Alex Ovechkin Nets the 700th Goal of his NHL Career

Posted by DavidGreen
Feb 26, 2020

Introduction

On Saturday, February 22nd, 2020 the Washington Capitals left winger, Alex Ovechkin, made history in the record books of the National Hockey League by scoring his 700th NHL goal. He has been one of the best goal scorers over the course of his illustrious career in professional hockey. He has now reached a milestone that only eight players in NHL history have accomplished, and he isn’t done just yet.

Ovechkin now joins Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Jaromir Jagr, Brett Hull, Marcel Dionne, Phil Esposito and Mike Gartner in this elusive club of all time great ice hockey players. Gretzky holds the all-time career NHL record for goals scored with 894, but Ovechkin is on pace to possibly surpass that seemingly unreachable achievement.

The hard hitting puck slapper drained his 700th historic career goal on the road against the New Jersey Devils in the third period of last Saturday’s hockey game. His Washington Capitals did end up suffering a 3 – 2 loss on this legendary occasion. Currently the Capitals are at the top of the Metropolitan Division with a solid 82 points which is good for the third best record in the Eastern Conference of the NHL.

Ovechkin is the second youngest player in the National Hockey League to reach the 700 mark behind of course Gretzky. He was only 29 years old when he accomplished that milestone back in 1991, and only 886 games compared to “Ovies” 1,143 games to get to 700 goals. Alex is the first Russian player to reach 700 NHL goals.

Ovechkin’s Career Accomplishments Awards and Honors

Ovechkin is a Stanley Cup champion (2018). He has won the Conn Smythe Trophy winner (2018), Prince of Wales Trophy winner (2018), 3 time Hart Memorial Trophy winner (2008, 2009, 2013), Art Ross Trophy winner (2008), 3 time Lester B. Pearson Award / Ted Lindsay Award winner (2008, 2009, 2010), 8 time Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner (2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019), Calder Memorial Trophy winner (2006), and Presidents’ Trophy winner 3 times (2010, 2016, 2017).

Ovechkin was selected to the NHL All Star Game 11 times (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) as well as the NHL All Rookie Team in 2006. He was named to the NHL First All Star Team 8 times (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2019), and the NHL Second All Star Team 4 times (2011, 2013, 2014, 2016). He has also won the NHL All Star Game Super Skills Competition “Hardest Shot” in 2018 as well as the NHL All Star Game Super Skills Competition “Breakaway Challenge” on three occasions (2008, 2009, 2011). Ovechkin is one of the greatest NHL players of all time and he has plenty of professional hockey left in him as he is only 34 years old right now.

Ovechkin's NHL Career Regular Season Statistics

					Scoring					Goals				Assists			Shots			Ice Time
Season	Age	Tm	Lg	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	EV	PP	SH	GW	EV	PP	SH	S	S%	TSA	TOI	ATOI	FOW	FOL	FO%	BLK	HIT	TK	GV	Awards
2005-06	20	WSH	NHL	81	52	54	106	2	52	28	21	3	5	23	31	0	425	12.2		1751	21:37								AS-1,Calder-1,Hart-6
2006-07	21	WSH	NHL	82	46	46	92	-19	52	30	16	0	8	25	21	0	392	11.7		1754	21:23								AS-1,AS-9,Hart-22
2007-08	22	WSH	NHL	82	65	47	112	28	40	43	22	0	11	32	15	0	446	14.6	772	1894	23:06	7	11	38.9	44	220	68	93	AS-1,Byng-9,Hart-1,Pearson-1,Richard-1,Ross-1,Selke-30
2008-09	23	WSH	NHL	79	56	54	110	8	72	36	19	1	10	27	27	0	528	10.6	875	1817	23:00	8	24	25	32	243	60	107	AS-10,AS-1,Hart-1,Pearson-1,Richard-1,Selke-50
2009-10	24	WSH	NHL	72	50	59	109	45	89	37	13	0	7	36	23	0	368	13.6	665	1569	21:48	10	12	45.5	20	181	66	75	AS-1,AS-9,Hart-2,Pearson-1,Selke-28
2010-11	25	WSH	NHL	79	32	53	85	24	41	25	7	0	11	36	17	0	367	8.7	651	1688	21:22	6	12	33.3	23	239	48	58	AS-2,Hart-14
2011-12	26	WSH	NHL	78	38	27	65	-8	26	25	13	0	3	17	10	0	303	12.5	565	1544	19:48	6	9	40	42	215	34	51	AS-10
2012-13	27	WSH	NHL	48	32	24	56	2	36	16	16	0	4	13	11	0	220	14.5	441	1002	20:53	0	1	0	18	120	30	25	AS-2,AS-1,Hart-1,Richard-1
2013-14	28	WSH	NHL	78	51	28	79	-35	48	27	24	0	10	12	15	1	386	13.2	693	1603	20:33	2	1	66.7	22	204	32	48	AS-2,Hart-23,Richard-1
2014-15	29	WSH	NHL	81	53	28	81	10	58	28	25	0	11	19	9	0	395	13.4	724	1646	20:20	2	3	40	32	259	45	58	AS-1,Hart-2,Richard-1
2015-16	30	WSH	NHL	79	50	21	71	21	53	31	19	0	8	16	5	0	398	12.6	691	1604	20:19	0	0		34	225	24	50	AS-2,AS-7,Hart-6,Richard-1
2016-17	31	WSH	NHL	82	33	36	69	6	50	16	17	0	7	27	9	0	313	10.5	582	1506	18:22	0	1	0	29	216	29	46	AS-3,Hart-12
2017-18	32	WSH	NHL	82	49	38	87	3	32	32	17	0	7	24	14	0	355	13.8	653	1652	20:09	3	5	37.5	21	139	25	71	AS-3,Hart-9,Richard-1,Smythe-1
2018-19	33	WSH	NHL	81	51	38	89	7	40	33	18	0	5	28	10	0	338	15.1	628	1695	20:55	1	4	20	41	223	47	70	AS-1,Hart-7,Richard-1
2019-20	34	WSH	NHL	61	42	17	59	-14	30	30	12	0	3	12	5	0	286	14.7	522	1278	20:57	1	0	100	24	166	27	43
Career		15 yrs	NHL	1145	700	570	1270	80	719	437	259	4	110	347	222	1	5520	12.7	9279	24005	20:58	46	83	35.7	382	2650	535	795

