The Gr8 Chase is complete after Alexander Ovechkin scored his NHL record-setting 895th career goal. But he’s got more to chase.

Ovechkin made history when he scored on the power play against the New York Islanders on Sunday. It came in his office on the left half-wall, although instead of his patent one-timer, he took a wrist shot to beat Ilya Sorokin.

As much as the Washington Capitals captain attempted to defer from discussing the pursuit of the record, it clearly meant a lot to him. 

“This is something crazy,” Ovechkin said at center ice when the game paused to honor his accomplishment. “I'm probably going to need a couple more days or maybe a couple weeks to realize what does it mean to be No. 1. But I can say I'm very proud. I'm really proud for myself. I'm really proud for my family, for all my teammates that help me to reach that milestone and for all my coaches. It's huge. It's unbelievable. It's unbelievable moment, and I'm happy."

Despite the pride the 39-year-old feels after setting the record, his career isn’t over. 

He has a year remaining on his contract, and he can chase more. His 42 goals and 69 points in 61 games this season don’t look like the stats of a player on his way out, after all.

The Capitals sit atop the Eastern Conference and are three points behind the Winnipeg Jets for the Presidents' Trophy lead, placing themselves in an excellent position for Ovechkin to chase his second Stanley Cup.

A strong post-season could see Ovechkin work his way into the top 10 playoff goal-scorers. He has 72 playoff goals and needs just seven more to tie Jean Beliveau’s 79 goals in 10th place. The only post-seasons in which Ovechkin scored at least seven goals came in 2008-09 with 11 in 14 games and in the Cup-winning 2018 campaign with 15 in 24 games.

Ovechkin also needs just 50 goals to pass Gretzky for the all-time lead in combined regular-season and playoff goals. If he continues to score at the 0.69 goals-per-game rate he has this season, it will take him 73 games to accomplish that.

Ovechkin will be 40 years old when the 2025-26 campaign starts, but he’s continuously proved that doubting him isn’t wise. 

Discussions have also begun about who could be the next player to challenge Ovechkin’s all-time regular-season goals record. Leading the race would be the Toronto Maple Leafs captain, Auston Matthews. Although Matthews has shut down the thought of doing so, Ovechkin might want to add some goals to his tally to increase his chances of keeping the record.

If Ovechkin re-signs with the Capitals after next season, 1,000 career goals could be in reach. At this season’s pace, he could reach 1,000 in 153 games, bringing Ovechkin to the 2026-27 season. It will be a challenge just to maintain this scoring pace when he’s 40 and 41, but it’s possible.

Ovechkin's 10 Best Goals On His Record-Breaking Journey Washington Capitals winger Alexander Ovechkin <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/gr8ness-achieved-how-alex-ovechkin-broke-wayne-gretzkys-unbreakable-nhl-record" target="_blank">surpassed Wayne Gretzky’s career goal mark of 894 goals</a> on Sunday against the New York Islanders after tying the Great One in a 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.

Other records in reach for Ovechkin include breaking the tie for the most 50-goal seasons with Gretzky and Mike Bossy –  who each have nine – and the most multi-goal games, where he is 10 back of Gretzky.

Ovechkin has had an undeniably great career and has confirmed his status as the greatest goal-scorer to play in the NHL, but he still has more to play for.

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