Alexander Ovechkin is again, and the chase for historical past has resumed.
Ovechkin returned to the Washington lineup on Friday, needing 27 targets to go Wayne Gretzky for the all-time crown. He wasted little time in getting the primary of those who night time, after which added one other on Sunday in Detroit, bringing him to 870 on his profession heading into final night time’s matchup with Boston.
A damaged leg ended up costing Ovechkin simply 16 video games, which is on the low finish of what we had been informed to anticipate. It’s nonetheless a good chunk of time, and implies that catching Gretzky this season is much from a positive factor. Can he nonetheless do it? In fact he can, and everyone knows it.
However when? In spite of everything, should you’re going to construct towards the autumn of arguably the best particular person document within the sport, you’d no less than hope that the hockey gods have a way of drama. And now that he’s again, it’s not too early to look forward at the Capitals’ schedule and marvel: Which video games could be the most effective ones to see some historical past?
Fortunately for these hockey gods, I’ve gone forward and achieved the work for them. Heading into final night time, Ovechkin was 25 targets away from the document, and the Caps had 46 video games left. If we assume that even the game’s best sniper’s absolute ceiling could be to attain at a goal-per-game tempo, that takes us to the primary week of March and a roughly 20-game window by which the document might realistically fall (though we’ll bend that rule with one exception you’ll see beneath).
Let’s rank the most effective and worst video games for it to occur.
The ten greatest
10. Recreation 57: Oilers at Capitals (Feb. 23)
That is that one exception we talked about up above, and it seems like a pipe dream; Ovechkin must rating at higher than a goal-a-game tempo for 2 straight months to get near the document by late February. Nonetheless, seeing him break Gretzky’s document in opposition to the workforce the Nice One scored most of these targets for could be an irresistible twist on the storyline. And because it’s a Sunday afternoon recreation after soccer season, the NHL might have all the sports activities world centered on the drama. I can’t rank this one any increased as a result of it’s so unlikely, but when it ever occurred it will be nearly superb.
9. Recreation 70: Panthers at Capitals (March 22)
This may be my Canadian coloration exhibiting, however I’ve been skilled to consider Saturday nights as hockey’s superb viewing window. That is the one prime-time Saturday recreation the Caps have in March, and it simply so occurs to come back in opposition to the star-studded defending Cup champions who had been additionally the first team to (try to) draft Ovechkin. Let’s simply say it wouldn’t be a tough promote.
8. Recreation 73: Sabres at Capitals (March 30)
Right here’s one thing I solely realized after I sat down to jot down this piece: Of the Capitals’ final dozen video games of the season, solely 4 are at house. That’s… not nice. It goes with out saying that every one 4 of these video games will likely be on our listing, even when having Ovechkin break the document in opposition to the Sabres would possibly really feel a bit like seeing Hank Aaron park house run quantity 715 off of a bit of leaguer. Nonetheless, this can be a Sunday afternoon recreation that would get loads of consideration, so it’s a strong choice.
Watching Ovechkin break the document on commerce deadline day might make for a legendary day of hockey information. (Gregory Shamus / Getty Photographs)
7. Recreation 63: Red Wings at Capitals (March 7)
I went backwards and forwards on this one. March 7 is commerce deadline day, which is at all times one of many greatest dates of any common season and means we’d threat splitting fan consideration between two main tales. However you then assume again to the previous couple of deadlines, the place many of the motion has come within the days earlier than, and deadline day itself includes numerous sitting round on the lookout for one thing to speak about. Mix two of the most important days of the 12 months into one, and you might have the deadline studio reveals lead straight into that night time’s document watch in a seamless all-day hockey firehose.
6. Not till subsequent 12 months (however at house)
Certain, it’s not superb, particularly if Ovechkin had been to get near the document after which fall simply brief. However having him go into subsequent season a couple of targets shy wouldn’t be the worst factor on this planet. It will give the NHL a whole offseason to advertise the finale to the chase, and put plans in place to nail the second. Extra importantly, the league might put its thumb on the dimensions when it comes to the October schedule, beginning the Caps off with a protracted homestand in opposition to big-market rivals to maximise the second’s affect.
