Here are the top 25 NHL goal leaders of all time originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Great 8 is moving in on the Great One.
Alex Ovechkin is now just a few healthy and productive seasons away from surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time scoring record of 894 goals, long believed to be unbreakable.
The Washington Capitals star, having scored 50 goals last season, enters the 2022-2023 campaign third all-time with 780 goals.
The 37-year-old Ovechkin is expected to become the third member of the NHL’s highly-exclusive 800-club this season and pass the legendary Gordie Howe, who is second in league history with 801 goals.
Ovechkin signed a five-year contract with the Capitals in 2021, so as long as Ovi continues to produce goals at the clip he has been, there very well could be a new No. 1 all-time goal leader in the NHL in the next three or four seasons.
Ovechkin, with the ninth 50-plus goal season of his career last year, passed Brett Hull (741) and Jaromir Jagr (766). He will look to continue his climb up the NHL’s all-time scoring leaders list when the Capitals open their season on Oct. 12 against the Boston Bruins.
Who are the NHL’s all-time goal leaders?
Ovechkin is now the only active NHLer who is in the top 25 in all-time goals.
San Jose Sharks star Patrick Marleau announced his retirement in May, finishing No. 23 on the scoring list with 566 goals.
The next active player on the list is Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby, who sits at No. 39 with 517 goals.
Here’s a look at the top 25 goal scorers of all time:
1. Wayne Gretzky: 894
2. Alex Ovechkin: 780
3. Gordie Howe: 801
4. Jaromir Jagr: 766
5. Brett Hull: 741
6. Marcel Dionne: 731
7. Phil Esposito: 717
8. Mike Gartner: 708
9. Mark Messier: 694
10. Steve Yzerman: 692
11. Mario Lemieux: 690
12. Teemu Selanne: 684
13. Luc Robitaille: 668
14. Brendan Shanahan: 656
15. Dave Andreychuk: 640
16. Joe Sakic: 625
17. Jarome Iginla: 625
18. Bobby Hull: 610
19. Dino Ciccarelli: 608
20. Jari Kurri: 601
21. Mark Recchi: 577
22. Mike Bossy: 573
23. Patrick Marleau: 566
24. Joe Nieuwendyk: 564
25. Mats Sundin: 564
