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 broke Gretzky`s record, which stood for 25 years and seemed almost impossible to reach.
While Ovechkin has reached the top spot in goals, several NHL records are likely to remain unbroken. Here are some of hockey`s most unreachable records, including several held by Wayne Gretzky.
Alex Ovechkin`s 895 Goals (and Counting)
After matching Wayne Gretzky`s record of 894 goals, Ovechkin surpassed it on Sunday with his 895th goal during a power play against the New York Islanders. Ovechkin received congratulations from Gretzky himself and now stands alone as the NHL`s all-time goal leader.
With five games remaining in the 2024-25 season, Ovechkin could reach 900 goals and potentially aim for 1,000 if he continues playing.
Wayne Gretzky`s 2,857 Career Points
Despite losing the goals record to Ovechkin, Gretzky`s record for career points is likely untouchable. He amassed 2,857 points (894 goals, 1,963 assists), far exceeding any other player. Jaromir Jagr is second with 1,921 points, and Sidney Crosby leads active players with 1,682. Ovechkin has 1,619 points as of Sunday`s game.
92 Goals in a Season – Gretzky
A significant portion of Gretzky`s goal record came from his 1981-82 season with the Edmonton Oilers, where he scored 92 goals in 80 games. No player in the 21st century has come close, with the highest being 69 goals by Auston Matthews in 2023-24.
In 1981-82, Gretzky also became the fastest to score 50 goals in a season, achieving it in just 39 games.
163 Assists, 215 Points in a Season – Gretzky
Gretzky also set single-season records for assists and points in 1985-86 with 163 assists and 215 points (52 goals, 163 assists) in 80 games. This was another remarkable season during his era with the Edmonton Oilers, where he won four Stanley Cups.
10 Points in One Game – Darryl Sittler (February 7, 1976)
Darryl Sittler achieved the only double-digit scoring game in NHL history on February 7, 1976, with 10 points (six goals, four assists) in a game against the Boston Bruins. He broke the previous record of eight points, 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 was outstanding, scoring 76 goals (132 points), setting the rookie goal record. Drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in 1988, he made a historic NHL debut after playing in Finland.
Selanne won the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year and became a Hall of Famer in 2017, also named one of the NHL`s 100 Greatest Players.
Gretzky had 137 rookie points (51 goals, 86 assists) in 1979-80, but wasn`t considered a rookie due to his WHA experience.
139 Points by a Defenseman – Bobby Orr (1970-71)
Bobby Orr`s 1970-71 season remains the best for a defenseman, with 139 points (37 goals, 102 assists) and a plus-minus of +124. Paul Coffey is the only one to challenge this, and no other defenseman has reached 110 points.
502 Consecutive Games by a Goaltender – Glenn Hall
Glenn Hall is renowned for his durability, playing 502 consecutive games from 1955 to 1963, impressive given the limited goalie equipment of that time.
Hall was a top goalie, developed the butterfly style, and earned `Mr. Goalie` nickname. He won two Stanley Cups and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975.
691 Wins by a Goaltender – Martin Brodeur
Martin Brodeur holds the record for goalie wins with 691 in 1,266 games. He played mostly for the New Jersey Devils, winning three Stanley Cups and two Olympic gold medals for Canada.
11 Stanley Cup Wins – Henri Richard
Henri Richard`s 11 Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens are likely unmatched. He won five in his first five seasons (1955-56 to 1959-60). `Pocket Rocket` holds the record for most championships in North American sports, shared with Bill Russell.
