Washington Capitals

The Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals will hit the ice outdoors next season. 

The NHL announced Thursday the Hurricanes will host the Capitals in the 2023 Stadium Series at North Carolina State's Carter-Finley Stadium on Feb. 18, 2023.

The teams are also set to face off Thursday in Washington.

The NHL announced last month that the Hurricanes would host the 2023 Stadium Series at the home of the Wolfpack football team but didn't reveal their opponent.

Carolina was supposed to host the event in February 2021, but it was postponed because of concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said in February: "We're thrilled to finally get the chance to safely host an outdoor game in Raleigh. Our fans have waited for this event since we announced it two years ago, and we know that their passion and energy will create an unbelievable atmosphere at Carter-Finley."

This will be the first outdoor game for the Hurricanes. They will become the 28th NHL franchise to participate in a regular-season game outdoors. The Capitals, meanwhile, have competed in three other outdoor games, including two Winter Classics (2011, 2015) and another Stadium Series game (2018). 

The Hurricanes and Capitals have met in 179 regular-season games entering Thursday night. Washington is winning the all-time season series 101-55-23. 

Carolina leads the Eastern Conference at 37-11-5 this season, while Washington is 28-18-9 and in eighth place in the East.

The rosters of both teams could look significantly different by this time next year. However, Alexander Ovechkin, T.J. Oshie and John Carlson figure to remain leaders for Washington, while Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho and Jaccob Slavin will likely power Carolina. 

A MassMutual commercial featuring Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin has been pulled off the air in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Per ESPN's Greg Wyshynski, MassMutual confirmed the ad's removal and said its relationship with the 36-year-old Russian was limited to that commercial, which also features his wife, Anastasia Shubskaya, and teammate Nicklas Backstrom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wve4fwIOOpQ

According to TSN's Rick Westhead, the commercial was scheduled to air on ESPN, TNT and NHL Network all season. The ad debuted in October.

The news comes after Westhead reported that CCM Hockey would stop using Ovechkin and other Russian hockey players for global marketing initiatives for the time being.

"We are very sad to witness, like the rest of the world, what is happening in Ukraine. Although Mr. Ovechkin is not responsible for the Russian government's actions, we took the decision to not use him (or any Russian player) on any global CCM communication at this point," CCM Hockey chief executive Marrouane Nabih stated in an email to TSN.

Ovechkin has supported and campaigned for Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past, notably launching the PutinTeam movement on social media in 2017.

A picture featuring the duo serves as the primary image on Ovechkin's Instagram page.

When asked on Feb. 25 if he still supported Putin and would condemn Russia's actions in Ukraine, Ovechkin replied, in part, as follows:

"Like, I'm Russian, right? Sometimes some things I can't control. You know, it's not in my hands. ... Please, no more war. It doesn't matter who is in the war, Russia, Ukraine, different countries. ... We have to live in peace and a great world."

Ovechkin has played in the NHL since 2005. The three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner is fourth all-time in league history with 762 goals.

Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin expressed opposition Friday to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

According to The Athletic, Ovechkin responded to a question from a reporter about the attack:

It's a hard situation. I have family back in Russia and it is scary moments. But we can't do anything. We just hope it going to be end soon and everything is going to be all right. ...

Please, no more war. It doesn't matter who is in the war—Russia, Ukraine, different countries—I think we live in a world, like, we have to live in peace and a great world.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin media availability after practice in Philadelphia. pic.twitter.com/y2gxFpV3CL

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 25, 2022

The 36-year-old Ovechkin was born in Moscow, and he spends his offseasons in his home country of Russia. Ovechkin has shown support for Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past, per The Athletic.

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Ovechkin organized a movement in support of Putin in 2017, and his Instagram profile photo is an image of him with Putin.

When asked Friday if he supports Putin's decision to invade Ukraine, Ovechkin said:

Well, he is my president. But how I said, I am not in politics. I am an athlete and you know, how I said, I hope everything is going to be done soon. It's [a] hard situation right now for both sides and everything. Everything I hope is going to end. I'm not in control of this situation.

Russia began invading Ukraine on Thursday via land, air and sea. Attacks and airstrikes have been reported across Ukraine, and Russian forces had reached the capital city of Kyiv on Friday.

