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Clip of Alex Ovechkin Calling Wayne Gretzky's Record 'Impossible' to Break Resurfaces

Even Ovechkin didn't think breaking Gretzky's record was possible.

Eva Geitheim

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) is honored with a painting by artist Tony Harris by former Canadian-American ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky after scoring in the during the second period against the New York Islanders.
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) is honored with a painting by artist Tony Harris by former Canadian-American ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky after scoring in the during the second period against the New York Islanders. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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On Sunday, Alex Ovechkin accomplished what even he deemed impossible—breaking Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record. Against the New York Islanders, Ovechkin scored the 895th goal of his career, officially surpassing Gretzky to become the NHL's sole all-time leading goal scorer.

Since Gretzky passed Gordie Howe's prior record of 801 goals in 1994 and retired with 894 goals in 1999, his record was long thought to be unreachable.

While Ovechkin started to change those views around the NHL as he racked up goal after goal and led the NHL in goals a whopping nine times over his career, he still didn't believe catching Gretzky was possible.

Months after Ovechkin surpassed the 500-goal mark in 2016, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman asked Ovechkin if he ever thought about possibly breaking Gretzky's record one day.

Ovechkin shook his head and completely shot down the idea. "I don't think that somebody will beat this record," Ovechkin told Friedman in 2016. "In this hockey right now, in this league, I think it's impossible."

"Impossible to catch Gretzky?" Friedman asked.

"It's impossible," Ovechkin said.

Friedman pushed back, "You could challenge him, you might be able to do it—"

"No," Ovechkin interjected. "I have to have six seasons of 50 goals, I don't know if I'm going to be able to skate in six seasons."

Ovechkin still believed Gretzky's record was unbreakable two years later. He told Igor Eronko in 2018: "I don’t think it’s possible to beat that record. You have to play till you’re 60. Jagr tried but couldn’t. Hockey isn’t the same. Everything is much more difficult now. To beat the record I have to score 50 each year. It’s hard."

Ovechkin was adamant, but wrong.

Not only did he end up becoming the person to break Gretzky's record, he has skated for nine more seasons and counting. He didn't need six more seasons of 50 goals to break the record either. Since that interview, Ovechkin has two seasons of 50 or more goals and four other seasons of 40 or more goals, including this current season. It didn't take him until the age of 60 either. Instead, Ovechkin clears the record at the age of 39, months shy of his 40th birthday.

When Ovechkin finally proved himself, none other than Gretzky was there to rightfully congratulate Ovechkin on breaking his mark.

"I can tell you first hand," Gretzky said, "I know how hard it is to get to 894 (goals). 895 is pretty special."

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Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva Geitheim is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor's in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or re-watching Gilmore Girls.

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