NHL
Jordan Ramsay
April 3, 2025

NHL Odds: Alex Ovechkin favoured to break Gretzky’s goal record against Blue Jackets

For a long time it’s been a matter of when, not if, Alex Ovechkin will break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal-scoring record. And it increasingly looks like the Capitals legend will score goal No. 895 this season.

So, which team will be unlucky enough to give up the record? Let’s take a look.

Ovechkin started the year needing 42 goals to break the record and he was roughly 10-1 to do it this season.

That 10-1 number immediately began to drop after Ovi scored seven goals in his first 10 games and despite missing five weeks with a broken leg, oddsmakers are essentially saying he’ll break the record this season and the bigger question is now which team it will come against.

The favourite right now is for Ovechkin to break Gretzky’s record against Columbus. The Capitals have a home-and-home against the Blue Jackets next weekend, Saturday afternoon in Columbus and Sunday night in Washington.

I’m not convinced Ovechkin needs another 10 or so days to break the record. Gretzky and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman are travelling to all Washington games until the record is broken, so I think Ovi will find a way to make it happen quickly.

The Capitals also play the Islanders two more times this season and Ovechkin has torched New York for 44 goals in 71 career games. I think Ovi breaks the record Sunday afternoon on Long Island or Thursday night against Carolina in front of a home crowd.