Daniil Apalkov, a forward for Barys, voiced strong belief that Alexander Ovechkin can chase down Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goal record and even surpass it one day. He emphasized that Ovechkin is just getting started on a prolific scoring run, and that the moment his shot volume increases, critics will quiet down. Apalkov also expressed support for the Russian star, hoping for smooth peformance and continued success as Ovechkin pursues a historic milestone (via metaratings.ru).
He noted that anything can happen in hockey, and with Ovechkin ramping up his shooting, opponents and doubters will have to reckon with him again. The forward underlined his desire to stand behind Ovechkin as not only a rival but also as a teammate in spirit, wishing him the best as this chase unfolds (via metaratings.ru).
This season, Ovechkin missed three games in January due to an injury but made a comeback in mid-January in St. Louis. He returned to action in a regular-season game, recording an assist in his first appearance back on the ice. Across the season, Ovechkin has appeared in 40 games, contributing eight goals and twenty assists. With 830 goals in his NHL career, he sits 64 goals behind Gretzky, who still holds the all-time record for most goals in league history. His pursuit remains a central storyline for hockey fans across North America and beyond (via metaratings.ru).
Ovechkin is a Dynamo Moscow alumnus, having played for the club from 2001 to 2005, with another stint in the blue-and-white colors during the 2012/13 season. This background highlights his long development path through Russia before becoming a global star in the NHL (via metaratings.ru).
In related conversations about the stretch for Gretzky’s record, former players like Ilya Kovalchuk have offered guidance and advice to Ovechkin, reflecting the broader hockey fraternity rallying around him as he aims to extend his legendary career and push the record further (via metaratings.ru).