According to Reuters, the United Nations refugee agency said Thursday that the invasion has already resulted in over 100,000 Ukrainian people being displaced from their homes.

Ukraine has been a sovereign nation since 1991, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Ovechkin is one of the best-known and most influential Russian athletes of all time because of his accomplishments in the NHL.

The future Hockey Hall of Famer is a nine-time Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner, three-time Hart Trophy winner, one-time Art Ross Trophy winner, one-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner and one-time Stanley Cup champion.

He is also fourth on the NHL's all-time goals list with 762, putting him just four goals behind Jaromir Jagr in third and 132 behind all-time leader Wayne Gretzky.

The Washington Capitals announced superstar Alex Ovechkin will miss Wednesday's game against the Edmonton Oilers as well as Saturday's NHL All-Star Game as a result of the league's health and safety protocols.

"Based on a positive test result, Ovechkin will not participate in the 2022 NHL All-Star Game in Las Vegas," the announcement read.

Capitals winger Tom Wilson will replace Ovechkin in the All-Star Game, according to ESPN's Emily Kaplan. 

Not only is Ovechkin, 36, one of the most lethal goal scorers in NHL history, he's also been one of the league's most durable players throughout his 17-year career. He missed four regular-season games or fewer in 14 of his first 15 seasons.

Injuries have become a little more of a factor of late, though. The three-time Hart Trophy winner missed 11 games last season because of a lower-body injury.

He also left the Caps' 2021-22 preseason finale with a lower-body injury. 

No single player can replace Ovechkin given his crucial role for Washington offensively, especially in terms of the power play. Carl Hagelin and Conor Sheary should both see more extensive roles at left wing while the face of the franchise is sidelined.

The Capitals, who are fourth in the Metropolitan Division with 59 points, should have enough scoring depth to at least tread water in the standings while Ovi is out of the lineup, but the offense isn't nearly as dangerous without him.

WASHINGTON — It's a frigid Saturday night in January in Washington D.C., and the Capitals are trailing the lowly Ottawa Senators 2-0 heading into the third period. The 2018 Stanley Cup winners have not delivered on a second championship, and many have wondered if the window of contention has shut.

It's a fair question.

The Capitals will make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, their spot secure in a top-heavy Eastern Conference. The core is aging, though, and the goaltending is shaky.

Alexander Ovechkin, the Caps' 36-year-old ageless wonder of a captain, is—to use a hockey term from a younger generation—buzzin'.

He's all over the ice. His energy was evident.

Less than two minutes into the third period, Trevor van Riemsdyk banked a puck off the side of the goal, and Ovechkin went high over goalie Matt Murray to cut the lead in half.

Later in the third, Nicklas Backstrom, Ovechkin's longtime linemate, sent him a backdoor pass, and he beat Murray high again.

The puck was hit so cleanly that it bounced off the back of the net and out, and the goal wasn't awarded until a review. It was his 28th of the season and the 759th of his career.

"It's not fun to play two periods without a goal," Ovechkin said. "Going into the third period 2-0, you have to work hard and make a push. That's what we did. I think we find a way, and we take it."

This year's team has dealt with injuries to key players like Backstrom and, like every other team, COVID-19. But they've faced adversity in the past, and the reason they've been able to continually contend is largely because of Ovechkin. The window isn't closed until Ovechkin shuts it himself.

"There are a few guys in the room there that have been here for quite some time that has had a heavy hand in the direction of this team. And he's a guy that has made the most every year that he's had," coach Peter Laviolette said. "It may not all be career years, but yet the organization and team remains successful. He has a big part of that. It shouldn't surprise."

What does surprise is the fact that he could soon break Wayne Gretzky's record of 894 goals, the most in NHL history. Ovechkin still has to pass Jaromir Jagr and Gordie Howe on the NHL's all-time goals list, but he's been on pace for roughly a 50-goal season for the last few months, and his incredible durability has many around him believing that he will break that record.

Gretzky thinks he can do it. The general manager who drafted him, George McPhee, thinks he can do it. His teammates, past and present, think he can do what was once unthinkable.

