- Ovechkin says he’ll chase 1,000 career goals, 71 away from the mark
- The 40-year-old just signed a one-year extension for his 22nd season in Washington
- Read below for his full comments on the milestone and another Gretzky record
Alex Ovechkin already owns the goals record. Now he’s eyeing a number no hockey player has ever touched.
Ovechkin was asked in a Russian-language interview with Match TV on Tuesday whether he wants to reach 1,000 career regular-season goals. He didn’t shut the door.
“We’ll try. Everything will depend on my desire and health. Time will tell. It gets harder and harder with each passing year,” Ovechkin said, per a translation from RMNB.
Ovechkin already confirmed he’s back for a 22nd season:
He signed a one-year extension with the Capitals two weeks ago, on the second day of free agency. That deal keeps him in Washington for the whole ride, the only franchise he’s ever played for.
The math is steep. Ovechkin sits at 929 regular-season goals, 71 shy of 1,000. His best single season was 65 back in 2007-08. He scored 32 last year at age 40, so getting to four digits would almost certainly mean playing past 2026-27, something he hasn’t ruled out.
This debate has been building for a while. We broke down whether the math on 1,000 goals actually adds up, and the answer leans no, with an asterisk.
There’s another Gretzky record within reach too. Ovechkin has 1,006 combined regular-season and playoff goals, 10 back of Wayne Gretzky’s 1,016.
The Capitals laid out the milestones waiting for him:
The biggest obstacle isn’t a mystery to him. Ovechkin pointed to Father Time when he was asked about his age.
“I don’t really enjoy training,” Ovechkin said, smiling. “After vacation is the hardest time for an athlete. You have to push yourself again.”
For all the individual chase talk, he made clear the real goal is another Cup. Ovechkin was asked about catching Gretzky’s combined mark.
“A team sport doesn’t depend on just one player, and Washington was a united force in 2018. I want to win the trophy again. That desire outweighs the possibility of breaking another Gretzky record.”
Seventy-one goals stand between Ovechkin and a number no player has ever reached.
