The race is on as Alex Ovechkin is just 19 goals shy of surpassing Wayne Gretzky to become the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer – an achievement once deemed impossible, earning Gretzky the title of The Great One.

Known as The Great Eight, the Washington Capital started the season with a 41-goal deficit to Gretzky’s 894. However, statistics alone fail to capture the extraordinary careers both players have had.

Our set of charts below, using data from NHL and Hockey Reference, illustrates the impressive gap between Gretzky and Ovechkin and their peers as they established themselves among the greats of the game.

Only Three NHL Players Have Scored Over 800 Goals in Their Careers

It’s fascinating to see in the chart below how one player has distinguished themselves from others since the 1950s, beginning with Maurice Richard, the first NHL player to score 400 and later 500 goals. Several decades later, Gordie Howe concluded his 33-year career with 801 goals.

So, how did Gretzky and Ovechkin achieve such milestones?

A combination of consistent all-star performances, health, and longevity made their career achievements attainable. Gretzky missed a significant portion of the 1992-93 season due to a back injury, while this season Ovechkin was sidelined for 16 games due to a broken leg. Otherwise, both players remained on the ice during the prime years of their careers.

What is Ovechkin’s Career Goal Total?

Both Ovechkin and Gretzky averaged around 49 goals each season, and some argue that Ovechkin may still be in the prime of his career, given his consistent scoring pattern.

When considering who is superior, Gretzky or Ovechkin, here are some additional insights to ponder.

Debates like Jordan vs. LeBron or Brady vs. Mahomes often become subjective when comparing legendary athletes from different eras. Nonetheless, there are some key differences across the years:

Modern Goalie Equipment Covers More of the Net Today

Although Ovechkin and Gretzky are separated by only a few years, changes in hockey gear have significantly impacted the game over the past four decades. For instance, note the differences in goalie pads and gloves used during Gretzky’s and Ovechkin’s inaugural seasons. By the end of Gretzky’s career, goaltenders wore more advanced equipment, and two years before Ovechkin entered the league, the length of goalie pads was capped at 38 inches.

Scoring in the NHL Was at Its Peak During Gretzky’s Career

Some fans argue Ovechkin is a superior goal scorer since contemporary scoring is more difficult. In contrast, Gretzky played during a period when the NHL saw the highest average points per game. Among the 25 players who netted 65 goals or more in a season, 19 played in Gretzky’s era, including four seasons where he scored 71 or more. Ovechkin has hit the 65-goal mark only once.

Gretzky has acknowledged that he may soon relinquish his scoring title in the near future.

“It’s just a matter of time, whether it’s late this year or early next year, whenever,” Gretzky remarked last fall to NHL. “He’s a tremendous player and an incredible goal scorer.”

However, being a great hockey player isn’t solely about goal tallying. Let’s examine how Ovechkin stacks up against his contemporaries in terms of total points – the sum of goals and assists.

What Is Ovechkin’s Career Points Total?

Throughout his two decades in the NHL, Gretzky created more goal contributions for his teams than any other player. In addition to leading the league in goals five times, he also topped the NHL in assists 16 times, resulting in a career points record that may remain unmatched.

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins entered the NHL in the same 2005-06 season as Ovechkin and has assisted on nearly 50% more goals than Ovechkin, giving him a significant lead in points. Below are the top 50 players ranked by career points, with only four currently active this season:

What Is Alex Ovechkin’s Age and Other Milestones?

If Ovechkin exhausts his regular-season games this year, he will celebrate his 40th birthday in September, with another year left on his contract with the Capitals. Beyond his pursuit of the scoring record, he has opportunities to enhance his overall statistics. A few milestones of interest include:

◾ Points: He is expected to surpass Phil Esposito’s career points total of 1,590 this season, which would position him 11th overall. Joe Sakic, who is 10th with 1,641 points, could be within reach next season.

◾ Goalies Scored On: Ovechkin is already the leader in this category, having scored against 179 goalies in his 20-year career. Less than 9% of those who have played in the league have even reached 179 goals.

How Many Empty Net Goals Has Ovechkin Scored?

After returning from his broken leg in late December, Ovechkin achieved his 17th goal of the season in his first match back, marking his 62nd empty net goal during his career.

Scoring empty-net goals is a benefit of playing for one of the NHL’s top teams for several years, and Ovechkin has capitalized on empty-net situations more than any player in league history, according to Statmuse. He surpassed Gretzky’s previous record of 56 empty-net goals last season after scoring three.

As for the top five empty-net goal scorers, according to Statmuse: Marian Hossa has 40, Brad Marchand has 38, and Sidney Crosby has 36.