He’s finally done it! On April 6,2025, Alexander Ovechkin broke what many believed to be an untouchable milestone—Wayne Gretzky’s 894 career NHL goals. It’s worth revisiting the serendipitous journey that brought the Russian phenom to hockey’s biggest stage.
The story begins with his birthdate. Born on September 17, 1985, Ovechkin missed the cutoff for the 2003 NHL Draft by a mere two days. Yet even at 17, his electrifying play for Dynamo Moscow had already made him the stuff of legend. So much so that the Florida Panthers, in a bold and unconventional move, attempted to draft him a year early during the later rounds of the 2003 event. Their argument? By factoring in leap years, they claimed Ovechkin technically met the age requirement.
The NHL swiftly dismissed the loophole, but the audacious bid became a memorable footnote in draft lore—a testament to the hype surrounding the teenage prodigy. As scouts and executives swapped stories at Nashville’s airport post-draft, few could fault then-Panthers general manager Rick Dudley for his creativity, let alone his eye for talent.
When the 2004 draft arrived, there was no ambiguity. Ovechkin, now rightfully eligible, was selected first overall by the Washington Capitals, launching a career that would redefine goal-scoring greatness.
The Call That Changed Everything
In 2004, the NHL Draft Lottery wasn’t the glitzy primetime spectacle it is today. Instead, then Washington Capitals general manager George McPhee—now architect of the Vegas Golden Knights—received the franchise-altering news via a mundane phone call: Despite holding only the third-best odds, the Capitals had won the right to draft first. The prize? A generational talent who would redefine hockey in the nation’s capital.
The decision quickly narrowed to two Russian phenoms: Alex Ovechkin, a wrecking ball of speed, power, and scoring instinct, and Evgeny Malkin, a cerebral playmaking center. For the Caps, Ovechkin’s electrifying blend of physicality, relentless drive, and raw charisma made him the undeniable choice—a player who could reignite a struggling franchise and captivate a dormant fanbase.
A Delayed Destiny
Yet fate had other plans. The 2004-05 NHL season vanished in a haze of a labor dispute, forcing Ovechkin to spend an extra year in Russia with the Dynamo Moscow. When the lockout finally lifted, the Caps faced a race against time. McPhee later recalled having just three days to pry the 19-year-old from his family’s protective grip and secure his signature. Ovechkin’s determination to conquer the NHL tipped the scales. By August 2005, he was in Washington, crashing temporarily at McPhee’s home—an unlikely prologue to a legendary career.
The Russian Machine Arrives
Author’s Note: The term “Russian Machine” refers to an interview done with Alex in response to questions from the media about a potential injury after being hit by a puck, Ovechkin was quoted in 2006 stating, “I’m OK; Russian Machine never breaks.”
The wait proved worthwhile. Ovechkin exploded onto the scene with 52 goals as a rookie, claiming the Calder Trophy over a silver-medalist runner-up: a fresh-faced Sidney Crosby, linchpin of the Pittsburgh Penguins dynasty. The irony wasn’t lost on hockey historians.
Two decades later, the “Russian Machine” has shattered the unthinkable: Wayne Gretzky’s 894-goal zenith. Ovechkin’s résumé reads like a video game cheat code—nine 50+-goal campaigns, 12 All-Star nods, three MVPs, a spot among the NHL’s Top 100 Players of all time, and, in 2018, the cathartic hoisting of the Stanley Cup.
In the 2005-2006 campaign, Ovechkin captured the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year and finished third overall in league scoring. Ovechkin has won the award for NHL’s leading goal scorer a record nine times while also being the runner-up for the award one other time (2010). He holds the NHL record for most 40-goal seasons with fourteen and co-holds, with Mike Bossy and Gretzky, the record for most 50-goal campaigns with nine. He is also the only player to have tallied 200 or more goals in three different decades, with 245 in the 2000s, 437 in the 2010s, and 200+ in the 2020s. He has won the Hart Memorial Trophy for most valuable player three times (in 2008, 2009, and 2013) while also being a finalist two other times (2010 and 2015), and the Award for best player as voted on by the National Hockey League Players’ Association three times (2008, 2009, 2010) while also being a finalist two other times (2013 and 2015). In 2018, the Washington Capitals won the Stanley Cup for the first time, and Ovechkin was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy for most valuable player in the 2018 playoffs. He has also been named to the NHL first All-Star team eight times, and the second All-Star team four times.
Alexander Ovechkin boasts numerous NHL career milestones, in addition to cementing his legacy as hockey’s greatest goal scorer. He holds the all-time records for most power-play goals, most away-game goals, and most overtime goals, while also surpassing peers in two unique categories: scoring against the most goaltenders and tallying the most goals with a single franchise. Notably, Ovechkin joins Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe as one of only three players in league history to reach the elusive 800-goal mark, a testament to his enduring dominance on the ice.
A Legacy in Bronze and Blood
When Washington immortalizes Ovechkin in statue form, the pose is inevitable: coiled at the left circle, stick down, eyes locked on the puck—a frozen moment from his “office,” where so many power-play daggers were unleashed.
Reflecting on the 2004 draft, McPhee’s dry wit cuts through the nostalgia: “It was a very good pick!” But his deeper admiration lingers. “He makes scoring look easy,” the GM once mused. “It’s not.” For McPhee, Ovechkin isn’t just a Cap’s icon—he’s “one of the greatest things to ever happen to the NHL.”
And as Gretzky’s record fades into Ovechkin’s rearview, one truth remains: The “GR8” didn’t just chase history. He rewrote it.
Image: Alexander Ovechkin by Michael Miller licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
