Peter Laviolette, the coach of the New York Rangers, expressed confidence in Alex Ovechkin's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's NHL goal record, stating, "Not a crazy thing at all," before their game against the Washington Capitals. Ovechkin netted his 872nd career goal in a match that ended 7-4 in favor of the Capitals, closing in on Gretzky's all-time record of 894 goals, which once seemed insurmountable.

Despite a broken leg that sidelined him for 16 games, Ovechkin has returned with remarkable vigor, scoring four goals in five games since his comeback. Teammate Connor McMichael praised Ovechkin's talent and influence on the team, noting, "He’s been helping our team win night in and night out." Ovechkin is now just one goal shy of achieving at least 20 goals for every season of his career, an extraordinary milestone.