History has been made. Alex Ovechkin is now the NHL’s all-time leading goalscorer, surpassing Wayne Gretzky with his 895th tally against the New York Islanders on April 6. As ‘The Great One’ joined Ovi on the ice for a celebration, the league legend made a strong admission about the Washington Capitals captain’s milestone.
It wasn’t a typical Capitals‘ power-play goal for Ovechkin. The 39-year-old Russian has scored most of his goals with his lethal slap shot, but to make NHL history, he resorted to a different weapon. A wicked wrist shot beat Ilya Sorokin, setting off a wild on-ice celebration at UBS Arena and reactions around the globe.
Wayne Gretzky made good on his promise to be the first to shake Ovechkin’s hand when he broke the record, and as he acknowledged Ovi’s great achievement, he dropped a key confession.
“I wish the Islanders and the New York fans all the best, but we’re here today to celebrate this guy here, number 8. I can tell you firsthand I know how hard it is to get to 894, 895 is pretty special,” Wayne Gretzky stated during the on-ice celebration for Ovechkin’s record. “They say records are meant to be broken, but I’m not sure who’s gonna get more goals than that.”
Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals poses with former NHL player Wayne Gretzky 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 Gretzky’s 894 goals to become the NHL all-time goal-scoring leader.
Shared joy
Gretzky has repeatedly shown his desire for Ovechkin to break the record and help the NHL and the sport of hockey continue to grow. After Ovechkin finally netted No. 895, ‘The Great One’ was overflooded with joy.
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“I was really happy for him, I felt like I scored the goal, does that make any sense? I know the pressure he was under, the microscope he was under, honestly I was relieved,” Gretzky added later on during an appearance on TNT’s game broadcast. “He’s so good, he can decide when he wants to score. What a great day, not just for hockey, for sports. Alex helped make hockey relevant in Washington.”
Ovi’s statement
After scoring his career 895th goal during the Capitals’ visit to UBS Arena, Ovechkin couldn’t hold back his emotion after finally accomplishing what no one ever expected to occur.
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.
“What a day,” Ovechkin stated. “It’s a team sport, and without my boys, the whole organization, the fans and coaches, I would never stand there, and obviously I would never pass ‘The Great One’. Thank you very much. We did it boys, we did it.“
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With a huge weight off his shoulders and a chest full of pride, Ovechkin will now shift his focus to the looming postseason with the Capitals. Despite the 4-1 loss on Long Island, Washington is set to be the top seed in the East and a heavy favorite for the Stanley Cup—especially with the NHL’s all-time leading goalscorer in its lineup.
