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Alex Ovechkin is 72 goals shy of reaching Wayne Gretzky's NHL record of 894 goals. However, given how the season has panned out for the Washington Capitals and Ovechkin, Gretzky's number remains safe for the time being.
Jumping to a conclusion at this early stage of the season makes little sense, though. However, Ovechkin's start to his 19th season has alarmed fans and analysts alike. Ovechkin, 38, is at the twilight of his career and is past his prime.
"The Great Eight" will have to keep scoring goals to be able to catch "The Great One." That has not been the case for Ovi in the first three games of the season, though. He only has one point, and the concerning part is that he has failed to register a shot on goal in the last two games.
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The Capitals lost 6-1 to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday, extending Alex Ovechkin's goal drought to three games. Many fans are now dismissing Ovi from Wayne Gretzky's goal race as they expressed their thoughts on X (formerly Twitter).
One tweeted:
"Ruh oh, that record chase might be in trouble."
Here're some of the best reactions on X (formerly called Twitter):
Alex Ovechkin will next be in action against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, Oct. 21. The puck drops at 7 p.m. ET.
A look at Alex Ovechkin' NHL stats
Ovechkin was drafted No. 1 overall by the Washington Capitals in the 2004 NHL draft and has been with the same franchise since then. He made his league debut during the Capitals' 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2005, where "The Great Eight" notched up two goals.
The 2023-24 season marked the 19th season for Alex Ovechkin in the NHL. In his 19-year career, Ovi has played 1,350 games, accumulating 822 goals and 664 assists, totaling 1,486 points. The 38-year-old posted a career-high 112 points (65 goals, 47 assists) in 82 games during the 2007-08 campaign.
Moreover, Ovi has scored at least 100 or more points in a single season four times. In 2019, Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals won their first Stanley Cup title, and "The Great Eight" was honored with the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs.
