Ovechkin chase for Gretzky's NHL goal-scoring record feeling real

WASHINGTON -- Alex Ovechkin put
Jaromir Jagr
in his rearview mirror Tuesday and looked ahead to see only
Gordie Howe
and
Wayne Gretzky
in front of him.

That's Ovechkin's reality after the Washington Capitals forward moved past Jagr into third in NHL goals by scoring No. 767 in the third period of a 4-3 shootout win against the New York Islanders at Capital One Arena.
"It's pretty cool," Ovechkin said. "[To] pass all those names, legends, it's history."
It can be humbling knowing two players stand between you and the NHL record for goals. But what once seemed like a warm and fuzzy dream came into focus after Ovechkin's wrist shot from the right circle sailed over Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov's left shoulder to give the Capitals a 3-2 lead with 4:58 remaining.
That goal pulled Ovechkin within 34 of Howe, who retired in 1980 with 801, and 127 of Gretzky, who retired in 1999 with 894. Those aren't far-fetched numbers for Ovechkin, even after 17 seasons in the NHL. The 36-year-old has scored 37 goals in 59 games this season.
"It's crazy," Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom said. "I think a couple years ago we asked if he can do it. I think the question we're asking now is, 'When is he going to do it?'"
Gretzky said something similar during an interview with SiriusXM NHL Network Radio in January.
"I don't think it's a question of if anymore. It's a question of when," Gretzky said. "And it's great for the game. You know what? Alex is a wonderful young man. We're good friends, and, hey, listen, if he breaks it, I hope I'm there to shake his hand."

Gretzky has been touting Ovechkin's chances of breaking the record for years, but Ovechkin needed some convincing. In 2017, Ovechkin said, "I talked to Wayne and I don't think those records can be beaten, ever."
At that point, Ovechkin had yet to score 550 goals. But despite being slowed slightly by the coronavirus pandemic, which shortened the NHL regular season in 2019-20 and 2020-21, Ovechkin has been inexorably climbing toward Gretzky.
Since the start of 2019-20, Ovechkin has passed Luc Robitaille (668 goals), Teemu Selanne (684), Mario Lemieux (690), Steve Yzerman (692), Mark Messier (694), Mike Gartner (708), Phil Esposito (717), Marcel Dionne (731), Brett Hull (741) and Jagr to vault from 13th to third.
"He's passing great players. He's moved past great players," Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said. "I think that's what makes it special. To move up the list and you see the people that you're passing, you know it's a big feat."
Mark Howe, a Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman who played 16 NHL seasons before retiring in 1995, knows his father, who died in 2016, is next on the list and Ovechkin will likely pass him next season.
"I'd almost be surprised if he doesn't," Howe said.
Having played with his dad for the Hartford Whalers in 1979-80 when Gordie was 52 years old, following six seasons as teammates in the World Hockey Association with Houston and New England, Mark Howe said he has no doubt that Ovechkin can continue defying his age and keep scoring goals.
"I saw how my dad played at 45 and 46 the first two years in the WHA and I know how good he was," Howe said. "It was flat-out scary. He was better at 46 than I ever was in any year of my career. So if he did it, yeah. It's a freak of nature, but [Ovechkin is] a freak of nature as well."
As Jagr, another freak of nature who continues to play at 50 years old with Kladno in the Czech Extraliga, stated firmly last month, "He cannot be stopped if he doesn't want to."
Jagr was 44 years old and nearing the end of his NHL career when he passed Hull for third by scoring his 742nd goal while playing for the Florida Panthers against the Winnipeg Jets on Feb. 20, 2016. Ovechkin remains an elite goal-scorer and has said he doesn't plan to leave the NHL anytime soon after signing a five-year contract this offseason.
"Well, he signed a five-year deal because he's going to score another 250 goals or 200 goals," Calgary Flames coach Darryl Sutter said. "So you know what his next goal is."
Sutter was speaking before Ovechkin scored twice against the Flames on March 8 to tie Jagr with 766. The Washington captain did not score his next two games, which left him to reach another milestone against the Islanders and former Capitals coach Barry Trotz.
Ovechkin scored his 718th goal to pass Esposito for sixth against New York on March 16, 2021. Trotz, who coached the Capitals from 2014-18, said he hoped Ovechkin would wait another game before scoring No. 767 but acknowledged he's difficult to stop when he's focused.
"The one thing that I've learned about 'Ovi' over my time is that when you doubt Ovi or you say he can't do it, he digs in," Trotz said. "He just digs in and is determined on that. … It's absolutely amazing that this guy is the greatest goal-scorer of all time and will be, in my opinion, until someone else beats him."
Ovechkin needs to pass Howe and Gretzky to officially claim that title, but the chase feels very real now. Ovechkin insisted he's taking nothing for granted.
"You never know what's going to happen in the future," he said. "You never know what's going to happen tomorrow. I'm happy I did it and we did it as a team. Now it's just a period of time, and if I can do it (pass Howe and Gretzky), I will. If something happens, I'm happy."