"There are a few of (Gretzky's) records that I didn't think [anyone] would have a chance. We all knew what he could do, but still, it just doesn't make sense to be that guy," former Washington defenseman Karl Alzner told Bleacher Report.

"You know, if he beats that record, which we think he will, he'd be pretty damn close to 900 goals. It's insane to think, 900 goals. The fact that this has a good chance to fall is very, very neat."

1,626 goals in this segment 🤯 #NHLonTNT pic.twitter.com/Q49KrTRXOv

— NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) October 14, 2021

What is it, exactly, that's allowing a 36-year-old winger to make history like this? 

"Well, I guess still have fun. I still love the game," Ovechkin said. "I'm enjoying being on the ice, off the ice, spend time with this group of guys. So I think that's the most important thing."

***

Ovechkin is in the midst of his 17th NHL season, but it's quite possible that his most famous goal came during his first. It's become known as "The Goal" because there really isn't any other way to describe it. It came on January 16, 2006, against the Phoenix Coyotes, who were then coached by Gretzky.

Ovechkin intercepted a puck in the neutral zone, entered the Phoenix zone with speed, went one-on-one with defenseman Paul Mara and beat goalie Brian Boucher while sliding on his back.

It's funny that this became the goal he was best known for, considering he's famous for ripping one-timers from the circle—especially on the power play where he ranks first all-time with 276.

However, it further illustrates how dangerous and dynamic of a scorer he has always been. Ovechkin's reputation preceded him before that 52-goal, Calder Trophy-winning season.

He was drafted with the first overall pick in 2004 as a Russian Super League phenom and came to the NHL after the 2004-05 lockout ended.

McPhee, now the president of hockey operations for the Vegas Golden Knights, was tasked with rebuilding the Capitals after a last-place finish in 2003-04. The club traded Jagr, Peter Bondra, Robert Lang, Sergei Gonchar, Michael Nylander, Anson Carter and Mike Grier that season and needed a new franchise face.

Ovechkin had been projected as the first overall pick for two years at that point, with the Florida Panthers attempting to draft him as a 17-year-old the year before (he missed the cutoff date for draft eligibility in 2003 by just two days).

McPhee took a trip to the Czech Republic to watch Ovechkin in the IIHF World Championships and booked the same hotel as the Russian team in an attempt to talk to the teenage forward before any agents or handlers could coach him on what to say to executives.

"He was then what he is today: wide open," McPhee told B/R. "And we had a great conversation and thought that he really had the personality and what it would take to be a great player in this league."

In a league that tends to be somewhat devoid of personality, the big, bold Ovechkin has stood apart from the rest.

"For me, coming in here with Sergei Fedorov on one hand and then Ovi on the other hand, Sergei Fedorov is kind of like quiet. He just kind of exudes confidence. Everybody's watching everything he does. Whatever Feds does is cool. Right?" Alzner said.

"Then you have Ovi, who was younger too, so there's that, but he was louder. He has headphones on singing at the top of his lungs like you would sing in the shower by yourself, and he was kind of funny. I was watching Feds because I wanted to know everything that he did, but I was watching Ovi because you couldn't take your eyes away from how funny he was."

Ovechkin would often be seen walking around in giant Beats by Dre headphones, singing everything from Rihanna to Russian music. Teammates could hear him in the hallway of Capital One Arena and in the dressing room at that practice facility.

"He would just belt it out," Alzner said. "It was like no shame."

It's become part of his charm. He hydrates with soda during games and slams Red Bulls in his luxury sports cars while driving teammates to games in high-speed rides. He plays basketball and tennis during the offseason.

The gregarious personality endeared him to a generation of fans and made fans of his own teammates in the dressing room.

"You come into this league, and you think that everyone's dialed in with their diet and the way that they take care of their bodies and stuff. And then you see him and Backie like drinking Pepsis and stuff in between periods, and it's like, 'Oh, these guys are doing it then I've got to do it,'" Alzner said. "

Then you gotta have the team that's cracking Pepsi's in between periods and stuff, and you just think that it's just normal. Right? And he proved or showed to us that you can be successful in different ways than you expect."

Every young player of a certain caliber draws comparisons to greats of the past, and that was true to a certain extent with Ovechkin, who was often compared to one of his idols, Mario Lemieux. But he quickly forged his own identity with his high-flying, hard-hitting style of play.

