Just a few days after matching Wayne Gretzky’s seemingly untouchable all-time goals record of 894, Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin made history last night by netting his 895th career goal. He has now cemented his status as the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer.
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Impressively, the Great 8 broke the record with Gretzky himself in attendance—doing so in the exact same number of games played (1,487).
From the record-breaking Ovechkin goal to the statistical coincidence, this NHL moment is so monumental that it reached far beyond the ice. NFL legends like Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson weighed in on the historic feat.
“I didn’t think anybody could break this record,” Sharpe admitted on an episode of Nightcap.
But what impressed the Nightcap host the most were two things. First, the fact that the record stood unblemished for 26 years. And second, not only did the 39-year-old break it, but with retirement not in immediate sight. That means Ovechkin could very well surpass the 900-goal mark with ease!
“That mark stood since 1999! And now Ovie done passed him — 895. And the craziest part is, he’s not done. He’s going to be well into the 900s, I think,” Sharpe continued.
The former Bronco, clearly still in disbelief, also praised Ovechkin’s loyalty. For those out of the loop, the Russian goal scorer has spent his entire NHL career with the Washington Capitals—unlike Gretzky, who suited up for the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and New York Rangers.
“He’s only played for one franchise. Gretzky bounced around — Edmonton, L.A. — but Ovechkin stayed with the Caps and still got it done,” noted an impressed Sharpe.
Chad Johnson, meanwhile, pointed out just how far ahead Ovechkin is in the goals race. Even stars like Nathan MacKinnon (367 career goals) and Connor McDavid (361), two of the most exciting talents in hockey today, are nowhere close to matching the 39-year-old’s record.
To highlight just how talented McDavid and MacKinnon are, Ocho then compared them to Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase—giving the podcast’s NFL audience a better sense of Ovechkin’s greatness.
“McKinnon and McDavid are like Ja’marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. I mean, that’s the only comparison I can think of, you know, in football terms.”
As things stand, the Capitals forward now holds the record with 895 goals, surpassing “The Great One” in the exact number of games it took to set it. But this isn’t just about stats — it’s about endurance, consistency, and rewriting the rules of what’s possible.
As Shannon and Ocho implied, it truly does feel like nobody is going to catch Alex Ovechkin now — not Sid Crosby, not McDavid, not anybody. And on top of that, he’s going to the 900s, for sure.
With one season left on his deal and his trademark one-timer still as deadly as ever, the Great 8 isn’t done yet. And judging by the NFL’s reactions, even football’s biggest names are tuning in to watch hockey history unfold.
