Alex Ovechkin became the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer earlier this year. He continued to make history on Thursday.
In an 8-4 blowout win over the Montreal Canadiens, the Washington Capitals legend scored the 33rd hat trick of his NHL career. Those goals also represent the 905th, 906th and 907th goals of his career.
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With those three goals, Ovechkin became the sixth player in NHL history to score a hat trick in his 40s, joining Jaromir Jagr, Gordie Howe (three times), Johnny Bucyk (twice), Teemu Selanne and Nicklas Lidstrom. At 40 years and 64 days old, he represents the ninth oldest player to accomplish the feat.
Ovechkin’s 33 hat trick also ties him with Brett Hull for the fourth-most all-time, behind Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Mike Bossy.
Alex Ovechkin is moving further and further into the 900-goal club. (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Ovechkin began his season in a small slump, with only two goals in his first 12 games. It’s been a different story recently, with seven goals and three assists in his past six games, a span of time in which the Capitals are 4-1-1.
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It’s unclear how much time Ovechkin has to further enter uncharted territory in the record books. He has declined to say if the 2025-26 season will be his last in the NHL, but his contract is up next summer and there has long been speculation he wants to play his final years in his native Russia. He’s already done plenty in his 21 seasons with the Capitals, and Thursday was simply a continuation of that.
