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At the age of 34, Washington Capitals Captain Alex Ovechkin already has over 40 goals for the 2019-20 season (currently on hiatus) and has already scored the 700th career goal of his NHL career. The question has been discussed whether Ovechkin can pass the NHL’s all-time great, Wayne Gretzky, in career goals. Gretzky’s record of 894 is comparable to Babe Ruth’s career home record in baseball before it was surpassed by Hank Aaron.Ovechkin has exceeded 60 goals just once in his career, during his third season (2007-08), though has generally, reached 40-55 goals over a long period of time. This season, he reached the 700-goal plateau prior to his 35th birthday, something only Gretzky had accomplished. At the time the 2019-20 season paused due to the coronavirus pandemic, Ovechkin had already scored 48 goals, the highest goal total for a 34-year old. Last season, he recorded the second-best, all-time total for a 33-year old with 51 goals, second only to Jaromir Jagr, and the third-best total for a 32-year old, behind only Phil Esposito and Bobby Hull.
The question is … how long can Ovechkin maintain his seasons of reaching and/or exceeding 40-50 goals? If the 2019-20 regular season is ever resumed, there is a good chance that the Caps’ captain could top 50 goals, which would tie Mike Gartner for seventh place on the All-Time Goals Scored list with 708.
Goal Scoring at Age 35
In sports, but in this regard, hockey, as a player passes from their mid-to-late 30’s, goal production begins to go down. Among 35-year olds in NHL history, the highest goal total by a player was 51, accomplished by Johnny Bucyk In 1970-71. There have been two other players who scored 40 goals, Teemu Selanne (2005-06) and Daniel Alfredsson (2007-08). There is a total of 19 players who scored at least 30 goals at age 35.
Rk | Name | Birth Year | Pos | Season | GP | G | A | P | |
1 | CA | Johnny Bucyk | 1935 | F | 1970‑71 | 78 | 51 | 65 | 116 |
2 | FI | Teemu Selänne | 1970 | F | 2005‑06 | 80 | 40 | 50 | 90 |
2 | SE | Daniel Alfredsson | 1972 | F | 2007‑08 | 70 | 40 | 49 | 89 |
4 | CA | Phil Esposito | 1942 | F | 1977‑78 | 79 | 38 | 43 | 81 |
5 | CA | Jean Ratelle | 1940 | F | 1975‑76 | 80 | 36 | 69 | 105 |
5 | CA | Mark Messier | 1961 | F | 1996‑97 | 71 | 36 | 48 | 84 |
5 | CA | Jim Pappin | 1939 | F | 1974‑75 | 71 | 36 | 27 | 63 |
8 | CA | Mario Lemieux | 1965 | F | 2000‑01 | 43 | 35 | 41 | 76 |
8 | CZ | Václav Nedomanský | 1944 | F | 1979‑80 | 79 | 35 | 39 | 74 |
10 | CA | Norm Ullman | 1935 | F | 1970‑71 | 73 | 34 | 51 | 85 |
11 | US | Joe Mullen | 1957 | F | 1992‑93 | 72 | 33 | 37 | 70 |
11 | CA | Maurice Richard | 1921 | F | 1956‑57 | 63 | 33 | 29 | 62 |
13 | CA | Martin St. Louis | 1975 | F | 2010‑11 | 82 | 31 | 68 | 99 |
14 | CA | Frank Mahovlich | 1938 | F | 1973‑74 | 71 | 31 | 49 | 80 |
14 | CA | Rod Brind’Amour | 1970 | F | 2005‑06 | 78 | 31 | 39 | 70 |
14 | CA | Geoff Courtnall | 1962 | F | 1997‑98 | 79 | 31 | 31 | 62 |
17 | CA | Kenny Wharram | 1933 | F | 1968‑69 | 76 | 30 | 39 | 69 |
17 | RU | Sergei Makarov | 1958 | F | 1993‑94 | 80 | 30 | 38 | 68 |
17 | CA | Vic Hadfield | 1940 | F | 1975‑76 | 76 | 30 | 35 | 65 |
Goal Scoring at Age 36 and 37
Among 36-year old players, three scored 40 or more goals: Teemu Selanne (48), Phil Esposito (42), and Brendan Shanahan (40). 17 players in all scored at least 30 goals at age 36, while a total of 34 players scored at least 25 goals.
