Alex Ovechkin has a major hurdle in his way as he chases Wayne Gretzky's record

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Daniel Lucente
October 23, 2024 (4:47 PM)

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There is one thing that Alex Ovechkin of the Capitals can't control, and that's his age. This factor could prevent him from surpassing Wayne Gretzky's goal record.

Can Alex Ovechkin be the all-time greatest goal scorer? With the way this season will work for the Washington Capitals star toward Wayne Gretzky's record of 894 goals, it has been the central question for his 2024-25 season. Currently, Ovechkin sits at 853, just 41 away from Gretzky's all-time mark. It won't be easy to surpass that record, but Ovechkin has scored goals in elite fashion throughout his career and is just a strong season away from history.

Ovechkin has scored 41 or more goals in 13 of his 19 NHL seasons. He likely would have reached that mark again if not for shortened seasons due to lockouts and pandemics. He still popped 42 last year and 50 the year before, proving he is capable of scoring at an elite level in his late 30s.

But the slow start last season raised some doubts. Ovechkin went through the longest goal drought of his career, 14 games without a goal. He rebounded in the second half of the season, scoring 23 goals in his final 36 games, but ultimately finished with 31 goals, below his usual standards. Because of that inconsistency, some question whether Ovechkin can still attain Gretzky's milestone.

Age becomes the biggest factor in this chase. The Russian star turns 39 years of age, and no matter how elite a player has been throughout his career, father time will catch up eventually. While volume shooters like Ovechkin generally can have successful seasons well into their 30s, as opposed to snipers, his reduced shot volume and overall efficiency from last season are concerning. While the Capitals made some offseason moves to surround him with talent, whether they'll be able to offset the effects of aging on his game remains to be seen.

In the end, Alex Ovechkin's chase for the all-time goal-scoring record is going to be tough. He is still a dangerous player, but the question remains if he will be able to keep up the pace of his goal-scoring while fighting off age-related deterioration. With just 41 goals between him and Gretzky, this season may define the legacy of Ovechkin as the greatest goal scorer in NHL history.