Sunday was a historic day for hockey as Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals became the NHL`s all-time leading scorer, surpassing Wayne Gretzky with his 895th career goal against the New York Islanders. This achievement highlights Ovechkin`s Hall of Fame career, especially as he surpassed Gretzky`s record, which stood for 25 years and was considered almost impossible to reach.
While Ovechkin, at 39, has achieved the all-time goals record, many NHL records remain incredibly difficult to break, including some held by Gretzky. Here are some of hockey`s most likely unbreakable records, including several held by “The Great One”.
- Alex Ovechkin`s 895 Goals (and Counting)
- Wayne Gretzky`s 2,857 Career Points
- 92 Goals in 80 Games – Gretzky
- 163 Assists, 215 Points in 80 Games – Gretzky
- 10 Points in One Game – Darryl Sittler (Feb. 7, 1976)
- 76 Rookie Goals – Teemu Selanne (1992-93)
- 139 Points by a Defenseman – Bobby Orr (1970-71)
- 502 Consecutive Games by a Goaltender – Glenn Hall
- 691 Wins by a Goaltender – Martin Brodeur
- 11 Stanley Cup Wins – Henri Richard
Alex Ovechkin`s 895 Goals (and Counting)
After tying Wayne Gretzky`s record of 894 goals, Ovechkin took the lead on Sunday, scoring his 895th goal on a power play against the New York Islanders in the second period. Ovechkin received congratulations from Gretzky himself and now stands alone as the NHL`s top scorer.
With five games remaining in the 2024-25 season, Ovechkin could reach 900 goals before the season ends and might even aim for 1,000 career goals if he continues playing into his forties.
Wayne Gretzky`s 2,857 Career Points
Although Gretzky has lost the all-time goals record to Ovechkin, his record for career points is likely untouchable. Gretzky accumulated 2,857 points (894 goals, 1,963 assists), far exceeding any other player in NHL history. Jaromir Jagr is second with 1,921 points, and Sidney Crosby leads active players with 1,682. Ovechkin has 1,619 career points as of Sunday`s game.
92 Goals in 80 Games – Gretzky
A significant portion of Gretzky`s career goal record came from his remarkable 1981-82 season with the Edmonton Oilers, where he scored 92 goals in 80 games. No player in the 21st century has come close to this, with no one even surpassing 70 goals in a season. The highest single-season goal count since 2000 is Auston Matthews` 69 goals in the 2023-24 season.
In the 1981-82 season, Gretzky also became the fastest player to reach 50 goals in a season, achieving it in just 39 games.
163 Assists, 215 Points in 80 Games – Gretzky
Following his 92-goal season, Gretzky set another likely unbreakable record for single-season assists and points in the 1985-86 season. He recorded 163 assists and 215 points (52 goals, 163 assists) in 80 games, another incredible statistical season during a period when Gretzky won four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers.
10 Points in One Game – Darryl Sittler (Feb. 7, 1976)
The only instance of a player scoring ten or more points in a single NHL game occurred on February 7, 1976, when Darryl Sittler of the Toronto Maple Leafs scored 10 points (six goals, four assists) in an 11-4 victory over the Boston Bruins. This broke the previous record of eight points in a game, set by Maurice Richard in 1944 and matched by Bert Olmstead in 1954.
76 Rookie Goals – Teemu Selanne (1992-93)
Teemu Selanne`s rookie season in 1992-93 indicated his future greatness as he scored 76 goals (132 points), setting the record for most goals by an NHL rookie. Selanne was drafted 10th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 1988 but played in Finland before making his NHL debut in impressive fashion.
Selanne won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL`s best rookie and had a Hall of Fame career spanning 21 years. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017 and named one of the NHL`s 100 Greatest Players the same year.
Selanne`s record has a slight footnote, as Gretzky had 137 points (51 goals, 86 assists) in 79 games in 1979-80 as a rookie, but the NHL didn`t consider Gretzky a rookie due to his World Hockey Association experience with the Indianapolis Racers.
139 Points by a Defenseman – Bobby Orr (1970-71)
Bobby Orr`s 1970-71 season remains the benchmark for NHL defensemen. Orr achieved 139 points (37 goals, 102 assists) and set a record for plus-minus (+124) for any position. Paul Coffey is the only player to have come close to Orr`s record, and no other defenseman has surpassed 110 points.
502 Consecutive Games by a Goaltender – Glenn Hall
Glenn Hall is renowned for his ironman streak among NHL goalies. From 1955 to 1963, Hall played 502 consecutive games, an even more remarkable feat considering the limited protective gear for goalies during that time, including the absence of masks and helmets.
Hall was not only durable but also a top goalie of his era, credited with developing the butterfly style of goalkeeping, earning the nickname “Mr. Goalie”. Hall won two Stanley Cups and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975.
691 Wins by a Goaltender – Martin Brodeur
Another likely unbreakable record for NHL goalies is Martin Brodeur`s 691 career wins in 1,266 games. Brodeur spent most of his career with the New Jersey Devils, winning three Stanley Cups and two Olympic gold medals for Team Canada.
11 Stanley Cup Wins – Henri Richard
It is improbable that any NHL player will ever match Henri Richard`s record of 11 Stanley Cup wins. Richard won 11 Cups with the Montreal Canadiens dynasty, including five consecutive wins from 1955-56 to 1959-60. “Pocket Rocket” holds the record for most championships by an individual in North American sports, shared with NBA legend Bill Russell.
