WINNIPEG — Dylan Strome wasn't alive when Wayne Gretzky passed Gordie Howe.
The Great One scored the 802nd regular-season goal of his NHL career on March 23, 1994, to unseat Mr. Hockey for top spot in the record book.
Strome wouldn't be born for three more years. The Washington Capitals centre has, however, seen the replay of Gretzky's milestone more times than he can count.
"(Marty) McSorley passing it to him backdoor," Strome recounted from memory. "Him running across the ice … and the celebration that ensued."
A mark once thought untouchable — Gretzky finished with 894 goals when he retired — is being chased down by Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin. Along with putting up a memorable season as a team, the Capitals are enjoying the history-making ride.
Ovechkin sits just six goals back of passing No. 99 with 12 games remaining on Washington's regular-season schedule. He's scored an impressive 36 times across 55 games in 2024-25 after missing 16 contests with a broken leg.
The 39-year-old with a mesmerizing shot that has fooled opponents for two decades sits on the cusp of something special.
"You can't even really wrap your head around it," Strome said earlier this week before Washington faced the Winnipeg Jets. "You think what might happen or how it's gonna feel."
The buzz around the team continues to grow.
"It's kind of a rock star tour right now," said Capitals winger Tom Wilson.
The bruising forward added that Ovechkin, who scored goal No. 889 in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime loss to Winnipeg, hasn't missed a beat as captain of the NHL's first-place club throughout his goal quest after beginning the season 41 back of Gretzky.
"I've been extremely proud," Wilson said. "Everybody's gonna be able to tell their kids about it one day. He's a great friend, a great teammate, and it's just been a lot of fun."
He added that the pressure on Ovechkin every night is immense.
"This is bigger than the game," Wilson said. "To watch him carry it and continue to be himself and continue to chip in and do everything for this team, it's been pretty special. It's something that I'm trying to take in."
Washington head coach Spencer Carbery has caught himself thinking about what's unfolding — and how it will be talked about for generations — during quiet moments over the last few months.
"With how close he is, you can feel it on the bench," said the second-year bench boss. "You can feel it every time he touches the puck in every building."
Capitals defenceman Jakob Chychrun is in his first season playing alongside Ovechkin after arriving via trade.
"He's like nothing I would have expected in the best way possible," Chychrun said. "A guy that's really loved here, and really is the life of this group. Watching him growing up — great memories — and to be here now with him, and playing with him and getting to know him has just been a blast."
Ovechkin's pursuit of hockey immortality has galvanized a roster that tops the league standings with 103 points.
"It's something everybody wants to be a part of," Wilson said. "When he scores a goal, it's just a feeling of accomplishment … something everyone's going to remember."
Strome, who centres Washington's top line between Ovechkin and Aliaksei Protas, said every skater in the locker room has probably thought about setting up the record-breaking goal — and being part of the modern McSorley-to-Gretzky moment.
"If it happens, it happens," Strome said with a smile. "Every one of his goals is now history, and it's cool to be a part of anything that goes along with it."
Ovechkin is on the verge of accomplishing something once thought impossible. His teammates are doing their best to take it all in.
"Loves to score goals," Strome added. "Maybe that's why he's closing in on the most all-time.
"We're just happy to be along for the ride."
4 NATIONS BOOST
Ovechkin isn't the only NHL greybeard having a strong finish to the regular season.
Since the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament last month, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby sits tied for third in the league with 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 16 games.
The 37-year-old also leads in even-strength points over that span with 17.
MCKENNA'S MARK
Gavin McKenna, a 17-year-old phenom from Whitehorse projected to go No. 1 at the 2026 NHL draft, provided an emphatic finish to the Western Hockey League's regular-season schedule at the other end of high-level hockey's age spectrum.
The Medicine Hat Tigers centre, who finished with an outrageous 129 points in 2024-25, registered 11 goals and 15 assists over his final six games as attention shifts to the WHL playoffs.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 26, 2025.
Joshua Clipperton's weekly NHL notebook is published every Wednesday.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
