Ranking the top 20 goals in Alex Ovechkin's record-breaking career

"The Gr8 Chase" is over. Alex Ovechkin is the NHL's all-time starring extremity scorer, surpassing the legendary Wayne Gretzky.

Ovechkin amassed this vocation full successful a assortment of ways. He had implicit 550 even-strength goals and 320 power-play goals, the bulk scored from the fabled "Ovi spot." He's the person successful empty-net goals and overtime goals. Five of his goals came shorthanded, from a feline who has averaged 8 seconds of penalty-killing clip per crippled successful his career.

But not each Ovechkin extremity is created equally. Some are works of art; immoderate are masterpieces. Some are important; immoderate are career-defining.

Here are the apical 20 goals successful Ovechkin's career, covering some the NHL regular play and the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Many of them person go highlight-reel mainstays, portion immoderate marque this ranking due to the fact that of their value to Ovechkin's bequest and story. Along the mode you'll perceive from Ovechkin, his teammates, coaches and opponents astir these classical moments during the archetypal 895 goals of the Washington Capitals star's career. Enjoy!

20. Dec. 18, 2015: Ovechkin shocks the Lightning

You could consciousness this 1 was imminent arsenic Jason Chimera floated a juicy walk from the boards into the Lightning zone.

Ovi motored to cod the puck and past froze Tampa Bay defenseman Anton Stralman with a textbook curl-and-drag for a gorgeous power-play extremity against Ben Bishop.

19. June 7, 2018: Ovechkin's Stanley Cup Final moment

We've seen Ovechkin people this benignant of power-play extremity hundreds of times. But until Game 5 against the Golden Knights, we'd ne'er seen him people 1 successful a clinching crippled for a Stanley Cup championship, aft a postseason worthy of the Conn Smythe Trophy arsenic playoff MVP.

"A batch of things were said astatine the extremity of past twelvemonth successful the press, Twitter, whatever," said Barry Trotz, who coached that title team. "And they're hurtful, and I deliberation helium took it personally. He said, 'I'm going to amusement you I'm inactive a large player.' And helium did."

18. March 9, 2011: Ovechkin plays defence vs. the Oilers

Criticisms of Ovechkin's antiaircraft prowess person haunted him passim his career, to the constituent wherever erstwhile Capitals manager Dale Hunter concisely tried to crook him into a changeable blocker alternatively than a changeable taker.

But Ovechkin had his moments connected D, specified arsenic this play wherever helium picked the pouch of Oilers defenseman Kurtis Foster connected the forecheck to acceptable up a 2-on-0 scoring accidental and easy converted.

17. Oct. 5, 2005: Career extremity No. 1

Where it each began. The Capitals opened their play astatine location against the Columbus Blue Jackets successful beforehand of an announced assemblage of 16,325. Just 28 seconds aft the Jackets took the pb successful the 2nd period, Ovechkin skated betwixt the circles with his instrumentality raised for a one-timer.

Dainius Zubrus recovered him, and Ovi blasted a changeable past aboriginal trivia reply Pascal Leclaire for the archetypal of many, many, galore goals.

16. March 19, 2022: Ovechkin vs. Chicago (and Duncan Keith)

By the clip Ovechkin schooled him connected nationalist television, aboriginal Hall of Fame defenseman Duncan Keith had already won a Norris Trophy and a Stanley Cup.

What helium couldn't bash was halt this determination from Ovechkin, who tantalizingly dangled the puck wrong Keith's instrumentality scope earlier pulling it backmost done his legs and motoring astir him for the goal, arsenic 3 Blackhawks stood seemingly powerless astir their net.

15. March 1, 2011: OT victor vs. Islanders

The NHL was playing 4-on-4 successful overtime backmost successful 2011, but Ovechkin was playing one-on-one against Frans Nielsen successful this other league against the Islanders.

Ovechkin turned the New York guardant wrong retired with a burst of velocity done the neutral zone. He past skated done a cheque effort by Nielsen successful the attacking portion earlier finishing this extremity with a nasty backhander that goalie Nathan Lawson seemingly didn't cognize was successful Ovi's container of tricks.

14. March 19, 2009: The 'hot stick' celebration

Ovechkin's 50th extremity successful the 2008-09 play sparked 1 of the astir memorable and arguable moments of his career: the "hot stick" celebration, arsenic Ovechkin laid his lumber connected the crystal and warmed his gloves implicit its imaginary flames.

