Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is making a comeback after recovering from a fractured left fibula, continuing his quest to beat Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record for career goals.

At 39 years old, Ovechkin missed 16 games due to a leg-on-leg collision he suffered on November 18 against the Utah Hockey Club. He made his return on December 28, scoring in three of his first four games back.

This season, Ovechkin needed 42 goals to surpass Gretzky’s long-standing record of 894 goals set in 1999. He has already netted 18 goals this season and has 44 games remaining to achieve this milestone.

If he doesn’t break the record this season, he still has one additional season under contract to try again.

Here’s an update on Ovechkin’s progress toward surpassing Gretzky’s goal record:

How Many Goals Does Alex Ovechkin Have?

Ovechkin currently boasts a total of 871 career goals.

How Close is Alex Ovechkin to Wayne Gretzky’s Goal Record?

Ovechkin is just 24 goals away from breaking Gretzky’s record.

How Many Goals Does Alex Ovechkin Have This Season?

In this season, Ovechkin has scored 18 goals and made 10 assists in 22 games. If you consider the 16 games he missed, he’s on track for a 54-goal season pace.

What Did Alex Ovechkin Do in His Last Game?

In his most recent game, he scored one goal on four shots during a 4-3 shootout defeat against the Minnesota Wild. He scored on a power play with a quick shot that got past goalie Marc-Andre Fleury in the second period. Ovechkin has a remarkable 28 regular-season goals against Fleury, more than any other goalie he’s faced. However, Fleury did stop Ovechkin in the shootout to secure the victory.

When is Alex Ovechkin’s Next Game?

The Capitals will play at home against the New York Rangers on Saturday, January 4. Ovechkin has netted 44 goals over his career in 74 games against the Rangers.

Alex Ovechkin Career Goal Breakdown

Even Strength: 549, ranked third all-time

Power Play: 317, an NHL record

Short-Handed: 5

Empty Net: 60, an NHL record

Game-Winners: 132, ranked second all-time

Multi-Goal Games: 177, ranked second all-time

Goalies Scored Against: 178, tied for record

Hat Tricks: 31, ranked sixth all-time

Who are the NHL’s Top All-Time Goal Scorers?

All top 21 all-time goal scorers in the NHL have hit at least 600 goals. The majority of these players are honored in the Hockey Hall of Fame, with the exceptions being Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, and Jaromir Jagr, who are still actively playing.

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

2. Alex Ovechkin, 871 goals in 1,448 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. Sidney Crosby, 602 goals in 1,310 games

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