Matthew Knies has humorous take on Alex Ovechkin's historic 895th goal surpassing Wayne Gretzky's record

Alex Ovechkin scored his much-awaited 895th NHL goal Sunday in the Washington Capitals vs. New York Islanders game, surpassing Wayne Gretzky to become the league’s all-time leading goal scorer.

Matthew Knies had a rather humorous reaction to the record on Monday after the Toronto Maple Leafs's practice. When asked about it, Knies joked,

"I can’t even count that high." as quoted by Terry Koshan on X (formerly Twitter).

Even Alex Ovechkin said on Sunday that it will take time to realize that he has broken the NHL goal record.

"This is something crazy," Ovechkin said, via NHL.com. "I'm probably going to need a couple more days or maybe a couple weeks to realize what does it mean to be No. 1. But I can say I'm very proud."

With 26 goals and 26 assists in 72 games, Knies is having a solid season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In the last year of his rookie contract, the two-way forward plays in the team’s top six and logs important minutes each night.

The Maple Leafs (47-25-4) have made the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. The Craig Berube-coached team is eyeing their first Stanley Cup title since the Blues won in 2019.

Toronto fans hope for a better playoff run this year. The team has only won one series since 2004. With players like Knies developing and a new coach, the team looks more prepared.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin calls Alex Ovechkin’s NHL goal record “ a real holiday” for fans

Alex Ovechkin - the NHL’s newest all-time top goal scorer with 895 goals after eclipsing Wayne Gretzky’s tally (894) - was congratulated by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Through a message shared via the Kremlin’s Telegram channel, Putin praised Ovechkin’s career and said this record is a proud moment for Russian fans.

“Congratulations on your outstanding record. You have surpassed legendary masters in the number of goals in regular championship matches of the National Hockey League.... Without a doubt, the current achievement has become not only your personal success but also a real holiday for fans in Russia and beyond... I wish you health, good luck, and a fighting spirit to conquer new heights in life and sports.”

In 2017, Alex Ovechkin posted a photo on Instagram supporting President Putin, expressing pride in joining the “Putin Team” movement as it reminded him of representing Russia in hockey.