It was a infinitesimal commemorated successful everything from bobblehead dolls to video crippled cutscenes. But "Hockey Night successful Canada" expert Don Cherry hated it, criticizing Ovechkin's deficiency of "class" successful showing up the Lightning and rookie goalie Mike McKenna.

Years aboriginal connected the "I Was successful Net For" podcast, McKenna admitted that helium mightiness person "slashed Ovechkin's instrumentality into the adjacent ZIP code" had helium been a league seasoned astatine the time. But helium besides said helium and Ovechkin talked it retired astir a week later.

"I retrieve conscionable saying 'Hi' and him saying, 'I did not mean to embarrass oregon disrespect you oregon anything. I thought we were having fun.' He was apologetic astir it, and you cognize what? I was wholly chill with it," McKenna said. "For him to adjacent instrumentality that clip to conscionable beryllium a quality and say, 'This is what I was feeling successful the moment,' I person a hard clip holding that against anybody, particularly if they tin person the humility to deliberation possibly it wasn't bully oregon right."

13. Nov. 20, 2014: The extremity boards extremity vs. the Avalanche

This extremity has a spot of everything that makes Ovechkin specified a force. The velocity done the neutral zone. The resistance astir defenseman Jan Hejda, followed by the brute unit that had Hejda helplessly trying to enactment a assemblage connected him. Finally, the patience to enactment with the play to cod the rebound and tuck it past goalie Reto Berra.

The lone container not checked was a booming Ovechkin slap shot, arsenic it went to the backhand to acceptable up this sequence.

12. Oct. 10, 2015: Ovechkin schools Moore, Devils

Ovechkin's archetypal extremity of the 2015-16 play landed him successful the item reel and gave New Jersey Devils defenseman John Moore a harsh education. After speeding into the zone, Ovechkin faked a determination to his close and dangled to his left, leaving Moore to fecklessly question his instrumentality astatine the Capitals star. Ovechkin closed successful connected goalie Keith Kinkaid and deposited a changeable implicit his mitt and into the acold apical country of the net.

"I deliberation determination he's going to chopped to the middle," Moore told The Star-Ledger astatine the time. "To his credit, I deliberation helium benignant of sold that. I could person a amended instrumentality and possibly adjacent a amended gap. You springiness him an inch and he'll capitalize connected it. I'll larn from that."

11. May 1, 2018: The double-tap goal

The Capitals won their archetypal Stanley Cup title aft yet overcoming their tormentors from Pittsburgh successful the semifinals. Ovechkin scored 1 of his finest goals to triumph Game 3 of that series. Nicklas Backstrom did his accustomed yeoman's enactment connected the play, generating a turnover successful the antiaircraft portion to outpouring a 2-on-1. He fed Ovechkin crossed the ice, and Ovechkin clanged a changeable disconnected the station down Matt Murray ... and past popped the aerial rebound into the unfastened net.

"I honestly deliberation that from the archetypal clip we started playing with each other, we were conscionable a bully match. I was much of a playmaker and helium was a extremity scorer," Backstrom said recently. "I mean, I conscionable deliberation helium loves to people goals. That's what's been driving him for each these years."

10. Jan. 19, 2006: Ovechkin goes afloat throttle vs. the Blues

As Capitals announcer Joe Beninati said it best: Ovechkin goes "full throttle" done the neutral portion and past perfectly flummoxes seasoned St. Louis Blues defenseman Eric Weinrich earlier putting the puck done goalie Curtis Sanford.

In a 2022 interrogation with The Athletic, Ovechkin really ranked this extremity arsenic his 2nd favorite from a database of 10 compiled by the NHL.

"I had afloat velocity and marque a bully move," helium said. "It was a full antithetic crippled than now. It was much wide-open. Now it's present much compact."

Ovechkin besides noted that this extremity came instantly aft different classical extremity helium scored against Phoenix connected Jan. 16 that you mightiness beryllium capable to work much astir aboriginal connected this database ...

9. Jan. 25, 2014: Ovechkin vs. Canadiens juggle

In which we observe Ovechkin tin juggle, too.

Ovi collects a rebound from a Carey Price prevention midair successful backmost of the Montreal net. He hits it with his stick, juggles it disconnected his instrumentality again to nudge it person to the extremity mouth, past taps it past Price for a power-play goal, raising his arms and bellowing successful celebration.

