NHL insider reveals league's plans for when Alex Ovechkin succesfully breaks Wayne Gretzky's scoring record

Alex Ovechkin is close to breaking Wayne Gretzky's 894-goal record and the league is planning a ceremony to honor him. Washington Capitals captain scored his 891st goal against Boston Bruins on April 1. He scored a power-play goal at 15:43 of the first period from a pass by Dylan Strome.

Speaking on Tuesday's SportsCenter broadcast, insider Emily Kaplan shared details about how the league will honor Ovechkin's milestone. Once Ovechkin scores his next goal, a group will start traveling with the Capitals.

This group includes NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Wayne Gretzky, Ovechkin’s family, and some of his former teammates. Nicklas Backstrom is expected to be there, and T.J. Oshie and Braden Holtby may also join.

"So, Jay, once he scores his next goal, that’s when the traveling party begins. Wayne Gretzky, Gary Bettman, and Ovechkin’s family will all start following the team, along with some of his old teammates. He won a Stanley Cup with Nicklas Bäckstrom, and I’ve heard that T.J. Oshie and Braden Holtby are possibilities as well," Kaplan said.

Alex Ovechkin will play his next game on Wednesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. So, if he scores his 892nd goal, the NHL will start their plan. And when Ovechkin breaks the record, the NHL will stop the game for a ceremony.

The league did something similar when Gretzky passed Gordie Howe in 1994. Back then, Bettman spoke, Gretzky’s family joined him on the ice, and he received a book of his game sheets.

"Then, once he actually breaks the record, they’re going to stop the game for a ceremony on the ice. It’ll be about seven to eight minutes long, with speeches and a video tribute. This isn’t unprecedented—it’s exactly what they did for Wayne Gretzky when he broke Gordie Howe’s record 31 years ago," Kaplan added.

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Emily Kaplan talked about Alex Ovechkin's pressure and how the Caps are helping him

During the aforementioned video, Emily Kaplan also talked about how Alex Ovechkin is handling the pressure of nearing Wayne Gretzky’s goal record. Kaplan said the attention on him is growing, but he stays the same.

"When I talked to Tom Wilson, his teammate last week, Tom told me you would have no idea by just watching Alex like he still doesn't care about going out in public who recognizes him," Kaplan said.

In Boston, Alex Ovechkin spent time with prospect Ryan Leonard, who debuted after signing a three-year $2.85 million contract and will make his debut. Kaplan also shared that coach Spencer Carbery reduced his ice time to focus on quality shifts.