The entirety of the NHL 2024-25 season has revolved around one individual: Alex Ovechkin. He is on a quest for greatness, standing just 7 goals shy of surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s legendary all-time goal record in the NHL. Do you recall the words of the legendary figure regarding his pursuit of that record? “He’s human. He’ll get a little bit nervous near the end, but he’s been nothing but positive for our sport and that’s most important, and he’s been great for the Washington Capitals,” Gretzky remarked.

The Canadian hockey icon expressed deep respect for Ovi, yet it appears the Russian forward has shattered not just one, but two records in addition to pursuing that coveted all-time goal record. On X, B/R Open Ice reported an update regarding the Capitals’ captain, declaring, “Alex Ovechkin is now the King of March. Ovi passed Gretzky (157) for the most goals in a single calendar month.”

To put it plainly, Alex Ovechkin has achieved a remarkable milestone, scoring more goals in a single calendar month than any other player in the history of the NHL throughout his career. Historically, the previous record was held by Gretzky, who managed to net 157 goals during the month of December. Ovi has now surpassed this remarkable record, having scored 159 goals in the month of March throughout his ongoing NHL career. Nonetheless, this was not the entirety of the situation.

In a remarkable turn of events, Ovechkin has shattered yet another record previously held by Gretzky. According to an update shared by RMNB on X, “Alex Ovechkin breaks NHL record for most 35-goal seasons with 15.” This season, Ovi has participated in 53 games, during which he has netted 35 goals, provided 22 assists, and amassed a total of 57 points. In a remarkable achievement, he has now reached his 15th season with an impressive tally of 35 goals, surpassing Gretzky’s long-standing record of 13 seasons throughout his entire career.

This is undoubtedly significant for the Caps captain, who is eager to surpass the all-time goal record set by The Great One. And as Ovi is about to score the game-winning goal, do you know that he may have a particular someone in the stadium?

Alex Ovechkin might reunite with his old teammate

Despite being the frontrunners for the Stanley Cup this season, it’s noteworthy that the Washington Capitals are missing one of their key forwards. Indeed, the subject at hand is Nicklas Backstrom. After playing 8 regular season games in the 2023-24 season, he has not been present on the ice due to a hip injury.

Backstrom stated, “Given my ongoing injury situation, I decided to take some time and step away from the game. This is a difficult decision, but one that I feel is right for my health at this time. I want to thank my teammates, the organization, and fans for their unwavering support throughout this process. I ask for privacy at this time as I determine my next steps and viable options moving forward.”

The Caps forward was eager to compete, yet his health circumstances prevented him from doing so. Nonetheless, he recognizes that his fellow player Alex Ovechkin is merely 7 goals shy of achieving a historic milestone. And would you believe it? Capitals insider Tarik El-Bashir provided an update on the forward, noting, “Nicklas Backstrom said he intends to begin traveling as Alex Ovechkin gets closer to Wayne Gretzky to make sure he’s in the building when it happens.”

This is significant news for the Caps fans. It has been quite some time since Ovechkin and Backstrom were last seen together, with their last appearance during a practice session back in December of last year. As Backstrom takes his place in the stands to support Ovi, it undoubtedly provides a significant confidence boost to the Russian NHL star in his pursuit of glory.