"You're not going to spot a prettier extremity from a alleged 'hands guy' successful the NHL," Capitals announcer Craig Laughlin said.

8. Feb. 4, 2010: The one-handed classic

The 500th constituent of Ovechkin's career, this extremity crystallizes the futility of trying to halt the Russian Machine erstwhile he's got the magic working.

Backstrom finds him successful afloat stride. Rangers defenseman Michal Rozsival reaches retired with his limb and attempts to impede Ovechkin. The referee's limb goes up and past astir instantly points to the nett arsenic Ovechkin dangled done the clasp and sent a one-handed changeable -- with his near arm, nary little -- astatine the pads of Henrik Lundqvist. The puck glanced disconnected King Henrik's instrumentality and popped into the net.

Ovechkin would accidental aft the crippled that it was, to his recollection, the archetypal extremity helium ever scored with 1 manus connected his instrumentality due to the fact that "my manus is not beardown enough" to people that way. As the New York Times headline said aft the Capitals' 6-5 win: "Rangers Surrender Game and Stage to Ovechkin Show."

7. April 6, 2025: Ovechkin eclipses Gretzky

The prime of this extremity ne'er mattered. The enormity of the infinitesimal successful sports past necessitated its inclusion successful the apical 10, arsenic Ovechkin netted vocation extremity No. 895 to walk Gretzky and go the NHL's all-time starring extremity scorer.

This is what Gretzky wanted. He encouraged Ovechkin, whether it was successful interviews oregon backstage substance messages during the chase. It's a acquisition Gretzky learned erstwhile helium was chasing the grounds himself, backmost erstwhile Hockey Hall of Famer Gordie Howe owned it.

"My dada said, 'You cognize what, idiosyncratic is going to interruption your record. And erstwhile helium does, marque definite you are arsenic overmuch a man to him arsenic Gordie Howe is to you. You smile, you shingle his hand, and you are arrogant of what you accomplished. It's amended for the game,'" Gretzky told Sportsnet successful 2020.

The crippled has ne'er been better, whether it's the velocity oregon the defence oregon the goaltending oregon the coaching oregon the league's wide endowment level. That Ovechkin shattered this record, successful this era, is thing abbreviated of extraordinary.

6. Dec. 26, 2008: Ovechkin slugs Buffalo

One word: "Buffaslug."

Ovechkin's 2008 instant classical extremity was scored against a Buffalo Sabres squad wearing 1 of the astir maligned jerseys successful NHL history, arsenic the franchise forwent its classical crest for a caller plan featuring an aggravated cashew. We tin lone presume Ovi was making them wage for their transgression against manner with this end-to-end beauty.

He starts by tipping the puck distant from a Sabres forechecker and past he's disconnected to the races. Buffalo defenseman Henrik Tallinder does everything helium tin to way down Ovechkin and appears to instrumentality the puck distant from him, but it turns retired Ovechkin had it the full time, similar 1 of those pranks wherever a dollar measure is tied to a string. Ovechkin shoots arsenic helium falls to the ice, beating Patrick Lalime earlier sliding into him similar a curling stone.

5. May 2, 2015: Ovechkin from his genu vs. the Rangers

Another playoff goal, during 1 of respective postseason meetings betwixt Ovechkin and the New York Rangers, and easy 1 of his astir awesome fixed the unit involved.

That's Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi connected defence for the Rangers, 1 of the league's champion pairings astatine that time. That's Hall of Famer Henrik Lundqvist successful goal, looking down him earlier looking to the rafters. Ovechkin divided the defense, causing the Rangers blueliners to collide similar a closing door. The Capitals prima slipped done a ace but his limb got caught. He fell to his genu and snapped a changeable earlier falling connected his stomach.

Teammate Evgeny Kuznetsov felt the extremity was "sick," according to the New York Post. "I said a mates of atrocious words successful Russian but I said 'sick,'" helium said.

4. Dec. 20, 2014: Too 'dangle-licious' for you

This extremity against the New Jersey Devils inspired Capitals play-by-play announcer Joe Beninati to coin the word "dangle-licious" to picture the tally.

Ovechkin streaked done the neutral portion toward Devils defenseman Jon Merrill, who was astir apt breathing a suspiration of alleviation knowing that teammate Travis Zajac was skating backmost to connection support. But arsenic Zajac reached for the puck with his stick, Ovechkin toe-dragged astir Merrill and headed to the crease. Goalie Cory Schneider had the bottommost of the nett closed disconnected arsenic Ovechkin fell to the crystal ... lone to person the Capitals prima backhand the puck nether the crossbar for different epic goal.

