"Before Gretzky was anywhere close to being in his sights, Alex Ovechkin first had to climb the ladder of the NHL's all-time goal-scorers. It seemed an almost monthly occurrence that he would knock another rung off that ladder - crossing into the 700s and passing Mike Gartner (708), then Phil Esposito (717), Marcel Dionne (731), and Brett Hull (741)."
"It was when he inched closer to the top three that things started to really feel...possible. And the first of those three was former Cap and longtime thorn in the side of DC fans, Jaromir Jagr, who had been sitting at 766 since November 2017. Ovechkin tied Jagr on March 8 against the Flames - oddly enough, the last team Jagr himself played for and the jersey he was wearing when he scored #766."
"Alex, 'The Great 8,' congratulations. Now you've become the leading NHL goal-scorer among European players, but keep scoring. Keep scoring, because as you know, I didn't retire from hockey yet and there's a chance I might come back to the NHL and start chasing you."
Alex Ovechkin steadily climbed the NHL all-time goal list, passing Mike Gartner, Phil Esposito, Marcel Dionne, and Brett Hull. He tied Jaromir Jagr at 766 on March 8, 2022, while Jagr wore his Flames jersey from his #766. On March 15, 2022, against the New York Islanders, Ovechkin scored goal #767 to become the leading European goal-scorer in NHL history. Jaromir Jagr publicly congratulated Ovechkin and teased a possible comeback to chase him. The goal moment featured Ovechkin mic'd up, capturing in-game audio and reactions around the milestone.
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