April 6, 2025: a day hockey fans will remember forever. In a thrilling matchup against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin etched his name in the annals of hockey history by netting his 895th career goal, thereby eclipsing Wayne Gretzky‘s legendary all-time NHL goals record. The momentous event took place in the second period while the team was on a power play. Ovechkin took his place in his familiar position at the top of the left faceoff circle, and after receiving a cross-ice pass from Tom Wilson, he executed a powerful wrist shot that flew past Ilya Sorokin. It was a big moment for Ovechkin and, naturally, for Gretzky too.

“I can tell you first-hand, I know how hard it is to get to 894; 895 is pretty special,” Wayne Gretzky told Ovechkin. “My congratulations to not only Alex, his mom and dad, his family, his wife, and kids. When I broke the record, my two kids were both the age of his boys, so it’s kind of reminiscent for me. And I’m so happy that two of my boys are here tonight. But there’s nothing better than the National Hockey League. They say records are made to be broken, but I’m not sure who’s going to get more goals than that.”

That’s quite significant coming from Gretzky, considering Ovechkin just surpassed his record. But the Great One has gone on record to confirm that just as Gordie Howe supported him when he broke Howe’s record, he also always intended to support Ovechkin in his endeavor. It was advice that was given to him by his own father. However, while Gretzky was all praise, his old coach saw things differently.

During an appearance on the 32 Thoughts Podcast, former Edmonton Oilers head coach Glenn Sather was asked about how he felt regarding the GR8 Chase. “I hope his [Gretzky’s] record isn’t broken by Ovechkin,” said Sather without hesitation. “For a lot of reasons, I mean, the game is different than it was then.” He added that Gretzky was forced to retire due to the unrestrained physicality of the league – all the crosschecks and hits took a toll on his body, leaving him with a bad back.

Alex Ovechkin, on the other hand? “And the way that Ovechkin is a superhuman, I mean, he’s like 245 pounds of solid muscle,” he said, implying that Gretzky achieved the record under more strenuous conditions. But then came the crux of his objections: “I just don’t want to see it [the record] go to Russia,” stated Sather plainly to a big pause in the studio and a few delayed claps and laughs.

He continued, “Yeah, I’m sure a lot of guys probably won’t say that; I’m sure Wayne won’t say it. But, you know, they say records are to be broken, but as far as I’m concerned, that one shouldn’t be broken.” It’s undoubtedly a different perspective, one we haven’t heard much of amidst the whirlwind of celebrations.

For Canadian fans, hockey transcends mere sport; it embodies a profound emotional connection. Their enthusiasm for the sport is fervent, and witnessing a Russian player surpassing their idol’s record is bound to sting. Ultimately, it all boils down to a sense of national pride, and Sather was understandably felt strongly about the matter, especially considering the connection they shared as coach and player.

But nonetheless, regardless of what opinions the community has, the record is now broken, rendering any and all objections moot. But let’s discuss that pivotal goal for a moment. Did you know that Alex Ovechkin had set himself a specific condition for scoring it?

Alex Ovechkin wanted to break Wayne Gretzky’s record with honor

In pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s record, Alex Ovechkin netted a significant number of empty net goals. A grand total of 65 throughout his career! That figure surpasses the Great One’s career total of empty netters by 9, and the Russian forward faced considerable backlash for it. During the Washington Capitals game against the Chicago Blackhawks, an interesting detail emerged from one of Ovechkin’s teammates.

“I asked him about 15 times. I didn’t want to be the guy to shoot it in the empty net if he wanted the empty netter… You don’t want to be the guy to shoot it into the empty net if he’s looking for it to pass, but he made it pretty clear that he didn’t want to get it on an empty netter, and you’ve got to respect his wishes,” Dylan Strome revealed.

But as Ovechkin later confirmed himself, “I tell him [Spencer Carbery] I don’t want empty net [for 895].” A decision that was clearly the right one considering the history that was attached to the fateful goal. The thrill of battling it out in the middle of a game and beating the goalie? Now that’s an exciting and fitting end to the GR8 Chase. Not slotting in an empty netter when the game has wound down and the stakes are low.

With this milestone under Ovechkin’s belt, the focus will now shift to just how much he can extend it. 900+ goals are an inevitability now, but what about 1000? Knowing Alex Ovechkin, it certainly doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility.