Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has officially been entered into the World Records catalogue for breaking Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL goals record.
Ovechkin was officially honored and put in the Russian Book of Records on Friday, with the record of most goals scored by a player in NHL regular seasons. The date of the record is established as April 18, 2025, when he scored his 897th career NHL goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins, setting a new all-time record and passing Gretzky's previous mark of 894. He officially broke the record on April 6 against the New York Islanders.
"897 goals, a historic achievement that has already become a symbol of perseverance, consistency and athletic prowess," the World Records Club posted on social media. "Alexander Ovechkin didn't just break Wayne Gretzky's record — he has already rewritten hockey history on behalf of Russians. These are not just numbers. They are years of training, hundreds of games, thousands of shots and millions of fans inspired by his play."
The 39-year-old is entering his 21st NHL season and is three goals away from becoming the first ever to reach 900 goals in the regular season. He scored the third-most goals in the league last season, and also overcame a broken fibula to overtake Gretzky.
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Ovechkin is in the final year of his contract, and he remains undecided regarding whether or not he'll play past next season.