This season is full of significant achievements for Alex Ovechkin.

As he enters his 20th NHL season, the Washington Capitals are also marking their 50th anniversary.

If Ovechkin maintains a good performance this year, he could attain a milestone that seemed impossible not long ago.

The 39-year-old player began this season needing just 42 goals to surpass Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 goals, a mark that has been unchallenged since 1999. Ovechkin, who netted 42 goals two seasons ago, already has seven goals this season, with five of those coming in his last four games.

If he doesn’t reach the milestone this year — after scoring 31 goals last season — he has the option of one more season under his current contract.

Here’s where Ovechkin currently stands in his pursuit of Gretzky’s goal record:

What is Alex Ovechkin’s current goal total?

Ovechkin has scored a total of 860 career goals.

How far is Alex Ovechkin from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record?

Ovechkin needs 35 more goals to surpass Gretzky’s record.

What are Alex Ovechkin’s statistics for this season?

Ovechkin currently has seven goals and seven assists over 11 games. Notably, he didn’t reach seven goals until his 34th game last season. At his current pace, he could finish the season with 52 goals.

What happened in Alex Ovechkin’s last game?

In the recent game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday, Ovechkin scored one goal on five shot attempts during a 4-2 loss. His goal was a power-play strike in the first period, executed with a one-timer from his favored position in the left circle, successfully beating goalie Pyotr Kochetkov. This marked his first power-play goal of the season.

When is Alex Ovechkin’s next match?

Ovechkin is set to play on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at home against the Nashville Predators. He has scored 17 goals in 27 matches against the Predators throughout his career.

A breakdown of Alex Ovechkin’s goal statistics

Goals at Even Strength: 542, ranking third overall

Power Play Goals: 313, a record

Short-Handed Goals: 5

Game-Winning Goals: 129, ranking second overall

Empty-Net Goals: 58, a record

How did Alex Ovechkin perform last season?

Last season, he experienced an unusually slow start, including a stretch of 14 games without a goal. However, after the All-Star break, he rebounded by scoring in six of seven games and had another impressive stretch with eight goals in five games, wrapping up the season with 31 goals. This performance secured his 18th 30-goal season, breaking his tie with Hall of Famer Mike Gartner for the most such seasons. He also set a new record for empty-net goals with 19 and notched 129 game-winning goals, positioning him just six behind the record held by Jaromir Jagr.

Who are the top goal scorers in NHL history?

All of the top 20 all-time goal scorers in the NHL have surpassed 600 goals, and Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby is on pace to join them this season. The majority of these players have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, except Ovechkin, Crosby, and Jaromir Jagr, who is still active in Czechia.

1. Wayne Gretzky, 894 goals in 1,487 games

2. Alex Ovechkin, 860 goals in 1,437 games

3. Gordie Howe, 801 goals in 1,767 games

4. Jaromir Jagr, 766 goals in 1,733 games

5. Brett Hull, 741 goals in 1,269 games

6. Marcel Dionne, 731 goals in 1,348 games

7. Phil Esposito, 717 goals in 1,282 games

8. Mike Gartner, 708 goals in 1,432 games

9. Mark Messier, 694 goals in 1,756 games

10. Steve Yzerman, 692 goals in 1,514 games

11. Mario Lemieux, 690 goals in 915 games

12. Teemu Selanne, 684 goals in 1,451 games

13. Luc Robitaille, 668 goals in 1,431 games

14. Brendan Shanahan, 656 goals in 1,524 games

15. Dave Andreychuk, 640 goals in 1,639 games

16. Jarome Iginla, 625 goals in 1,554 games

17. Joe Sakic, 625 goals in 1,378 games

18. Bobby Hull, 610 goals in 1,063 games

19. Dino Ciccarelli, 608 goals in 1,232 games

20. Jari Kurri, 601 goals in 1,251 games

21. Sidney Crosby, 597 goals in 1,285 games