"He was flying tonight. You tin spot wherefore he's specified a unsafe player," Schneider said. "He made a large move. I stayed with him and I thought I had him. He was capable to elevate it successful choky similar that and decorativeness it off. I stuck with him and I thought I had that one. He made a large play connected the end."

3. April 24, 2009: Ovechkin playoff extremity vs. the Rangers

Straight-up video crippled moves from Ovechkin successful this postseason extremity against the Rangers.

After a turnover by Nikolai Zherdev, Ovechkin collects the puck and streaks down the ice. Chris Drury attempts to dilatory him up and gets deked into oblivion. Derek Morris makes an attempt, lone to person Ovechkin dangle done his legs. Aaron Voros yet catches up to Ovechkin lone to person the Capitals prima smack the puck with his backhand to enactment it past Lundqvist.

"My backhand was terrible. Lucky bounce," Ovechkin said astatine the time.

Well, fortunate for him.

2. Feb. 18, 2009: The 'Hamrlik goal'

In 2011, seasoned defenseman Roman Hamrlik signed arsenic a escaped cause with the Capitals, becoming Ovechkin's teammate. Which people begs the question: Did they ever speech astir this goal?

Hamrlik was a subordinate of the Montreal Canadiens backmost successful 2009. He chased the puck to the reddish enactment wherever Ovechkin bushed him successful a race. Ovi poked the puck disconnected the boards and astir Hamrlik earlier pulling disconnected a spin-o-rama to skate into the Montreal zone. Kyle Chipchura backmost checked to drawback him, knocking Ovechkin to the ice. But arsenic the Capitals prima slid toward Carey Price, helium flicked the puck connected the forehand past the Montreal goaltender for a spectacular goal. Ovechkin sat up, raised his arms and waved for his teammates to articulation him successful celebration.

Wes Johnson, the Capitals' longtime nationalist code announcer, was seated close down the solid wherever Ovechkin made his archetypal move.

"I thought, 'Oh my God, helium passed the puck to himself.' He spun the defenseman and past helium duped the goalie arsenic he's falling down the ice," helium said. "It was the astir spectacular extremity I had seen successful my 25 years of doing this live."

1. Jan. 16, 2006: 'The Goal'

What's the constituent of a ranking if not to spark speech and debate? To that end, immoderate fig of Ovechkin's nimble, flailing classics could person made the apical spot, subverting expectations. That would beryllium a stunt. That would beryllium disingenuous.

"The Goal" is his "Citizen Kane," a masterpiece announcing the accomplishment of a existent artist. When we adjacent our eyes and deliberation astir immoderate of the astir 900 goals that person defined Ovechkin's career, our mind's oculus volition absorption connected that crippled successful Glendale, Arizona, and what Sportsnet ranked arsenic the top extremity of the 21st century.

It was Ovechkin's rookie season, 1 successful which he'd deed 30 goals by the mediate of January. He collected the puck astatine halfway crystal and skated successful connected Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Paul Mara. He tried to deke Mara, but the defenseman wasn't biting, raising his arms to effort and sound Ovechkin disconnected the puck. He was palmy successful that Ovechkin toppled to the ice. He was unsuccessful successful that Ovechkin was inactive adjacent capable to the puck.

As the Capitals prima rolled onto his back, helium had 1 manus connected his instrumentality to corral the puck and nonstop a hopeless changeable to the Coyotes net. Goalie Brian Boucher flung his instrumentality retired arsenic a past enactment of defense, lone to look backmost astatine the cage arsenic the puck glided crossed the line.

In the stands watching "The Goal"? An 8-year-old Coyotes instrumentality named Auston Matthews, who would beryllium inspired to people a fewer 100 of his ain successful the NHL. Behind the Coyotes' seat watching "The Goal"? Gretzky, Phoenix's caput manager and the NHL's starring vocation goal-scorer -- astatine the time.

Early successful the game, Beninati noted that Ovechkin was lone 860 goals down Gretzky's grounds full of 894. Laughlin laughed astatine the conception that a rookie was opening down the way to drawback The Great One.

"Good luck, Mr. Ovechkin," Beninati said. "Good luck."