Rk | Name | Birth Year | Pos | Season | GP | G | A | P | |
1 | FI | Teemu Selänne | 1970 | F | 2006‑07 | 82 | 48 | 46 | 94 |
2 | CA | Phil Esposito | 1942 | F | 1978‑79 | 80 | 42 | 36 | 78 |
3 | CA | Brendan Shanahan | 1969 | F | 2005‑06 | 82 | 40 | 41 | 81 |
4 | US | Brett Hull | 1964 | F | 2000‑01 | 79 | 39 | 40 | 79 |
5 | US | Joe Mullen | 1957 | F | 1993‑94 | 84 | 38 | 32 | 70 |
6 | US | Bill Guerin | 1970 | F | 2006‑07 | 77 | 36 | 20 | 56 |
7 | CA | Mike Gartner | 1959 | F | 1995‑96 | 82 | 35 | 19 | 54 |
8 | CA | Dino Ciccarelli | 1960 | F | 1996‑97 | 77 | 35 | 25 | 60 |
9 | CA | Jean Ratelle | 1940 | F | 1976‑77 | 78 | 33 | 61 | 94 |
9 | CA | Bill Cook | 1895 | F | 1931‑32 | 48 | 33 | 14 | 47 |
11 | CA | Joe Sakic | 1969 | F | 2005‑06 | 82 | 32 | 55 | 87 |
11 | CA | Johnny Bucyk | 1935 | F | 1971‑72 | 78 | 32 | 51 | 83 |
11 | SE | Mats Sundin | 1971 | F | 2007‑08 | 74 | 32 | 46 | 78 |
14 | CA | Bob Nevin | 1938 | F | 1974‑75 | 80 | 31 | 41 | 72 |
14 | CA | Marcel Dionne | 1951 | F | 1987‑88 | 67 | 31 | 34 | 65 |
14 | CA | Jean Beliveau | 1931 | F | 1967‑68 | 59 | 31 | 37 | 68 |
17 | CA | Jarome Iginla | 1977 | F | 2013‑14 | 78 | 30 | 31 | 61 |
For 37-year old players, just one player has ever scored 40 goals, that being Bucyk with 40. Five other players scored at least 30: Joe Sakic, Phil Esposito, Jean Beliveau, Mike Gartner, and Brett Hull. 18 players in all scored at least 25.
Rk | Name | Birth Year | Pos | Season | GP | G | A | P | |
1 | CA | Johnny Bucyk | 1935 | F | 1972‑73 | 78 | 40 | 53 | 93 |
2 | CA | Joe Sakic | 1969 | F | 2006‑07 | 82 | 36 | 64 | 100 |
3 | CA | Phil Esposito | 1942 | F | 1979‑80 | 80 | 34 | 44 | 78 |
4 | CA | Jean Beliveau | 1931 | F | 1968‑69 | 69 | 33 | 49 | 82 |
5 | CA | Mike Gartner | 1959 | F | 1996‑97 | 82 | 32 | 31 | 63 |
6 | US | Brett Hull | 1964 | F | 2001‑02 | 82 | 30 | 33 | 63 |
7 | CA | Jarome Iginla | 1977 | F | 2014‑15 | 82 | 29 | 30 | 59 |
7 | CA | Gordie Howe | 1928 | F | 1965‑66 | 70 | 29 | 46 | 75 |
7 | US | Mike Knuble | 1972 | F | 2009‑10 | 69 | 29 | 24 | 53 |
7 | CA | Brendan Shanahan | 1969 | F | 2006‑07 | 67 | 29 | 33 | 62 |
11 | CA | Mark Recchi | 1968 | F | 2005‑06 | 83 | 28 | 36 | 64 |
11 | CA | Gary Roberts | 1966 | F | 2003‑04 | 72 | 28 | 20 | 48 |
11 | CA | Mario Lemieux | 1965 | F | 2002‑03 | 67 | 28 | 63 | 91 |
11 | CA | Bill Cook | 1895 | F | 1932‑33 | 48 | 28 | 22 | 50 |
15 | CA | Patrick Marleau | 1979 | F | 2016‑17 | 82 | 27 | 19 | 46 |
16 | CA | Dean Prentice | 1932 | F | 1969‑70 | 75 | 26 | 25 | 51 |
16 | SK | Marian Hossa | 1979 | F | 2016‑17 | 73 | 26 | 19 | 45 |
18 | CA | Jean Ratelle | 1940 | F | 1977‑78 | 80 | 25 | 59 | 84 |
Goal Scoring at Age 38 and Beyond
The drop off in goal production is generally greater at age 38. No player has topped 40 goals and just three have topped 30 goals: Hull, Bucyk, and Martin St. Louis. 15 other players topped 20 goals.
