Going into the 2024-25 NHL season, Ovechkin has 853 career goals, which puts him in second behind the Great One. Washington’s captain needs 41 goals to tie Gretzky and 42 to break the record and stand alone.

Ovechkin will begin his 20th NHL season on Saturday as his Capitals play host to the New Jersey Devils, and all the while, he sits 42 goals away from passing Wayne Gretzky as the NHL's greatest goal scorer of all time.

1979 — Edmonton’s Wayne Gretzky scores his first NHL goal in a 4-4 tie with the Vancouver Canucks. Gretzky beats goaltender Glen Hanlon with the game-tying power-play goal with 1:09 remaining in the third period.