Alex Ovechkin goals, all of them: 929 in the regular season and 77 in the playoffs, 1,006 in total. That leaves him 10 short of Wayne Gretzky’s 1,016, the NHL record for goals including the playoffs, and 11 from passing it. He already owns the regular-season record. Goal No. 895, against the Islanders at UBS Arena on 6 April 2025, took him past Gretzky’s 894, and he has added 34 since. This tracker updates after every Capitals game in 2026-27, his 22nd NHL season, played on a one-year deal.
Next game: Fri 2 Oct at Carolina, 7:00 PM ET, on Sportsnet, TVA Sports. Updated 25 September 2026, 5:50 PM ET.
How many goals does Ovechkin have?
Counting the regular season and the playoffs together, only Gretzky has scored more NHL goals than Ovechkin. The table comes from the league’s own career statistics and updates with every goal.
| Player | Regular season | Playoffs | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne Gretzky | 894 | 122 | 1,016 |
| Alex Ovechkin | 929 | 77 | 1,006 |
| Gordie Howe | 801 | 68 | 869 |
| Jaromir Jagr | 766 | 78 | 844 |
| Brett Hull | 741 | 103 | 844 |
The two records are separate in the NHL’s books. Ovechkin holds the regular-season record outright, with 929. Gretzky’s 1,016 including the playoffs is the one he is chasing now, and the playoffs are where the gap was built. Gretzky scored 122 playoff goals, and Ovechkin has 77.
When could Ovechkin break Gretzky’s record?
It depends on his scoring rate, so the table runs three of them against Washington’s remaining schedule. He needs 11 goals to pass 1,016.
| Scoring rate | Based on | Games needed | Record would fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| His 2025-26 rate | 32 goals in 82 games, 0.39 a game | about 29 more games | the 29th game of the season, Thursday 10 December |
| His 2024-25 rate | 44 goals in 65 games, 0.68 a game | about 17 more games | the 17th game of the season, Thursday 12 November |
| His career rate | 929 goals in 1,573 games, 0.59 a game | about 19 more games | the 19th game of the season, Tuesday 17 November |
These are projections, not predictions: they assume he plays every game at that rate. A goal in the playoffs counts toward the record too.
Ovechkin’s 2026-27 goals, game by game
No games yet. Washington opens at Carolina on Friday 2 October, and every game will be added here after it finishes.
Where to watch Ovechkin in Canada
Washington is a US team, so most of its games are out of market in Canada. Of the Capitals’ 84 regular-season games, 38 have a Canadian network in the NHL’s listings. The rest stream on Sportsnet+ Premium, or on NHL Centre Ice through a TV provider. Our guide to how to watch NHL in Canada explains the options. The next five:
| Date | Game | Time | Canadian TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 2 Oct | at Carolina | 7:00 PM ET | Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| Sat 3 Oct | at Tampa Bay | 7:00 PM ET | Out of market: Sportsnet+ Premium |
| Wed 7 Oct | vs Pittsburgh | 7:30 PM ET | Out of market: Sportsnet+ Premium |
| Fri 9 Oct | vs the NY Rangers | 7:00 PM ET | Out of market: Sportsnet+ Premium |
| Sun 11 Oct | vs Seattle | 5:00 PM ET | Sportsnet+, TVA Sports |
The records Ovechkin already holds
- Most regular-season goals: 929, ahead of Wayne Gretzky on 894.
- Most power-play goals: 331, ahead of Dave Andreychuk on 274.
- Most game-winning goals: 141, ahead of Jaromir Jagr on 135.
- Most shots on goal: 7,108, ahead of Ray Bourque on 6,209.
He has also won the Hart Trophy three times. Our Hart Trophy odds page covers this season’s MVP market.
Fitness going into the season
Editor’s note (25 September): Ovechkin has been day-to-day with a lower-body injury picked up in training camp, and he sat out preseason games against Boston and Philadelphia. He was back in full practice this week with his regular linemates, and the NHL’s 25 September status report expects him to be ready for the opener at Carolina on 2 October. ESPN’s injury list has him as out with a lower-body injury, and an estimated return of 2 October.
Betting on Ovechkin
Sportsbooks price an anytime-goalscorer market for Ovechkin in most Capitals games, and some list season-long specials on when the record will fall. Those prices move with the chase, so compare them before you bet. Our NHL scoring leaders page tracks the Rocket Richard race, and the Stanley Cup odds page has the Capitals’ price. 19+ (18+ in AB, MB and QC).
These are the NHL sportsbooks we rate for Canadians, listed by province, with the full comparison on our NHL betting sites page:
Ovechkin goals FAQ
1,006 in the NHL: 929 in the regular season and 77 in the playoffs. His regular-season total is the NHL record.
11. Gretzky scored 1,016 goals including the playoffs, so Ovechkin needs 10 to tie him and 11 to pass him.
He broke the regular-season record on 6 April 2025, scoring his 895th goal against the New York Islanders to pass Gretzky’s 894. The record including the playoffs, 1,016, is still Gretzky’s.
At the three scoring rates in the table above, it would fall between 12 November and 10 December, if he plays every game at that pace. Playoff goals count too.
894 in the regular season and 122 in the playoffs, 1,016 in all. Ovechkin passed the 894 in April 2025.
He signed a one-year deal for 2026-27, his 22nd NHL season, and neither he nor the Capitals has said it will be his last.
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