Rk | Name | Birth Year | Pos | Season | GP | G | A | P | |
1 | US | Brett Hull | 1964 | F | 2002‑03 | 82 | 37 | 39 | 76 |
2 | CA | Johnny Bucyk | 1935 | F | 1973‑74 | 76 | 31 | 44 | 75 |
3 | CA | Martin St. Louis | 1975 | F | 2013‑14 | 81 | 30 | 39 | 69 |
4 | CA | Patrick Marleau | 1979 | F | 2017‑18 | 82 | 27 | 20 | 47 |
5 | CA | Ron Francis | 1963 | F | 2001‑02 | 80 | 27 | 50 | 77 |
5 | CA | Jean Ratelle | 1940 | F | 1978‑79 | 80 | 27 | 45 | 72 |
5 | FI | Teemu Selänne | 1970 | F | 2008‑09 | 65 | 27 | 27 | 54 |
8 | CA | Gordie Howe | 1928 | F | 1966‑67 | 69 | 25 | 40 | 65 |
9 | CA | Mark Recchi | 1968 | F | 2006‑07 | 82 | 24 | 44 | 68 |
9 | US | Mike Knuble | 1972 | F | 2010‑11 | 79 | 24 | 16 | 40 |
11 | CA | Brendan Shanahan | 1969 | F | 2007‑08 | 73 | 23 | 23 | 46 |
12 | CA | Jarome Iginla | 1977 | F | 2015‑16 | 82 | 22 | 25 | 47 |
13 | CA | Norm Ullman | 1935 | F | 1973‑74 | 78 | 22 | 47 | 69 |
14 | CA | Dave Andreychuk | 1963 | F | 2001‑02 | 82 | 21 | 17 | 38 |
14 | US | Bill Guerin | 1970 | F | 2008‑09 | 78 | 21 | 27 | 48 |
14 | CA | Alex Delvecchio | 1932 | F | 1970‑71 | 77 | 21 | 34 | 55 |
14 | CA | Dean Prentice | 1932 | F | 1970‑71 | 69 | 21 | 17 | 38 |
18 | CA | Don Marshall | 1932 | F | 1970‑71 | 62 | 20 | 29 | 49 |
At age 39, Gordie Howe was the only player to top 30 goals, with 39. There were 17 others who scored 20 or more.
