Will Matthews break Ovechkin's record?

Alex Ovechkin is now the leading scorer in NHL history with 895 goals. But is it really a record for eternity?

08 April 2025

From: fop

Looking to the distant future, the question remains whether Ovechkin's record will ever be broken. One possible candidate would be Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 27-year-old already has 398 goals to his name.

The American downplays the possibility in a statement on the official NHL website. "That's still so far away. And I don't think I should even be involved. The guy just broke the record. I'm a long way from that. I think the focus shouldn't be on me. The focus should be on Ovi and his career achievements. And this record is, of course, one of them."

Auston Matthews is producing for the Leafs like a machine. © APA / CLAUS ANDERSEN

In fact, Matthews is only the seventh player in NHL history to begin his NHL career with nine consecutive 30-goal seasons. Previously, Ovechkin (15), Mike Gartner (15), Wayne Gretzky (13), Jari Kurri (19), Mike Bossy (10), and Bryan Trottier (9) achieved the feat.

Also interesting: With his 398 goals in 623 games, Matthews has scored seven more goals than Ovechkin in the same period. However, Matthews is considered more injury-prone than Ovechkin, which could have a decisive impact on the record quest.