In a historic night for the NHL, Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin has officially become a member of the exclusive 900-goal club. Ovechkin achieved this remarkable milestone on Wednesday night, scoring against St. Louis Blues’ goaltender Jordan Binnington just 2:39 into the second period during a commanding 6-1 victory. This achievement not only highlights Ovechkin's legacy but also marks a significant moment in NHL history.
After reaching such a monumental number, Ovechkin expressed his thoughts on the achievement. “A couple of days ago, someone asked me, ‘Do you think about (900)?’ Of course, it’s a huge number; no one ever did it in NHL history. To be the first player to achieve this is a special moment,” he stated. He also expressed his gratitude for being able to celebrate this milestone in front of his family and fans during the homestand, saying, “It’s pretty cool.”
The historic goal came when Ovechkin positioned himself in the offensive zone, lurking at the bottom of the right circle. He backhanded a rebound from teammate Jakob Chychrun past a sliding Binnington, who was unable to recover in time. The celebration was immediate, with the Capitals' bench clearing to honor their captain's achievement. Meanwhile, Binnington humorously tucked the milestone puck into his pants. “I don’t know, maybe he was trying to grab it to give it to him,” joked Logan Thompson, adding a lighthearted moment to the night.
Ovechkin's journey to 900 goals has been remarkable. After surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s previous career record with his 895th goal last April, Ovechkin entered the current season needing just three more goals to reach this latest milestone. After a brief goal drought, he scored his 899th goal against Columbus on October 24. “None of us can relate to a ‘slump’ for him,” said teammate John Carlson. “I think he’ll grab a lot of momentum from this.”
As Ovechkin enters the final season of his contract, the question remains whether he can reach the coveted milestone of 1,000 goals. Despite the challenges, longtime teammate T.J. Oshie is confident in Ovechkin's abilities. “Even with the slow start here, if someone asks me if he’s going to score 30 this year, I’d say, ‘Yes, guaranteed,’” Oshie remarked. Ovechkin has consistently proven doubters wrong and continues to be a force on the ice.
Throughout his illustrious career, Ovechkin has remained remarkably consistent, rarely missing significant time due to injury. His milestones have been evenly spaced, although he took a bit longer to transition from 800 to 900 goals. Reflecting on his performance, Ovechkin stated, “I don’t think I have lots of weight on my shoulders; I just try to play the game and do my best. Of course, you’re going to score one goal.”
Here’s a timeline of Ovechkin’s milestone goals:
Goal No. 100: October 12, 2007 (game 167) Goal No. 200: February 5, 2009 (game 296) Goal No. 300: April 5, 2011 (game 473) Goal No. 400: December 20, 2013 (game 634) Goal No. 500: January 10, 2016 (game 801) Goal No. 600: March 12, 2018 (game 990) Goal No. 700: February 22, 2020 (game 1,144) Goal No. 800: December 13, 2022 (game 1,305) Goal No. 900: November 5, 2025 (game 1,504)With his incredible talent and determination, Alex Ovechkin continues to break records and inspire future generations of hockey players. The journey to 1,000 goals may be long, but with his track record, anything seems possible for this legendary athlete.
