Alex Ovechkin’s final NHL season is set to be about much more than saying goodbye to one of hockey’s biggest stars. The Washington Capitals captain enters 2026-27 with several historic milestones still within reach. From challenging Wayne Gretzky’s combined goals mark to chasing franchise and longevity records, Ovechkin has plenty left to accomplish before he hangs up his skates. His farewell campaign could add several more remarkable achievements to a career already filled with records.
A Final Shot at Gretzky’s Combined Goals Record
The regular-season goals record is already Alex Ovechkin’s, but there is one more Wayne Gretzky mark within reach. Ovechkin enters his final NHL season with 1,006 combined regular-season and playoff goals, leaving him 11 short of Gretzky’s 1,016. Ovechkin has 929 regular-season goals and 77 playoff goals, with his postseason total including the 15 goals he scored during Washington’s 2018 Stanley Cup run. Reaching 1,017 combined goals would give Ovechkin another scoring record over Gretzky and provide a fitting final chapter to one of the greatest goal-scoring careers in hockey history.
The 1,700-Point Club Is Within Reach
Another major round number is sitting comfortably within Ovechkin’s reach. He begins the season with 1,688 career points, meaning he needs only 12 more to become the 10th player in NHL history to reach 1,700. His total consists of 929 goals and 759 assists, an extraordinary combination that reflects both his scoring ability and his longevity. Ovechkin has already spent more than two decades producing at the highest level, and reaching 1,700 points would place him in an especially exclusive group that includes many of the sport’s most celebrated names.
One More Assist Could Rewrite Washington’s Record Book
For most of his career, Ovechkin has been known primarily for scoring goals, but his final season could also see him take over one of Washington’s most important playmaking records. He enters the campaign with 759 assists, just four behind Nicklas Backstrom’s franchise record of 762. That makes this one of the most attainable milestones on his farewell-season list. Ovechkin has spent his entire NHL career with the Capitals, so becoming the franchise leader in both goals and assists would underline just how completely he has shaped the organization’s history.
The 1,600-Game Mark Would Cap an Extraordinary Run of Longevity
Ovechkin’s career has been remarkable not only for its scoring totals but also for how long he has remained a fixture in Washington’s lineup. He needs 25 more games to reach 1,600 NHL games. That would add another significant longevity achievement to a career already stretching across 22 seasons with the Capitals. Ovechkin has played at least 80 games in eight different seasons, and he has remained remarkably durable despite the physical demands of his position and the length of his career. Reaching 1,600 games would be another reminder of how unusual his consistency has been.
Passing Lemieux Would Push Ovechkin Even Higher on the Points List
Ovechkin could finish his career higher on the NHL’s all-time points leaderboard than where he currently sits. He needs 36 points to pass Mario Lemieux for ninth place in league history. That target requires considerably more production than some of his other farewell-season milestones, but Ovechkin has shown repeatedly that he can still produce at an advanced age. He led Washington with 32 goals and 64 points last season, despite being 40 years old. Moving past Lemieux would add another legendary name to the list of players Ovechkin has overtaken during his historic career.
Another Franchise Longevity Record Is Also in Sight
There is a particularly fitting milestone available to Ovechkin because he has spent his entire NHL career in the same uniform. He needs 33 more games with Washington to pass Patrick Marleau for the second-most games played with a single franchise in NHL history. Ovechkin has already become synonymous with the Capitals, captaining the team since 2010 and leading it to its first Stanley Cup championship in 2018. Playing those additional games would further cement his place among the NHL’s most enduring one-team stars and add another longevity record to his farewell season.
A 20-Goal Season Would Bring Him Level With Gordie Howe
Perhaps the most familiar milestone of all could come through the number Ovechkin has made famous throughout his career: goals. He needs one more 20-goal season to tie Gordie Howe’s NHL record of 22. Ovechkin has already established records for 30-goal and 40-goal seasons, while his nine 50-goal seasons are tied for the most in NHL history. Even reaching 20 goals at age 41 would be notable on its own, but doing so in his final season would allow him to match Howe, another legendary player celebrated for extraordinary longevity. It would be a fitting final scoring milestone for one of hockey’s most prolific goal scorers.
