2021-22 Milestone Moments: Alex Ovechkin Breaking Records Faster Than “Disco Demolition Night” At Comiskey Park

Photo: Robb Carr/NHL via Getty Images

The 2021-22 NHL season finally returned to a normal 82-game schedule after the previous two seasons were shortened due to the Covid pandemic. The full-length campaign saw many Capitals veterans set numerous career milestones, with Captain Alex Ovechkin leading the way. He was breaking records faster than “Disco Demolition Night” at Comiskey Park in 1979.

In this post I’ll review Ovechkin’s major milestone moments from the 2021-22 season. Part Two will discuss Nicklas Backstrom’s extensive milestones reached this season, and in subsequent posts I’ll review milestones reached by other the Capitals players. Let’s get started!

Alex Ovechkin Milestones

At the start of the 2021-22 season, Ovechkin scored his 730th career goal, which him ranked sixth on the NHL’s All-Time list, first among active NHL players, and the most by any player in Washington Capitals history. During the season, he passed Marcel Dionne (731), Brett Hull (741), and Jaromir Jagr (766) on the All-Time list. He currently ranks third on the NHL’s All-Time list.

Going into the 2021-22 season, Ovechkin had recorded 1,320 total career points in his NHL career. He now has 1410 points, which ranks 20^thon the All-Time List. He passed several NHL greats in career points, including Guy LaFleur (1353), Brendan Shanahan (1354), Johnny Bucyk (1369), Mike Modano (1374), Brett Hull (1391), Luc Robitaille (1394), Jari Kurri (1398) and Dale Hawerchuk (1409). He also reached the 1400 point plateau, as well.

Ovechkin is first in NHL points in Capitals franchise history and second among active players in the league, only behind Joe Thornton (1539).
Heading into the 2021-22 season, Ovechkin had recorded 590 assists. He now has 630 assists, which ranks second in franchise history, ninth among active players, and 82nd on the All-Time List.
Before the 2021-22 season, Ovechkin had played in 1,197 games, the most in the history of the Capitals franchise. He has now played in 1,274 games, which ranks sixth among active players, fourth among active forwards, third among Russian-born players, and first among active Russians.
Going into the 2021-22 campaign, Ovechkin had scored 116 game-winning goals. He now has 121 game-winning goals, which is tied for second on the All-Time list with Gordie Howe and first among active players.
When the 2021-22 season started, Ovechkin scored 269 career power-play goals, which was second on the All-Time list. He has now scored 285 power-play goals which ranks first on the NHL All-Time list. He passed Dave Andreychuk (274), the former All-Time leader on 12/31/2021.

When the 2021-22 season started, Ovechkin had recorded 149 multi-goal games. He now has 158 multi-goal games, which is tied for second place on the All-Time List with Brett Hull. In the process, he passed Mario Lemieux on the All-Time list. He remains in first place on the All-Time list for multi-goal games scored by a European-born player.
Before the 2021-22 season, Ovechkin had 27 career hat tricks which ranked eighth place on the All-Time list. He had a hat trick on November 26, 2021, and is now tied for sixth place on the All-Time list with Marcel Dionne and Bobby Hull. He is the oldest player in Capitals franchise history to get a hat-trick.

Before the 2021-22 season, Ovechkin had scored 370 goals on the road. He now has scored 396 goals on the road, which ranks second on the All-Time List.
Before the 2021-22 season, Ovechkin had scored 360 goals at home. He now has 384 goals at home and ranks eighth on the All-Time List.
Ovechkin scored 16 power-play goals during the 2021-22 season, which was the twelfth season that he scored at least 15 power-play goals. No other player has accomplished this feat for more than eight seasons.
Ovechkin scored 50 goals during 2021-22 which was the most goals scored by a player 36 years old or older. Teemu Selanne formerly held that record with 48 goals at age 36.

By scoring 50 goals during the 2021-22 season, this was the 16^th season for Ovechkin to score 30 or more goals, second-most in NHL history, only behind Mike Gartner (17). It was the twelfth season for him to score at least 40 goals, which tied him with Wayne Gretzky for most in NHL history. It was the ninth season for him to score at least 50 goals which tied him with Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky for the most in NHL history. It was his 17^th season of scoring 20 or more goals and the 17^th consecutive season he’s done that.

Next up, Nicklas Backstrom.