Capitals bench feeling extra motivated as Alex Ovechkin approaches Wayne Gretzky's goal record

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Daniel Lucente
November 7, 2024 (12:25)

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Alex Ovechkin seems to be scoring every game as of late, and the rest of the Capitals players are feeling extra motivated to succeed this year due to this.

For almost two decades, the NHL has seen only one Alex Ovechkin. With his goal against the Nashville Predators and still playing at an elite level, that marks his 861st career goal, putting him 33 away from Wayne Gretzky's all-time record. Remarkably, at the age when most players start to decline, Ovechkin's drive and ability to score show little to no signs of stopping.

Ovechkin did something few his age have. His goal against the Predators made him the third player 39 or older to record a five-game goal streak. At his pace, he should eclipse Gretzky's record of 894 well before the season is out, and his teammates are glad to have front-row seats for history.

«He's chasing something special,» Aliaksei Protas said postgame. «You just want to enjoy it. The fact he's doing it at 39 years old is unbelievable. We were so happy for him and we just wish him nothing but just [to] keep going.»

This stands in near complete contrast to how Ovechkin started off the 2023-24 season. Last season, he found the net just eight times in his first 35 games. But in just 12 this fall, he's already reached that eight-goal mark on the year, a resurgence buoyed by the Capitals' strong 9-3-0 record.

Ovechkin's rise has sparked the entire team. Every goal is more meaningful now, as he and his teammates enjoy the process of chasing the record held by Gretzky. Though Ovechkin would often divert his attention from his progress for this milestone, teammates are hugely excited to support their captain in this historic pursuit.

At this pace, Alex Ovechkin could eclipse Gretzky's record in several months and do something that few people ever considered possible. The Capitals, along with hockey fans, are in awe of the sport as they watch Ovechkin inch closer to being able to etch his name atop arguably one of the most iconic records in the history of the sport.