Predators GM shares "very unique" aspect of Alex Ovechkin's game that helped him inch closer to Wayne Gretzky's record

Washington Capitals' left winger Alex Ovechkin is within striking distance of making history. “The Great 8” scored the 889th goal of his career on Tuesday, only six short of breaking hockey legend Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goalscoring record.

As Ovechkin moves closer to rewriting the record books, other NHL professionals opened up about their interactions with him over the years. Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz, who coached Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals from 2014 to 2018, recounted what he found most impressive about the Russian.

“There were times that we would butt heads a little bit,” Trotz said via The Athletic. “But the thing that I was impressed with Ovi, he’s always had that passion and love. Not only for the game, but for life.

“He could take hard coaching, and that’s very, very unique. Players of his magnitude sometimes go ‘pffft’ because they’re not used to it, but he could take it. You could be really subtle with it and one-on-one, you could be in the film room or you could be in the group. You could challenge him and he’d go, ‘Yeah, you’re right, and I’ll get it done.’”

The 39-year-old Ovechkin has spent his entire NHL career with the Washington Capitals since they chose him as the No. 1 draft pick in 2004. He holds a plethora of goalscoring records already, including for most 40-goal seasons (13), leading goalscorer in a season (nine) and most 50-goal seasons (tied with Gretzky and Mike Bossy at 9).

This season, despite breaking his fibula in a collision on the ice in November and missing 16 games, Ovechkin has scored 36 goals, the fourth-highest in the league. Ovechkin said he’s trying to enjoy the journey to 895 goals this season.

“It’s a fun time, obviously, but you just have to enjoy it,” Ovechkin said via NHL. “It’s a special moment, obviously. Everybody’s watching, everybody pay attention to this, so yeah.”

Alex Ovechkin scored the tying goal in the Capitals’ 3-2 overtime loss to Winnipeg Jets

Alex Ovechkin’s 889th goal came in the third period of the Capitals game against fellow high-flyers, the Winnipeg Jets. Ovechkin’s wrist shot from the left circle came with the Capitals trailing 2-1 and sent the game into overtime.

“But it was a playoff game, like playoff mentality, physicality was there as well. So, yeah, it was a good one,” Ovechkin said via NHL when asked about his goal.

The Jets joined the Capitals in earning a guaranteed playoff spot when the game went into overtime.