Rk | Name | Birth Year | Pos | Season | GP | G | A | P | |
1 | CA | Gordie Howe | 1928 | F | 1967‑68 | 74 | 39 | 43 | 82 |
2 | CA | Johnny Bucyk | 1935 | F | 1974‑75 | 78 | 29 | 52 | 81 |
3 | CA | Shane Doan | 1976 | F | 2015‑16 | 72 | 28 | 19 | 47 |
3 | CA | Jean Ratelle | 1940 | F | 1979‑80 | 67 | 28 | 45 | 73 |
5 | SE | Daniel Alfredsson | 1972 | F | 2011‑12 | 75 | 27 | 32 | 59 |
5 | FI | Teemu Selänne | 1970 | F | 2009‑10 | 54 | 27 | 21 | 48 |
7 | CA | Joe Nieuwendyk | 1966 | F | 2005‑06 | 65 | 26 | 30 | 56 |
8 | US | Brett Hull | 1964 | F | 2003‑04 | 81 | 25 | 43 | 68 |
8 | CA | Jean Beliveau | 1931 | F | 1970‑71 | 70 | 25 | 51 | 76 |
10 | CA | Mark Messier | 1961 | F | 2000‑01 | 82 | 24 | 43 | 67 |
10 | CA | Ray Whitney | 1972 | F | 2011‑12 | 82 | 24 | 53 | 77 |
12 | CA | Ron Francis | 1963 | F | 2002‑03 | 82 | 22 | 35 | 57 |
13 | US | Bill Guerin | 1970 | F | 2009‑10 | 78 | 21 | 24 | 45 |
14 | CA | Martin St. Louis | 1975 | F | 2014‑15 | 74 | 21 | 31 | 52 |
14 | CA | Bill Cook | 1895 | F | 1934‑35 | 48 | 21 | 15 | 36 |
16 | CA | Alex Delvecchio | 1932 | F | 1971‑72 | 75 | 20 | 45 | 65 |
16 | CA | Dave Andreychuk | 1963 | F | 2002‑03 | 72 | 20 | 14 | 34 |
16 | CA | Dean Prentice | 1932 | F | 1971‑72 | 71 | 20 | 27 | 47 |
When reaching age 40, Howe scored 40 goals, Bucyk had 36, and Selanne had 31. Only four other players scored at least 20 goals.
Rk | Name | Born | Pos | Season | GP | G | A | P | |
1 | CA | Gordie Howe | 1928 | F | 1968‑69 | 76 | 44 | 59 | 103 |
2 | CA | Johnny Bucyk | 1935 | F | 1975‑76 | 77 | 36 | 47 | 83 |
3 | FI | Teemu Selänne | 1970 | F | 2010‑11 | 73 | 31 | 49 | 80 |
4 | CA | Dean Prentice | 1932 | F | 1972‑73 | 73 | 26 | 16 | 42 |
5 | CA | Mark Recchi | 1968 | F | 2008‑09 | 80 | 23 | 38 | 61 |
6 | CA | Dave Andreychuk | 1963 | F | 2003‑04 | 82 | 21 | 18 | 39 |
7 | CA | Gary Roberts | 1966 | F | 2006‑07 | 69 | 20 | 22 | 42 |
The drop off is even greater after age 40. At age 41, Howe had 31 goals, while only three other players topped 20 goals: Selanne (26), Jagr (24), and Bucyk (20).
Rk | Name | Birth Year | Pos | Season | GP | G | A | P | |
1 | CA | Gordie Howe | 1928 | F | 1969‑70 | 76 | 31 | 40 | 71 |
2 | FI | Teemu Selänne | 1970 | F | 2011‑12 | 82 | 26 | 40 | 66 |
3 | CZ | Jaromír Jágr | 1972 | F | 2013‑14 | 82 | 24 | 43 | 67 |
4 | CA | Johnny Bucyk | 1935 | F | 1976‑77 | 49 | 20 | 23 | 43 |
Howe scored 23 goals as a 42-year old, the only player at that age to top 20. At age 43, Jagr had 27 goals, but no other player of that age has had more than 10. Jagr holds the record for goals at age 44 with 16.
