Alex Ovechkin is rapidly approaching Wayne Gretzky's NHL career goals record of 894, needing just 42 more goals to break the long-standing mark, which could happen as soon as spring 2024. The 39-year-old captain of the Washington Capitals has scored against 175 different goaltenders throughout his career and is on the verge of surpassing legends Patrick Marleau and Jaromir Jagr for the most in history. Many goaltenders express admiration for Ovechkin's talent and believe he could break the record this season, noting his impressive scoring pace of 0.6 goals per game. Despite a less productive recent season with only 31 goals, Ovechkin's history of 13 seasons with over 40 goals demonstrates his scoring ability. His pursuit of the record is further complicated by the modern NHL's more defensive strategies, contrasting with the high-scoring era of Gretzky. Teammates and opposing players alike anticipate this remarkable achievement, with some predicting he could reach the milestone by Christmas 2023.