So, seeing Ovechkin score his 802nd goal to pass
Gordie Howe
and move into second in NHL history on Dec. 23 didn't change Gretzky's opinion.
Ovechkin hasn't stopped scoring since, increasing his total to 809, 85 behind Gretzky, when he extended his goal streak to four games in Washington's 6-2 win at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.
"I think we're past the point of if he's going to do it," Gretzky said before working as an analyst on TNT's telecast of the
2023 Discover Winter Classic
at Fenway Park in Boston on Monday. "We said a year ago that it's a matter of when he's going to do it. So, it's great for the game. It's a positive and I think that it couldn't happen to a better person. He's been great for our sport."
RELATED: [Ovechkin joins 800-goal club]
Ovechkin scored six goals in the Capitals' final four games of 2022, including his 30th NHL hat trick in a 9-2 victory against the Montreal Canadiens on New Year's Eve. With 29 goals in 41 games, the 37-year-old is on pace to score 57 this season. It would be the 10th time he scored at least 50, breaking the NHL record he shares with Gretzky and Mike Bossy.
Ovechkin scored 50 goals at age 36 last season, becoming the oldest player to reach the milestone.
"A couple guys that I saw in my career, Mike Bossy, Brett Hull, two of the most prolific scorers I ever saw, and one of the things that the three of them have in common is they don't miss a net very often," Gretzky said. "Many times guys have great opportunities and before you know it, the puck is going around the boards and out the other side. But if you watch closely with Alex and Brett and Mike Bossy, they don't miss the net and they knew to find that open area where you're sort of between the defenseman and the forward.
"There's that open a bit of ice that either you have a feel for it or a knack for it or you don't, and Alex definitely has a feel for that."
Ovechkin, who is in his 18th NHL season, has three more seasons left on his contract after this one to catch Gretzky and, potentially, extend the record total beyond 900 goals. When asked how far Ovechkin can push the record, Gretzky replied, "Well, that's up to him how long he plays and hopefully staying injury free."
Gretzky retired following the 1998-99 season, when he was 38, after 20 NHL seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers. He scored his 802nd goal to pass Howe on March 23, 1994, with the Kings against the Vancouver Canucks.
Gretzky appreciated that Howe's sons, former NHL defensemen Mark and Marty Howe, supported Ovechkin during his chase of their father and attended the Capitals' home game against the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 19. Gordie Howe, who died in 2016 at age 88, similarly supported Gretzky during The Great One's pursuit of the NHL records for points (which Howe held at 1,850 before Gretzky shattered it with 2,857) and goals.
Gretzky would like to do the same for Ovechkin when he gets close to the goals record.
"That's up to the League and to the Washington Capitals and what they want to do, but obviously Gordie was a great inspiration to me, and he was there when I was [breaking his records]," Gretzky said. "And I thought it was really classy of Mark and Marty to be following Alex when he was chasing Gordie. So, yeah, when it comes to the right time, I'm not going to go to every game now till 895, but when he gets close, obviously, I'd love to be there."
NHL.com columnist Nicholas J. Cotsonika contributed to this report
