Today, history was made as an NHL record was shattered. In a thrilling matchup at the UBS Arena, the clash between the Washington Capitals and the New York Islanders saw Alex Ovechkin achieve a historic milestone, netting his 895th goal to surpass Wayne Gretzky and claim the title of all-time goal record holder in the NHL. Although Ovechkin’s goal was the only one in a 4-1 loss, the game was naturally eclipsed by this huge achievement. But amidst all this, it didn’t stop fans from speculating about who might break this record next!

With unwavering focus on the ice, Alex Ovechkin delivered a pinpoint shot during the power play in the second period at 7:26, successfully putting the puck past compatriot Ilya Sorokin, who now has the unfortunate (or fortunate) honor of being the goalie who was beaten while history was made. With this, the focus of the NHL world has shifted to one man and his on-ice heroics. Or so you’d think.

Because among a subset of fans on social media, a different conversation was taking place. A conversation that was already looking to the future. It was sparked by The Hockey Show’s Ty Anderson’s joking tweet on X that read, “The GR88 Chase: David Pastrnak is now 506 goals away from tying Alex Ovechkin.”

It’s a tweet that was made in jest, but it’s nonetheless an interesting topic to think about. Who could break Ovechkin’s record? It was widely anticipated that Ovi would eventually surpass Gretzky’s record, and now that he has achieved this milestone, let’s, for a moment, seriously consider David Pastrnak as our next candidate for record-breaking.

The Boston Bruins’ prolific forward has certainly established himself as a powerful goal scorer in the NHL. Pastrnak has reached a milestone of 388 career goals over the course of 751 games, and at 28 years old, he has displayed remarkable consistency, highlighted by a 61-goal season in 2022-23. But is that what it will take? At the moment the thought seems impossible, to say the least, with Pastrnak needing to sustain an exceptional scoring rate well into his 30s to even have an outside chance.

Let’s also not forget that Alex Ovechkin isn’t retiring tomorrow. The 39-year-old doesn’t look like he’s stopping anytime soon, and 895 could perhaps even turn into 1,000 within a few seasons. But nonetheless, fans also chimed in with their thoughts.

David Pastrnak, the next challenger for Alex Ovechkin?

Currently, David Pastrnak finds himself trailing behind Ovechkin by a big margin, and considering Ovechkin looks set to continue in the NHL, that “big” margin will probably become even bigger. The comment section was filled with fans humoring Pastrnak’s chances, with one Pasta enthusiast writing, “I believe in him.” Similarly, a fellow optimist chimed in with, “I say he does it!”

Another fan pointed out that Pastrnak basically had it in the bag. “With Ovi getting some more next year he will just have to average about 50 goals for the next 11 seasons… super easy.” Who knows, maybe Pastrnak at 39 will be sharing the same fate as Alex Ovechkin at 39. Watch this space in 2036.

Another commenter expressed their undying belief in Pastrnak. “When he scores 500 against the sabres tomorrow.” Indeed, the fan clearly raised an important point to consider.

But all jokes aside, one fan pointed out a more realistic achievement that’s well within the Czech hockey star’s sights. “158 away from being the Bruins all-time leader…seems very doable.” 895+ might be a bit of a pipe dream but 158 certainly isn’t. If Pastrnak remains healthy and productive (and a Bruin), for the next few years, we may indeed see him hit that 546 goal mark. The record is currently held by Johnny Bucyk with 545, and Pastrnak sits in 8th place with 388 goals.

While the commenters joked about Pastrnak’s status as a contender, it still remains an interesting question to contemplate, though perhaps it’s a bit too soon to give it any serious consideration. For all we know, the next record breaker may not even be born yet, or perhaps we may never even see Alex Ovechkin’s record broken. Or maybe… it really will be David Pastrnak in 2036! What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.