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Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby spoke about the possibility of Alex Ovechkin surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal-scoring record. Ovechkin is 41 goals away from tying Gretzky's 894 goals. Crosby, who has competed against Ovechkin since 2005, said it’s "incredible" to see him so close to a record once thought untouchable.
“It’s really cool,” Crosby said at the annual NHL Player Media Tour in Las Vegas (via NHL.com). “To be able to play in the same division, to have had the history that we have over the years… to come in at the same time with pretty high expectations and to see him this close to what was thought to be an untouchable record, it’s incredible what he’s going. I feel grateful to be part of that.
"As a player, you want to compete at the highest level. To be in that conversation with him over the years, I hope that we’ve gotten the best out of each other, and hopefully we’ve got some strong years left here." Crosby added.
Ovechkin, currently 38 years old, has 853 career goals. In the 2023-24 season, he played 79 games, scoring 31 goals and collecting 65 points. This marked a decline from 90 points in 2022. But, 42 goals are not a big difference for a player like Ovi, and it's a strong possibility that he can achieve this feat in the upcoming season.
Alex Ovechkin happy with Capitals offseason moves
The Washington Capitals made big changes after a difficult season, adding key players to support Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin praised younger players from the Hershey Bears of the AHL, the Capitals' minor league affiliate, for gaining experience.
“There have been changes in the team, and their best side is the young players who played in Hershey and got that playing experience that is hard to come by,” Ovechkin said (translated statement from R-Sport). "As for my desire to win another Stanley Cup, we’ll see. We’ll do everything we can to make it happen."
The new additions should help reduce some pressure on Ovechkin as he turns 39 years old on September 17.
In contrast, Sidney Crosby has improved his play
Sidney Crosby is entering his 20th NHL season, just like Alex Ovechkin, and is optimistic about signing a new contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Last season he shocked everyone by scoring 94 points at 36 years old.
He almost single-handedly carried the Penguins into the playoffs; however, the wild card spot went to the Washington Capitals by only 3 points, which the team hopes to improve upon this year.