Ovechkin's NHL Career Playoff Statistics

						Scoring					Goals				Shots			Ice Time
Season	Age	Tm	Lg		GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	EV	PP	SH	GW	S	S%	TSA	TOI	ATOI	FOW	FOL	FO%	BLK	HIT	TK	GV
2007-08	22	WSH	NHL		7	4	5	9	-1	0	3	1	0	2	37	10.8	78	168	24:03:00	0	1	0	4	32	5	9
2008-09	23	WSH	NHL		14	11	10	21	10	8	8	3	0	1	90	12.2	180	327	23:21	4	2	66.7	5	54	12	24
2009-10	24	WSH	NHL		7	5	5	10	5	0	4	1	0	0	34	14.7	74	162	23:06	1	1	50	1	26	2	5
2010-11	25	WSH	NHL		9	5	5	10	-1	10	4	1	0	1	34	14.7	103	212	23:30	3	0	100	3	40	3	14
2011-12	26	WSH	NHL		14	5	4	9	-2	8	3	2	0	1	50	10	89	278	19:51	1	0	100	14	58	2	10
2012-13	27	WSH	NHL		7	1	1	2	-2	4	0	1	0	0	30	3.3	70	145	20:44	0	0		6	34	2	4
2014-15	29	WSH	NHL		14	5	4	9	-3	6	4	1	0	0	61	8.2	143	279	19:57	1	0	100	7	57	5	14
2015-16	30	WSH	NHL		12	5	7	12	3	2	2	3	0	1	62	8.1	139	256	21:19	0	0		5	59	6	3
2016-17	31	WSH	NHL		13	5	3	8	-4	8	3	2	0	0	49	10.2	98	253	19:30	0	0		8	61	7	5
2017-18	32	WSH	NHL	SC	24	15	12	27	8	8	9	6	0	2	99	15.2	212	497	20:44	0	0		14	81	14	17
2018-19	33	WSH	NHL		7	4	5	9	-2	19	1	3	0	1	22	18.2	56	153	21:49	0	0		5	38	5	6
Career		11 yrs	NHL		128	65	61	126	11	73	41	24	0	9	568	11.4	1242	2731	21:20	10	4	71.4	72	540	63	111

Media Statements

"It's a special moment," Ovechkin stated. "When you get closer you start thinking when it's going to happen. Finally, it's over so we don't have to talk about it anymore. We're going to move on."

"It was obviously a matter of time, but that was a huge goal for us at the time," Washington Capitals head coach, Todd Rierden explained. "Amazing to be able to watch it live and in person. To be able to go through the last six years with [Ovechkin] has been amazing to watch. Certainly a superstar in my time, the best goal-scorer that I've ever seen."

"I knew even if I didn't score today, we still have 20 games, so one goal I would score," Ovechkin expressed. "It's pretty good company. I am happy to be there."

"It's always special to be in that category but I would say without my team, without my family, without the fans, the support that I have I would never reach that milestone," says Ovechkin. "We have to continue to create history."

"I'm still playing," Ovechkin replied. "But after the year, yeah, I'm pretty sure me and my family and my friends are going to talk about it."

"Obviously we're a little struggling right now, a little tight in our shoulders," Ovechkin proclaimed. "We have to fight through this and everything is going to be OK."

Sources:

“Capitals' Alex Ovechkin collects No. 700 against Devils”, espn.com, February 22, 2020.

“Alex Ovechkin”, hockey-reference.com, February 25, 2020.