The Great 8 has nearly 3,000 hits in his career. The 6'3", 238-pound left wing absolutely destroys opponents along the wall and makes it tough to get positioning around the net.

He has never been afraid to play an exceptionally physical brand of hockey, even if some wondered whether or not it would shorten his career. The perseverance and effort he uses to create offense, pass and score remain exceptional.

"He'll do anything to score," McPhee said. "There are all kinds of different ways, and he'll be able to play a long time and score goals because he can sit in his office there on the power play and score goals until he's 40. Nobody is gonna be able to stop that." 

***

It's 2018 and the Capitals finally made it out of the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1998. They defeated their postseason nemesis, the Pittsburgh Penguins, eliminated the heavy favorites, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and they're playing another McPhee-built team in the Vegas Golden Knights.

Marc-Andre Fleury makes a spectacular save on John Carlson at the start of the third period in Game 3. But then he loses his net trying to contain the rebound, and it starts a scramble. Ovechkin, falling over once again, swipes a rebound past an outstretched Fleury.

We all know what happened next: The Caps won that game 3-1 and won the next two to win the Stanley Cup.

It kicked off an epic celebration in the nation's capital. Who can forget Ovechkin swimming with the Stanley Cup at the Georgetown Fountain?

It secured his legacy after years of brutal postseason losses. Throughout the Ovi era, Washington always looked the part of a juggernaut. The Capitals won the President's Trophy in 2010, 2016 and 2017, but the early playoff exits naturally led to questions about Ovechkin's leadership.

"With a loss comes finger-pointing and trying to figure out where the issues are. And of course, all the players that are at the top have that much more responsibility," Alzner said.

"And I think they feel the pressure a little bit more to so I'm not sure how he felt. But I know that everybody is thinking to themselves, 'We have all these great players here. How come we're not getting to that next level? Like what's the issue?'"

But those close to the team say the leadership was never the issue. McPhee still lauds the way he absorbed the criticism in an effort to keep the heat off of his teammates. The organization went through several changes.

McPhee was replaced by his childhood friend and Bowling Green teammate Brian MacLellan in 2014. Ovechkin played for four head coaches in his first decade in the league and has played for three others since winning the Stanley Cup.

An unconventional player on the ice, his leadership is described as that as well. It doesn't work for everyone, but it's worked in Washington.

"He's extremely unique. You know, I think when you grow up, and everyone's like, 'This is what a leader needs to look like, this is what a leader is, this is what a normal leader looks like.' I don't think that's a picture of O standing there," Capitals forward Tom Wilson said.

"Like, he's one of the most unique guys. If you haven't spent time with him, there's just no way to describe him. I think he's one of the best teammates. He has a ton of fun, and he wants to win, but I think for him, there's time to be enjoying the game and be at the rink and having fun. But when he gets on the ice, he just wants to win. And that brings everybody in.

"So I mean, he has this way of making everybody around them feel extremely comfortable. There are guys that come here, and they change their careers. Like, their career is in a dive, they come here, they hang out with O, and their careers are reborn."

In some ways, Ovechkin, who was recently named an All-Star for the 12th time but will not participate in the game because of a positive COVID-19 test, is a different person than he was when he entered the league. 

He married Russian actress and film producer Anastasia Shubskaya in 2017. The couple now has two sons, Sergei—named after his late older brother who would take him to hockey practices and games growing up in Moscow—and Ilya.

Sergei is now three and is a presence around practices, playing with his mini sticks and taking shots on the same ice as his dad. Ilya will be two this year, and his father is confident he will like hockey as well.

But in other ways, he's exactly the same, scoring on those deadly one-timers and playing with infectious, childlike enthusiasm. Winning another Stanley Cup remains the priority, but as he closes in on Gretzky's record, the chase becomes impossible to ignore.

"I don't think anybody could ever imagine that he's doing this, although I know I said something years ago on a podcast," McPhee said. "In an interview, I said that he's a guy that could break Gretzky's record. And, and lo and behold, he's here." 

Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky believes that Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin will likely surpass his all-time NHL goals record, and the Hall of Famer said he will be happy to see the day it happens.