5. Recreation 62: Capitals at Rangers (March 5)
If he can’t break the document at house, having him do it in an enormous media market like New York may be the subsequent best choice from the league’s perspective. In that case, it’s much more prone to occur in opposition to the Islanders, who host the Caps in video games 77 and 81, and people video games come late sufficient within the season that you might completely make a case for both of them to crack this listing. As a substitute, I’m going with an admittedly much less probably situation, the place Ovechkin stays scorching sufficient to enter Madison Sq. Backyard seeking to break the document on TNT within the constructing Gretzky performed his last recreation in.
4. Recreation 78: Hurricanes at Capitals (April 10)
This could be late sufficient within the season to hold loads of drama, however early sufficient that the suspense wouldn’t get uncomfortable. The league would possibly even favor to get the document chase achieved with in time for the late-season playoff bubble to reclaim the highlight. And as a bonus, this may very well be a playoff preview, and there’s sufficient history with the Hurricanes that they wouldn’t wish to be the workforce that needed to watch the celebration. Not a nasty choice in any respect.
3. Recreation 76: Blackhawks at Capitals (April 4)
It’s a Friday night time, which isn’t superb from a TV perspective, however in any other case it’s onerous to argue with this decide. You’d have the league’s favourite massive market serving as an opponent, with an added dose of Authentic Six historical past. You’d have fellow first-overall decide Connor Bedard on the opposite aspect to see the document fall, making for a pleasant torch-passing vibe. And with solely two different video games on the slate, that is the closest the Caps come to having an evening all to themselves down the stretch.
2. Recreation 82: Capitals at Penguins (April 17)
It’s not house ice, however in any other case this one is nearly excellent. Having Ovechkin going into the ultimate night time of the season with one final shot at historical past could be unbelievable drama. And having it occur in opposition to the workforce and participant that has served as his greatest rival throughout his career? Icing on the cake.
It’d be onerous, however not unattainable, to prime Ovechkin breaking the document in opposition to Sidney Crosby and the Penguins. (Geoff Burke / Imagn Photographs)
1. Recreation 80: Blue Jackets at Capitals (April 13)
With a handful of exceptions, many of the video games on our listing have been house video games, for apparent causes. Whereas Ovechkin figures to get an enormous ovation irrespective of the place he breaks the document, the second will resonate much more if he can do it in entrance of the followers who’ve been cheering him on for almost twenty years. That is the Capitals’ final regular-season house recreation of the 12 months, so if he’s simply in need of the document at this level, the “last probability” stress will likely be off the charts. That’s sufficient to nudge it simply forward of the Penguins recreation on my listing.
The 5 worst
5. Recreation 74: Capitals at Bruins (April 1)
At first look, this is able to be a recreation between two playoff groups, even a possible first-round preview, and would see the document fall in an Authentic Six market. So positive, it looks like a good choice… till you double-check the date. Do you actually wish to see each two-bit comic in your social feed dropping hilarious “Ovechkin breaks the document! Simply kidding” pranks for 3 straight hours? You completely don’t.
4. Recreation 64: Kraken at Capitals (March 9)
All this historical past on the road, after which the document lastly comes in opposition to the league’s newbies? No thanks.
3. Recreation 71: Capitals at Jets (March 25)
That is the one one of many Capitals’ final 20 video games that comes in opposition to a Canadian opponent, and it’s in Canada, which suggests it will be the perfect timing for any Canadian followers who plan to get weirdly patriotic about Gretzky’s document falling to a Russian. Winnipeg followers are cool, and so they’re loud sufficient to provide the second the response it deserves. However all the surface noise and over-the-top takes that may associate with this one? No thanks.
2. Recreation 65: Capitals at Ducks (March 11)
The Caps take their three-game California swing in mid-March, which isn’t nice timing contemplating that this may very well be proper round when the document chase is heating up. Ovechkin is considerably unlikely to be near the document at this level, which is sweet luck for the league, who undoubtedly don’t wish to see historical past occur when japanese sports activities followers are already asleep. The Sharks recreation is a day begin, and no less than if the document fell in Los Angeles you’d have the drama of it coming in opposition to one among Gretzky’s former groups. However a recreation in opposition to the lowly Geese that begins at 10:00 ET on a Tuesday? No thanks.
1. Not till subsequent 12 months (however on the highway)
Let’s face it, essentially the most NHL factor ever could be to enter 2025-26 with Ovechkin one objective away after which begin the Caps with a meandering highway journey via the Pacific Division. You hadn’t even considered that chance till simply now, however now you’re nodding alongside and getting indignant. Something however this one, hockey gods.
(High picture: Patrick Smith / Getty Photographs)