Potential Productivity for Age 35-36
The two most critical seasons for Ovechkin’s hopes of topping 894 goals will be the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons (his age 35 and 36 seasons), because player productivity, as a whole, diminishes greatly after that age. The greatest producers of goals during the age 35-36 range were Teemu Selanne, Johnny Bucyk, and Phil Esposito. Selanne’s goal totals for his age 35 and age 36 seasons were 40 and 48, a total of 88 goals; Bucyk’s goal totals were 51 and 32, a total of 83 goals; Esposito’s goal totals for his age 35 and age 36 seasons were 38 and 42 for a total of 80 goals. Even assuming that the 2019-20 does not resume and that Ovechkin ends up with 706 goals for the 2019-20 season, if he can match the productivity of Selanne, Bucyk, and Esposito for the next two years and scores at least 80 goals, he would be close to 790 goals after the 2021-22 season. It is probably not an unreasonable assumption that Ovechkin could match the productivity of Selanne, Bucyk, and Esposito over the two-year period of being age 35-36. At age 34, Bucyk had 31 goals, then jumped to 51 goals at age 35, and had 32 goals at age 36. Bucyk is unusual in that he was better at scoring goals after his 30th birthday than before and had never topped 30 goals until he was 32. Selanne did not even play his age 34 season due to the NHL lockout. Esposito had 34 goals on the year when he was 34 and improved by four goals at age 35.
Player | Career Total | Before 35 | 35 | 36 | 35-36 | Total 35+ |
Teemu Selanne | 694 | 606 | 40 | 48 | 88 | 88 |
Johnny Bucyk | 556 | 473 | 51 | 32 | 83 | 83 |
Phil Esposito | 717 | 637 | 38 | 42 | 80 | 80 |
Joe Mullen | 502 | 431 | 33 | 38 | 71 | 71 |
Brendan Shanahan | 656 | 587 | 40 | 29 | 69 | 69 |
Jean Ratelle | 491 | 427 | 31 | 33 | 64 | 64 |
Daniel Alfredsson | 444 | 380 | 40 | 24 | 64 | 64 |
Brett Hull | 741 | 678 | 24 | 39 | 63 | 63 |
Bill Cook | 228 | 165 | 30 | 33 | 63 | 63 |
Marcel Dionne | 731 | 672 | 28 | 31 | 59 | 59 |
Mats Sundin | 564 | 505 | 27 | 32 | 59 | 59 |
Mark Messier | 694 | 636 | 36 | 22 | 58 | 58 |
Dino Ciccarelli | 608 | 551 | 22 | 35 | 57 | 57 |
Norm Ullman | 490 | 433 | 34 | 23 | 57 | 57 |
Rod Brind’mour | 452 | 395 | 31 | 26 | 57 | 57 |
Martin St Louis | 391 | 335 | 31 | 25 | 56 | 56 |
Mike Knuble | 278 | 222 | 29 | 27 | 56 | 56 |
Gordie Howe | 801 | 746 | 26 | 29 | 55 | 55 |
Steve Thomas | 421 | 367 | 28 | 26 | 54 | 54 |
Keith Tkachuk | 538 | 486 | 27 | 25 | 52 | 52 |
Potential Productivity for Age 37-39
It would probably not be as reasonable to expect Ovechkin to be a 50-goal scorer at age 37 and older, given the fact that only two players in NHL history have even scored 40 or more goals after their 37th birthday; (Bucyk, who scored 40 at age 37, and Howe, who scored 44 at age 40). The highest goal producers during the age range 37-39 were Bucyk with 100, Brett Hull with 92, Howe with 83, Jean Ratelle with 80, Jean Beliveau with 77, and Ron Francis (75). Several others were in the 60-70 goal range including Selanne (66), Mark Recchi (66), Jarome Iglinla (65), Gary Roberts (62), Daniel Alfredsson (61), and Dave Andreychuk (61). Assuming Ovechkin has 790 goals going into the 2022-23 season (his age 37 season), if he can match the productivity of Bucyk throughout the 2022-23 through 2024-25 seasons, he would have 890 and be close to Gretzky even before turning 40. If he matches the productivity of Howe from ages 35-37 and scores 80 goals during that timeframe, he would have 880 career goals and could be close to Gretzky’s total. If he gets at least 70, he’d be at 870. If he gets at least 60 goals during that three-year timeframe, he’d be at 860 career goals.