"It's not even a question that he will pass me, and I think it's great," Gretzky told David Waldstein of the New York Times (h/t NHL.com). "He's well on his way to 40 or 50 goals this year, maybe more. There is no doubt that ultimately he will break the record."

Ovechkin has 22 goals in 31 games this season, which is second in the NHL behind Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl. He now has 752 goals in his career, putting him 143 away from overtaking Gretzky's all-time mark of 894.

Gretzky, who retired in 1999, played 20 NHL seasons for the Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers.

A 17-year veteran, Ovechkin already passed Marcel Dionne (731 goals) and Brett Hull (741) this season to move into fourth place on the NHL all-time list. He's 14 goals away from passing Jaromir Jagr (766) for third. Gordie Howe sits in second with 801 goals.

Gretzky called himself Ovechkin's "biggest fan." The NHL on TNT analyst revealed that he sends supportive texts to Ovechkin if he goes a few days without scoring.

Ovechkin signed a five-year contract extension with Washington this offseason. Gretzky praised Ovechkin for his impact on the sport of hockey earlier this year.

"If he can stay healthy, I think this is the greatest thing for the game," Gretzky said before the season. "I think it's a positive. He's been so good for not only the NHL, but he's been great for hockey in Russia. He's been great for hockey worldwide.

"So I'm just one of his biggest fans and it's only good for the game if he can break the record," he continued. "So he just has to be relaxed, and it's going to take two, three, four years, but eventually he's probably going to break the record."

American Thanksgiving has passed, which means hockey fans are free to look at the standings.

The holiday serves as a benchmark that signals the unofficial start of playoff races. With two months of play complete and teams hitting the 20-game mark, we have an idea of team identities, strengths and areas that will be targeted as we approach the March 21 trade deadline.

We can start to determine which teams have chances and which teams do not.

But that isn't easy in the Metropolitan Division. The last-place team, the New York Islanders, was a game away from reaching the Stanley Cup Final last season. Metro teams hold the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, and two others are within four points. The Washington Capitals lead the NHL with 33 points, and the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers sit right behind them. It is an incredibly tight division.

No offense to the Atlantic Division, but if the Boston Bruins have any shot of making the playoffs, they will likely need to bump the Florida Panthers, the Toronto Maple Leafs or the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning out of a playoff spot in their division. The Bruins could still bring back free-agent goalie Tuukka Rask and make a run, but with so many good teams in the Metro Division, it's an uphill battle for everyone in the Eastern Conference. 

Each team in this division started the season with playoff hopes, except for maybe the Columbus Blue Jackets. But Columbus has improved quickly, which has made for a crowded division. It's difficult to handicap this race because so much of the season is left and things like injuries will factor into performances, so we'll look at each team and determine whether its playoff hopes are legitimate or not.

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The teams at the top

Let's start with the three best. Carolina, Washington and the Rangers are pulling away from the rest of the division.

Alexander Ovechkin looks ageless with 19 goals. The captain netted a hat trick Friday against the Panthers, and while that might be standard for Ovi, it's not every day you see a 36-year-old score at that pace.

He's putting up 1.68 points per game, which ranks third in the NHL, and has recaptured some magic with Evgeny Kuznetsov. A reinvigorated Kuznetsov is important—for himself, considering the Caps looked into offloading him over the summer, but especially for the depleted lineup.

T.J. Oshie is out with a foot injury, Anthony Mantha is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury, Lars Eller has been in COVID-19 protocol since Nov. 16, Nicklas Backstrom started the season on injured reserve after offseason hip surgery, and Conor Sheary and Justin Schultz are both day-to-day.

The subplot is Ovechkin's chase to match Wayne Gretzky's all-time scoring record. He needs 145 to match the Great One's record of 894 goals, and with the way he's playing, he could knock off 30 more this season.

Carolina is one of the best possession teams in the league in 5-on-5. This has been the Hurricanes' calling card for a few years. It's a straightforward approach: Shoot the puck. A lot. The best defense in today's NHL is offense.

Buoyed by elite shooters like Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho, Carolina started the season winning nine straight. A plus-23 goal differential suggests these numbers are sustainable, and this has been an elite team for years.

Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta might not be an elite goaltending tandem, but Andersen is having a bounce-back season. Until he slips, the doubters can remain quiet. 

The Rangers have been among the worst teams in the league at 5-on-5. Per NaturalStatTrick.com, their 45.19 Corsi percentage is the lowest in the NHL. The bulk of their offense has come from Chris Kreider (15 goals). Only 37 of the team's 59 goals have been scored at even strength. But they're defending well and have had elite goaltending from Igor Shesterkin. 

The Rangers have made it known they would like to take the next step in their rebuild and make the playoffs. This could be the year, and it should with the high-end talent they possess, but they might be on the bubble with other teams on their heels.

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The teams in the middle

A cluster of teams is within a few points of one another. The Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins each have 24 points. The New Jersey Devils have 22, and the Philadelphia Flyers have 20. The Blue Jackets and Devils are on the upswing, and the Flyers and Penguins appear to be hanging on, trying to stave off rebuilds. 

The Penguins are sticking around in the standings because of goalie Tristan Jarry. Last year, some blamed Jarry for Pittsburgh's lack of success. The club cleared the path for Jarry by parting ways with Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray, and many wondered if that was the right move, especially as Fleury played Vezina-caliber hockey in Las Vegas. 

Some of the criticism was valid, but Jarry is proving to be the No. 1 goalie the club envisioned he would be. 

After shutting out the Islanders on Friday, Jarry's .936 save percentage is tied for third in the league, and his mark of 9.63 goals saved above average is the third-best. His performance has been crucial considering the Penguins went without Sidney Crosby to start the season and Evgeni Malkin is still on IR. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wPZz2_Rlr4

The Devils and the Blue Jackets have a road map in place. They know where they want to go, and they're attempting to get there through talent development. New Jersey is seeing good results as players like Dawson Mercer and Yegor Sharangovich play big roles. When the Devils finally get Jack Hughes healthy again, they could be dangerous. 

But the Flyers are in a tough spot. They have lost six straight, and the season appears to be falling apart. The lack of roster depth has been exposed as injuries to key players like Ryan Ellis have piled up. Philadelphia is in a precarious spot and may need to blow it up and start trying to retain assets. It's right up against the salary cap, so it's tough for general manager Chuck Fletcher to make any moves that might improve the team in the short term.

The one good thing the Flyers have going for them is their draft capital. They have all but one pick each of the next two years. It's time for them to get younger, and they can do that with high picks and prospects. It might not be a palatable move, but Claude Giroux is in the final year of his contract, so trading the captain at the deadline might be a painful but necessary move.

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The Islanders

What to make of the Islanders? Many (myself included) picked them to win the division. The team seemed poised for another long playoff run. A new arena. A top coach. This was supposed to be the year it came together.

It still could be. We know the Islanders are capable of reeling off five, six, seven or even eight wins at a time. Instead, they've lost eight straight. They're 5-10-2 with only 12 points.

How can a Stanley Cup contender be this bad?

You could start with COVID-19. The Isles have eight players in COVID protocol, and their next two games are postponed. The league was late on postponing games, forcing them to play with as many as seven players in protocol.

Plus, they're without defenseman Ryan Pulock because of injury, and Brock Nelson is hurt too. 

It's still early, but is it getting late early for the Islanders? This team has proved doubters wrong many times in the past. Barry Trotz and his system are never really out of the game. But with the division this competitive, one of the Eastern Conference favorites could be left out this spring.

Alex Ovechkin, one of the greatest goal scorers in NHL history, passed St. Louis Blues legend and Hall of Famer Brett Hull for fourth on the league's all-time goals scored list when he notched his 742nd goal Friday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

🚨 MOVING ON UP 🚨

Alex Ovechkin (@ovi8) nets his 742nd career goal to pass Brett Hull for fourth on the NHL all-time goals scored list. pic.twitter.com/xi3QmheWn7

— NHL (@NHL) November 13, 2021

Where were you when @ovi8 scored No. 742? pic.twitter.com/UAxGbA70KF

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 13, 2021

Ovechkin had tied Hull for fourth on the list on Monday in a 5-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres and moved past fifth-place Marcel Dionne in Washington's season opener. He is now just 24 goals shy of tying Pittsburgh Penguins great Jaromir Jagr (766 career goals) for the third spot on the list. 

