Vladislav Tretiak, who serves as president of the Russian Hockey Federation and is known for his legendary stint as a USSR national team goalie, voiced cautious optimism about Alexander Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal-scoring record. Tretiak, who has watched every twist in this race closely, told KP Sports that his admiration for Ovechkin’s longevity and skill remains undiminished even as pressure mounts from every corner of the hockey world. He emphasized that the Capitals captain is taking on a historic challenge with a combination of talent, willpower, and the kind of mental resilience that only a few players in the sport possess.
According to Tretiak, the amount of attention surrounding Ovechkin’s chase can be psychologically taxing. He recalled his own career and the intense scrutiny that accompanies a player who redefines what is possible on the ice. Tretiak pointed out that Ovechkin, already a storied figure in hockey history, has matured into a living legend whose legacy transcends statistics. He noted that Gretzky’s record once seemed unreachable, and the very notion of someone approaching it was almost unimaginable. Yet, Tretiak observed, the sport has a way of rewriting limits when a generation of players pushes hard enough—sometimes surpassing even the most cherished benchmarks.
In the 2023/24 NHL playoffs’ opening round, Washington Capitals faced the New York Rangers, a squad that included other Russian players such as goaltender Igor Shesterkin and forward Artemi Panarin. The Capitals were unable to secure a win in any of the four games, and the series ended with a clean sweep for the Rangers. Ovechkin, despite his long tenure and prolific scoring record, did not register a goal during those playoff games, illustrating just how unpredictable and unforgiving the postseason can be—even for the league’s most enduring scorers.
Across the regular season, Ovechkin logged 79 games and contributed 31 goals alongside 34 assists, a testament to his consistency and offensive impact. Gretzky’s name remains the benchmark for top-tier goal scoring, and Ovechkin sits in a firm second place on the all-time list, trailing Gretzky by 41 goals. The Russian captain’s career total reached 853 goals at that point, underscoring a remarkable run that has spanned more than a decade and a half. This milestone continues to fuel discussions among fans and analysts about the durability and longevity required to challenge hockey’s most revered records.
Throughout his time in Washington, Ovechkin has benefited from the team’s environment and familiarity with the city, which has helped him focus on performance during the critical years of his pursuit. The franchise has provided a stable platform for his high-intensity style of play, a factor that remains central to the broader conversation about how players manage the dual pressures of maintaining peak form while chasing historic feats. As the chase unfolds, the hockey world remains attentive to every development, with Canadiens, Leafs, and other franchises observing the evolution of a pursuit that could redefine what is possible for a scorer in the modern era.