Will Ovechkin Break Gretzky’s All-Time Record? Odds and Betting Lines

He will — the only question is when.

Alexander Ovechkin’s chase of Wayne Gretzky’s goal record has been the biggest storyline in the NHL over the past few seasons. Winning the Stanley Cup is great, of course, but Ovi has the chance to become even more legendary if he surpasses Gretzky’s 894 goals.

With scoring declining in the NHL since 1984, when Gretzky started winding down his career, it seemed impossible — like Pelé’s thousand goals. Nobody could catch him, let alone pass him. But just as football saw the rise of Messi and Ronaldo, hockey found its own icon in Alexander Ovechkin.

Ovechkin to Break Gretzky’s Goal Record This Season

Yes

1/2

No

3/2

Chasing the Dream: Will Ovechkin Break Gretzky’s Record?

The first sign that Canada’s ice was starting to melt came in 2019: at 33 years old, "The Great Eight" scored 50 goals in the regular season. At the start of his 20th regular season, Ovechkin had 853 career goals; now, he’s at 886. Only eight more to go to reach Gretzky’s record. Bookmakers are now more interested in how the record will be broken.

Method of Ovechkin's Record-Breaking Goal – Paddy Power

Even Strength: 4/9 Power Play: 6/4 Shorthanded: 100/1

Another one of Gretzky’s records has already fallen: Ovechkin scored 40 goals in the 2022/23 season, giving him 13 seasons with 40+ goals — surpassing Gretzky’s 12. And another milestone is within reach: one more game-winning goal and Ovechkin will break Jaromir Jagr’s record, as they are currently tied at 135. 

Ovechkin’s NHL Goal Tally as of Today:

The Capitals extended the Russian’s contract through 2026, which means he has at least a season and a half left with his longtime team. In that time, he needs to score just 10 more goals. Even Gretzky himself is confident that Ovechkin can do it.

In fact, statistically speaking, Alexander is already ahead of Wayne, having reached nine seasons with 50+ goals much earlier than the Canadian did.

When Will Ovechkin Break Gretzky’s Record? Prediction

Bookmakers are already offering odds on which opponent Ovechkin is most likely to break the record against — the odds range from 6.50 to 60.00. Interestingly, 60.00 is on him doing it against Washington (which makes no sense!). Definitely don’t place a bet on that! Once Ovechkin gets close, the odds will start to drop, as every game becomes a potential record-breaking one. In the meantime, you can have fun betting on whether his 895th goal will be an empty-netter.

Will Ovechkin’s 895th Goal Be an Empty Net Goal? – Paddy Power

 Yes: 10/3  No: 1/7

The option of him breaking the record against Columbus looks poetic — Ovechkin scored his very first NHL goal against them, so it would be fitting to net his 895th against the same team. Conveniently, the Caps play the Blue Jackets twice at the very end of the 2024/25 regular season, on April 13 and 14. If Ovi keeps up his current pace and bags another 40 goals by then, it could make for a perfect story. Plus, he’ll have two chances to do it.

Ovechkin’s NHL Stats 

Each year, the winger seems to be getting better. In the 2021/22 season, he even became more of a playmaker, racking up 40 assists — the third-highest total of his career — when he couldn’t find shooting opportunities. Although this new skill won’t help him catch Gretzky’s goal record, it shows his evolving game. Luckily, serious injuries have mostly spared him. If Ovi does miss time, it’s usually only for a couple of games, a testament to his great physical shape and professional approach. This season, he did have a month-long break due to a fracture, but since returning, Ovechkin has been scoring in almost every game.

His scoring numbers have dipped slightly over the past three seasons, even though he’s playing about the same number of games. But first, we saw a similar dip between 2008 and 2011, and second, the 2024/25 season is shaping up perfectly for both the Capitals and the Russian superstar! The team is near the top of their division, Ovi is scoring consistently, and it looks like he has no intention of postponing Wayne’s record-breaking moment until next season! And here are a few more impressive facts:

It’s now clear that the Washington Capitals will never let their captain go, even under the threat of death: it’s a beautiful story when an entire NHL career is spent with one team. Especially with such a record — Ovi’s achievement will not only immortalize him but also the club where he spent his entire career.

Ovechkin to Break Gretzky’s Goal Record This Season

Yes

1/2

No

33/20