Edmonton Oilers legend Wayne Gretzky (894 goals) and Detroit Red Wings great Gordie Howe (801 goals) still lead the list. 

Update the leaderboard! #NHLTonight pic.twitter.com/ZIjJLYVChF

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) November 13, 2021

Ovechkin, 36, signed a five-year deal with the Capitals during the offseason, so he could very well challenge Howe for the second spot on the list. He is out to a hot start this season with 12 goals and 11 assists after being limited to a career-worst 24 goals during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season.

Depending on how long he continues playing, the nine-time Rocket Richard winner could also potentially challenge Gretzky to become the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer, which no one ever thought would be possible. Gretzky has been the NHL's leading scorer since 1994, when he tallied his 802 goal to pass Howe. 

The Capitals drafted Ovechkin first overall in 2004, and he began his career with 15 consecutive 30-plus goal seasons. He has tallied 50-plus goals eight times in his 17-year career and notched a career-high 65 goals during the 2007-08 season. 

The Moscow native is a Stanley Cup champion, 12-time All-Star and three-time Hart Trophy winner in addition to being a nine-time Rocket Richard winner. He also won the 2007-08 Art Ross Trophy, the 2005-06 Calder Trophy and the 2017-18 Conn Smythe Trophy.  

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin continues to work his way up the NHL record books.

With a goal in the second period of Monday's game against the Buffalo Sabres, Ovechkin tied Brett Hull for fourth place on the all-time goals list. It was his 11th goal of the season and 741st of his career.

Another #Gr8 goal pic.twitter.com/T3sIad2RRG

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 9, 2021

Ovechkin now sits behind Jaromir Jagr (766), Gordie Howe (801) and Wayne Gretzky (894). The 36-year-old Russian has showed no signs of slowing down.

Entering Monday's game, Ovechkin (11) was tied with Edmonton Oilers left winger Leon Draisaitl (10) for the league lead in goals. He was third in total points (18) behind Draisaitl (23) and Oilers center Connor McDavid (22), and he had the outright lead in shots on goal with eight more than any other player.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 draft, Ovechkin is regarded as one of the best players in NHL history. He's a three-time Hart Trophy winner as the league's MVP. The 11-time All-Star has also won the Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal scorer nine times, including each of the past three seasons.

Ovechkin has spent his entire 17-year career in Washington. He helped lead the Capitals to the Stanley Cup title in 2018. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason MVP that year.

The Capitals were on a three-game losing streak prior to Monday's game against Buffalo. Washington will have a few days off before returning to action on Thursday in a road matchup against the Detroit Red Wings.

Washington Capitals captain and left wing Alexander Ovechkin continued his climb up the NHL's career goal lists on Saturday.

Ovechkin's second-period goal in his team's 2-1 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals gave him 804 (including playoffs), putting him alone in fifth on the NHL's all-time goalscoring list.

Shake rattle and he's on a roll! pic.twitter.com/mIBtuVinXz

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 17, 2021

Alex Ovechkin of the @Capitals scored his 804th career NHL goal (regular season & playoffs) and passed Mark Messier (803) for sole possession of the fifth-highest combined total in League history. #NHLFaceOff#NHLStats: https://t.co/npIuroWidG pic.twitter.com/UgG9X7aP7D

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) October 17, 2021

He surpassed former Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers great Mark Messier, who has 803 lifetime.

Ovechkin also scored twice in his team's 5-1 season-opening win over the New York Rangers to give him 732 regular-season goals. That put him fifth on the regular-season list, one ahead of Los Angeles Kings legend Marcel Dionne (731).

Fourth is also in sight, per the Capitals' public relations department:

Alex Ovechkin scores to give the Caps a 1-0 lead. He's now nine goals shy of passing Brett Hull (741g) for fourth on the NHL's all-time goals list.

— Capitals PR (@CapitalsPR) October 17, 2021

The 36-year-old Ovechkin, who has played for the Caps since 2005, will look to continue his torrid goalscoring start when Washington hosts the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET from Capital One Arena.