On April 6, Alex Ovechkin scored his 895th career NHL goal, breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record and taking over the spotlight as the entire league buzzes about the Washington Capitals captain’s milestone. As Gretzky reflected on the historic moment at UBS Arena, ‘The Great One’ made a bold comparison—likening Ovechkin to two legends not named Sidney Crosby or himself.
After Ovechkin finally dethroned Gretzky in the NHL’s all-time scoring leaderboard, the four-time Stanley Cup champion voiced a series of praising messages for the Capitals’ captain. Gretzky has been alongside, helping and motivating Ovi during “The GR8 Chase”, as the league dubbed the historic race for the record, showcasing his second-to-none love for the sport and respect for the current stars.
Like Crosby, Gretzky has also closely followed Ovechkin’s every step since he entered the league in 2005. Gretzky was the head coach of the Arizona Coyotes for four seasons, and he was on the bench for Ovi’s iconic goal scored while lying on his back against goaltender Brian Boucher. Wayne had first seen Ovechkin during a World Juniors tournament and was instantly left jaw-dropped by his freakish mix of skill and athleticism.
As Gretzky joined TNT’s broadcast after Ovechkin’s record-setting tally against the Islanders, the greatest hockey player of all time compared Ovechkin to two legends of the sport, due to their ability to combine physicality with skill at such a high level.
Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates after scoring his 895th career goal during the second period against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on April 06, 2025 in Elmont, New York. Ovechkin’s goal passes Wayne Gretzky’s 894 goals to become the NHL all-time goal-scoring leader.
“There’s 3 guys that played the game physical, smart, intelligent, and with finesse: Gordie Howe, Mark Messier, and [Ovechkin],” Wayne Gretzky admitted during the game broadcast on TNT.
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Don’t stop now
After burying his 895th goal and setting off a memorable celebration on the ice in Belmont Park, Ovechkin was greeted by Gretzky, who wasted no time challenging him to extend his lead over the rest of the league.
“Get to 900 [goals],” Wayne Gretzky told Alex Ovechkin shortly after getting on the ice to congratulate the man of the hour in Long Island.
Former NHL player Wayne Gretzky speaks during the celebration after Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals scores his 895th career goal during the second period against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on April 06, 2025 in Elmont, New York. Ovechkin’s goal passes Gretzky’s 894 goals to become the NHL all-time goal-scoring leader.
What could’ve been
While Gretzky has repeatedly shown his admiration for Ovechkin and the magnitude of his accomplishment, he didn’t let recent comments criticizing the NHL era he played in slide. While speaking with Rick Bowness, Gretzky made something clear about those critics.
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“The coaching wasn’t as good, the defense structurally wasn’t as good, and the goaltenders weren’t as big or as skilled as they are today. Ovechkin’s challenges were a bit different than yours,” Bowness said, referring to the “wide-open ’80s,” as Gretzky’s era is sometimes called. Gretzky, nevertheless, had some remarks of his own.
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“There is no doubt the coaching is better, the equipment is better, and the athletes are better. But, I would have loved to play 3-on-3 [overtime], I would have loved to start every power play in the offensive zone, I would have loved not have a guy shadow me, and hooking and holding, so there’s always changes over a period of time to make our game better.”
