ESPN The National Hockey League (NHL) has named Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin as one of two current players who could be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto immediately after the end of their professional careers.
Wayne Gretzky played his last game in the league in 1999, and it was announced that he would become the 10th player in NHL history to be inducted into the Hall of Fame without waiting three years after his retirement. The Select Committee decided that the three-year waiting period would only be waived “in certain circumstances”.
“If the exemption were still in effect, Sidney Crosby and Ovechkin would be among the best players of their generation,” the report said.
The 38-year-old Russian currently has 826 goals in the NHL regular championship; According to this indicator, the Washington captain ranks second after Canadian Wayne Gretzky, who has 894 goals. Ovechkin has 68 goals left to reach his record.
In this NHL season, Ovechkin appeared in 14 games and managed to score four goals and make seven assists.
Previously recognized Ovechkin’s place on the list of scorers of the new NHL season.