Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored in the 3rd period against the Nashville Predators to bring him within 21 goals of Wayne Gretzky.

But Ovechkin left that Nov. 18 game against the Utah Hockey Club with what the team initially described as a lower-body injury. An X-ray revealed a broken left fibula, bringing his pursuit of Gretzky’s record to a screeching halt.

At this point, the record falling looks imminent. But when? Now that's an interesting and possibly infuriating question.

The Great Eight is within striking distance of Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL goals record of 894, which Gretzky reached on March 29, 1999, against the New York Islanders. Ovechkin began this season with 853 career goals.

Alex Ovechkin moves 22 goals away from Wayne Gretzky's record with an empty-net goal to seal the Capitals' win.

For the first time in his career, there is no one between Ovechkin and Gretzky on the all-time list. He passed Gordie Howe for second place in 2022-23, breaking Gretzky's record f