After matching Wayne Gretzky`s record with two goals at a home game on Friday, Alex Ovechkin made history on Sunday by scoring his 895th career goal against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena, officially surpassing Gretzky on the NHL`s all-time goals list.
Despite being an away game, the NHL and the Islanders paused the match for a special ceremony to honor Ovechkin`s achievement as the Washington Capitals` greatest player. Gretzky himself was present, delivering a congratulatory speech, the first of many accolades from prominent figures in sports and beyond.
Shortly after Ovechkin reached this new goal-scoring milestone, the NHL released a 90-second video featuring congratulations from numerous legendary figures across sports and entertainment.
Unsurprisingly, many hockey legends like Mark Messier, Sidney Crosby, Jeremy Roenick, Martin Brodeur, Sergey Federov, Marie-Philip Poulin, Hilary Knight, PK Subban, and Doc Emrick shared messages for Ovechkin. Washington sports icons such as Jayden Daniels, Elena Delle Donne, and Ryan Zimmerman also expressed their admiration for one of D.C.`s most celebrated athletes.
The NHL also included congratulations from major stars in other sports, including Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, Simone Biles, LeBron James, Roger Federer, Buster Posey, and Derek Jeter, as well as personalities from TV, music, and film like Steve Carrell, Snoop Dogg, Dave Coulier, Pat Monahan, Vince Vaughn, and Pat Sajak.
This diverse group of well-wishers highlights Ovechkin`s significant impact and his standing not only among hockey`s elite but in the broader sports world.
