s also just 13 goals shy of Gretzky’s 1,016 total, and Fedorov believes he should push past retirement rumors to finish the job.
“There aren’t many pros, aside from the record. But I think Sasha is doing well in terms of family. His family supports him, especially his mom. And if he has the strength, he needs to finish this thing, because we’re talking about a record for the ages,” Fedorov said.
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For now, the Washington Capitals and Ovechkin are five points out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. With only eight games left, their playoff chances are fading, which makes it highly unlikely that Gretzky’s record will be broken this season.
If Ovechkin decides to extend his career, the once-untouchable record looks inevitable, and history may be rewritten soon.
