GR8NESS: OVI’S CHASE FOR 700: As Alex Ovechkin approaches 700 career NHL goals, PHT is going to examine all aspects of his goal-scoring prowess. We’ll break down and provide context for his amazing stats, project if he can top Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894, and take a look at his most important goals.
0.61 - Average goals per game in 1,138 regular season NHL games
4 - Shorthanded goals
7 - Members of the 700-goal club: Mike Gartner (708), Phil Esposito (717), Marcel Dionne (731), Brett Hull (741), Jaromir Jagr (766), Gordie Howe (801), Wayne Gretzky (894)
8 - Number of Rocket Richard Trophies
12 - Penalty shot goals
14 - Number of goals he’s scored in his last eight games
28 - Career hat tricks, including three in his last eight games
31 - Games missed in his 15-season NHL career. Only 17 have been due to injury
39 - Number of empty net goals
110 - Game-winning goals
120 - Career goals Ovechkin has scored in January, the most of any month
140 - NHL goalies who have allowed a goal against Ovechkin
259 - Power play goals
259 - Total assists by Nicklas Backstrom on Ovechkin goals
345 - Goals scored at Capital One Arena
353 - Goals scored on the road
504 - Number of goals scored in Capitals wins
698 - Total goals scored through Friday
5,485 - Number of shots Ovechkin has taken in his career, the most by any NHL forward since 2005-06. Eric Staal is second over that span with 3,667.
23,831:15 - Total minutes played, the most by any NHL forward since 2005-06
MOST GOALS VS. NHL TEAMS
48 vs. Tampa (72 games)
43 vs. Carolina (81 games)
41 vs. Toronto (50 games)
39 vs. Florida (65 games) and New York Islanders (57 games)
FEWEST GOALS VS. NHL TEAMS
3 vs. Vegas Golden Knights (5 games)
8 vs. Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche (19 games each)
9 vs. Vancouver Canucks (20 games)
EVERY GOALIE WHO HAS ALLOWED A GOAL TO OVECHKIN
Ovechkin continues his pursuit of goal No. 700 Saturday night against the Flyers and Monday against the Islanders.
MORE:
• My Favorite Goal: Ovechkin scores ‘The Goal’ as a rookie
• Looking back at Ovechkin’s incredible January
• Ovechkin honors late Kobe Bryant with No. 24 jersey
• Crosby, Kane, Ovechkin highlight NHL’s All-Decade Team
————
Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.