With Alexander Ovechkin’s game-tying tally last night against the Rangers, he is 10 goals away from passing Wayne Gretzky as the league’s best-ever goal-scorer.

The 39-year-old is having one of his better seasons, putting up 32 goals (fourth in the NHL) in 46 games. Durability becomes a factor as a player moves through his career and for a second it looked like that would be a problem. On Nov. 18, Ovechkin went down with a leg injury against Utah later to find out he had broken his leg. Alex came back in less than a month and better than ever. Since his return on Dec. 28, he has put up 17 goals in 28 games.

Now only nine goals away from tying the record, Ovechkin appears to be on pace to pass the 894-goal mark by the end of the season with 20 games left. Tickets to get into Capital One Arena have now skyrocketed as every Capitals fan wants to be there to be a part of history.

Ovechkin also has the chance to do something crazy. The record is projected to be broken towards the end of the season. The last game of the regular season for the Capitals is in Pittsburgh against Ovi’s long-time rival, Sydney Crosby. It would be interesting if he beat the record in front of Crosby on Pittsburgh’s home ice.

The 894 goals, the mark to beat, does not include postseason play. However, the Capitals are currently tied at the top of the standings in the NHL meaning Ovechkin could potentially break the record for the most goals in NHL history, then proceed to win the Stanley Cup.

Featured image via @NHL on X