After 31 years, a longstanding National Hockey League record was broken on Sunday, April 6. Alexander Ovechkin, a left winger for the Washington Capitals, broke the record for most regular-season goals scored by a single player in NHL history. With 895 goals, Ovechkin surpassed the 894-goal record held by Wayne Gretzky, who is widely considered the greatest in his sport, earning the nickname “The Great One.” Ovechkin’s journey to the record was nicknamed “The Gr8 Chase,” after Gretzky’s nickname and Ovechkin’s jersey #8.
This accomplishment adds to several for Ovechkin and the Capitals, after winning the Stanley Cup Championship in 2018. Gretzky personally shook Ovechkin’s hand after the game, having been “cheering” for his record to be surpassed. “They say records are meant to be broken,” Gretzky said, “but I’m not sure who’s going to get more goals than that.” Other important figures, such as NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL great Sidney Crosby offered their congratulations.
Senior Paola Estrada Vega, a self-professed “day one” hockey fan, expressed excitement at the milestone. “I think he’s going to get a thousand,” she says. “I’d be surprised if he didn’t at this point.” Ovechkin’s accomplishment affects hockey fans everywhere, and they’re all asking the same question: Just what feats will Ovechkin achieve next?