Player | Career Total | Before 35 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 37-39 | Total 35+ | Total 37+ |
Johnny Bucyk | 556 | 456 | 40 | 31 | 29 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Brett Hull | 741 | 649 | 30 | 37 | 25 | 92 | 92 | 92 |
Gordie Howe | 801 | 718 | 29 | 25 | 29 | 83 | 83 | 83 |
Jean Ratelle | 491 | 411 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 80 | 80 | 80 |
Jean Beliveau | 507 | 430 | 33 | 19 | 25 | 77 | 77 | 77 |
Ron Francis | 549 | 474 | 15 | 27 | 33 | 75 | 75 | 75 |
Patrick Marleau | 559 | 489 | 27 | 27 | 16 | 70 | 70 | 70 |
Martin St Louis | 391 | 323 | 17 | 30 | 21 | 68 | 68 | 68 |
Dean Prentice | 391 | 324 | 26 | 21 | 20 | 67 | 67 | 67 |
Teemu Selanne | 694 | 628 | 12 | 27 | 27 | 66 | 66 | 66 |
Mark Recchi | 577 | 511 | 28 | 24 | 14 | 66 | 66 | 66 |
Jarome Iginla | 625 | 560 | 29 | 22 | 14 | 65 | 65 | 65 |
Bill Guerin | 429 | 364 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 65 | 65 | 65 |
Shane Doane | 402 | 337 | 23 | 14 | 28 | 65 | 65 | 65 |
Gary Roberts | 438 | 376 | 28 | 14 | 20 | 62 | 62 | 62 |
Ray Whitney | 385 | 323 | 21 | 17 | 24 | 62 | 62 | 62 |
Bill Cook | 228 | 166 | 28 | 13 | 21 | 62 | 62 | 62 |
Dave Andreychuk | 640 | 579 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 61 | 61 | 61 |
Daniel Alfredsson | 444 | 383 | 20 | 14 | 27 | 61 | 61 | 61 |
Potential Productivity for Age 40 and Beyond
In the history of the NHL, only seven players even topped 20 goals when they were 40-years old. Among those, just three topped 30 goals: Howe with 44, Bucyk with 36 and Selanne with 31. For career totals, only two players have scored more than 100 goals after turning 40 (Howe with 113 and Jagr with 101). Both continued playing until age 44 or older. Selanne had 78 goals after turning 40 and he played until he was 43. Bucyk had 61 goals at age 40 or older and played until the age of 42.
If Ovechkin starts the season with 870 goals, to be relatively conservative, and keeps pace with Howe, Bucyk, and Selanne, and scores 30 goals in his age 40 season, he would reach 900 goals and top Gretzky during the 2025-26 season. If he fell short at age 40, he would probably need to continue past his 41st birthday to top Gretzky.
Player | Career Total | Before 35 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44+ | 40+ | Total 35+ |
Gordie Howe | 801 | 688 | 44 | 31 | 23 | 15 | 113 | 251 | |
Jaromir Jagr | 766 | 665 | 16 | 24 | 17 | 27 | 17 | 101 | 145 |
Teemu Selanne | 694 | 616 | 31 | 26 | 12 | 9 | 78 | 232 | |
Johnny Bucyk | 556 | 495 | 36 | 20 | 5 | 61 | 244 | ||
Mark Recchi | 577 | 522 | 23 | 18 | 14 | 55 | 147 | ||
Norm Ullman | 490 | 443 | 31 | 16 | 47 | 155 | |||
Mark Messier | 694 | 651 | 7 | 18 | 18 | 43 | 155 | ||
Daniel Alfredsson | 444 | 416 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 153 | |||
Dave Andreychuk | 640 | 613 | 21 | 6 | 27 | 123 | |||
Gary Roberts | 438 | 411 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 27 | 115 | |
Nicklas Lidstrom | 264 | 237 | 16 | 11 | 27 | 91 |
Most Productive Careers at Advanced Age
Assuming Ovechkin ends the 2019-20 season with 706 goals, he would need 189 more goals in his career to exceed Gretzky’s total of 894. In the history of the NHL, three players have exceeded 189 goals for the portion of their career that cane after their 35th birthday: Howe (251), Bucyk (244), and Selanne (232). Howe generally scored between 25-30 goals after turning 35, with one season of 44 goals, at age 40. He also had seasons of topping 30 goals at age 41 and 42. Bucyk played in the NHL until he was 42 and topped 30 goals every year from age 35 through 40, with one exception in which he had 29 goals. He scored 219 goals between the ages of 35-40 and retired at age 42. Selanne played in the NHL until he was 43. He had two high production years at age 35 and 36 in which he topped 40 goals. Except for his age 37 season, in 2007-08 when he had just 12 goals, he typically scored between 26-31 goals per year from the time he was 38 until the time he was 41.
Player | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44+ | 40+ | 35-40 | Tot 35+ |
Gordie Howe | 26 | 29 | 29 | 25 | 29 | 44 | 31 | 23 | 15 | 113 | 182 | 251 | |
Johnny Bucyk | 51 | 32 | 40 | 31 | 29 | 36 | 20 | 5 | 61 | 219 | 244 | ||
Teemu Selanne | 40 | 48 | 12 | 27 | 27 | 31 | 26 | 12 | 9 | 78 | 185 | 232 | |
Brett Hull | 24 | 39 | 30 | 37 | 25 | 0 | 155 | 155 | |||||
Mark Messier | 36 | 22 | 13 | 17 | 24 | 7 | 18 | 18 | 43 | 119 | 155 | ||
Jean Ratelle | 31 | 33 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 11 | 11 | 155 | 155 | ||||
Norm Ullman | 34 | 23 | 20 | 22 | 9 | 31 | 16 | 47 | 139 | 155 | |||
Daniel Alfredsson | 40 | 24 | 20 | 14 | 27 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 135 | 153 | |||
Mark Recchi | 26 | 28 | 24 | 14 | 23 | 18 | 14 | 55 | 115 | 147 | |||
Jaromir Jagr | 25 | 19 | 16 | 24 | 17 | 27 | 17 | 101 | 60 | 145 |
Other players who were productive after turning 35 were Hull, Jagr, and Mark Messier. Hull had 155 goals after turning 35, but retired after his age 39 season. Jagr had 145 goals butleft the NHL after age 35 and did not return until he was 39. He ended up retiring at age 45. Had he not taken a three-year break from the NHL, he could have topped 200 goals between age 35 and age 40. Messier had 155 goals and played until he was 42. He had 36 goals at age 35 but never again topped 20 goals. Mark Recchi had 147 goals and played until he was 42 and lost his age 36 season to the NHL lockout. He scored at least 20 goals per season up to and including his age 38 season. Dave Andreychuk scored 123 goals from age 35 on, playing until he was 42. He typically scored 20 goals per year up to and including his age 40 season. He missed his age 41 season due to the lockout. Phil Esposito scored 121 goals from age 35 until the end of his career. After topping 30 goals in both his age 35, 36, and age 37 seasons, he dropped to just eight goals at age 38 and then retired.
Conclusion
Ovechkin can break Gretzky’s goal scoring record, provided he can stay healthy, match the late career productivity of players such as Howe, Bucyk, and Selanne, and play until he’s 40-years old. Caps fans know from experience to never bet against The Great 8.
Further Reading
Former Capitals’ Head Coach Barry Trotz: “If I Was A Betting Man, I Would Bet On [Alex Ovechkin] Breaking That Goal-scoring Record. In My Mind, There’s No Doubt He’s Going To Do It.”
“See You At 800”: Wayne Gretzky Congratulates Alex Ovechkin on Reaching 700 Goals
Tracking Gr8ness: The Path To 895 Goals For Alex Ovechkin
Statistics obtained from NHL.com, Hockey Reference, and Quanthockey websites