Alex Ovechkin was celebrated on the Islanders' ice for nearly half an hour. © APA / BRUCE BENNETT

From Federer to Jordan: Everyone bows to “Ovi”

It's a moment for eternity, one in which sports history was made: On Sunday, ice hockey superstar Alex Ovechkin scored his 895th NHL goal. What followed was a long stoppage, a great show, deep emotions, and a never-ending stream of celebrity congratulations.

07 April 2025

From: dpa

Alexander Ovechkin and Wayne Gretzky embraced each other after the historic moment, and their wives Nastya and Janet also hugged each other on the ice. The historic 895th NHL goal by Russia's ice hockey superstar has generated great emotions, memorable images and a never-ending stream of celebrity well-wishers.

"The Great Eight," as Ovechkin is called, seemed overwhelmed by the monumental moment and launched into an emotional acceptance speech amid deafening shouts of "Ovi! Ovi!" "To my mom, my family, my beautiful wife, my father-in-law, my wonderful kids: Thank you. I love you so much, and without you, I would never be standing here."

895:894 goals, 1487 games each

The extent to which Ovechkin's Washington Capitals' 1-4 loss to the New York Islanders became a minor matter was demonstrated by the spontaneous ceremony on the ice following the 39-year-old Russian's goal. The game was suspended for more than 20 minutes to properly commemorate the event for the history books.

“I’m not sure who should score more goals” Wayne Gretzky

Canada's ice hockey legend Gretzky said of Ovechkin: "They say records are set to be broken, but I'm not so sure who should score more goals." Statistically curious: Ovechkin needed 895 games to score his 1487 goals - exactly how many games the now 64-year-old Gretzky has played in the best ice hockey league in the world and scored only one goal less.

“Dad would be proud”

Ovechkin, who played his entire North American career exclusively for Washington, enjoyed the special moments after the goal that made it 1-2 with his loved ones. In addition to his wife Nastya, both of his sons and his mother Tatyana were at Ovechkin's side. In a pre-recorded video message, she said: "Dad would be so proud." Ovechkin's father died in 2023.

Gretzky's record, set in 1994, was considered a record for all time. But his successor, Ovechkin, had all the qualities and the necessary career length to surpass that milestone. He topped the NHL scoring list for nine seasons and scored at least 20 goals in 20 seasons. "The first 500 are easy," Gretzky noted. "It's the next 500 that are really valuable—as you get a little older and your body starts to tell."

“The first 500 are easy” Alex Ovechkin

Various star athletes and other celebrities also paid tribute to the historic afternoon. Legends such as Michael Jordan, Roger Federer, and Michael Phelps immortalized themselves in Ovechkin's honor in a congratulatory video, as did rapper Snoop Dogg and film star Danny DeVito. LeBron James, who has led the NBA in scoring since the beginning of 2023, said: "This is an incredible achievement. I'm incredibly grateful to have shared many of your great moments."


Ovechkin, a native of Moscow, is one of the most prominent athletes in Russia. However, he is criticized, especially abroad, for never distancing himself from Russia's authoritarian President Vladimir Putin and never condemning the war of aggression against Ukraine. Because of his openly displayed sympathy for the Kremlin leader, Ovechkin is considered "Our Man in America" ​​in the Russian capital.

Ovechkin's proximity to Putin

In 2017, he founded the "Putin Team," which supported the Russian president's re-election a year later. Following Ovechkin's example, other prominent athletes joined the movement. Although Ovechkin tentatively called for peace after the start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, he refrained from criticizing Putin. To this day, a photo of them with the Kremlin chief as their avatar hangs on Ovechkin's Instagram account.

The ice hockey star was born in 1985 to two professional athletes – his father played soccer, his mother basketball – and demonstrated his great talent on the ice at an early age. In 2004, the Washington-based club selected him first overall in the draft, and a year later, he made his professional debut with the Capitals. In 2018, he won the Stanley Cup with the team from the capital. Ovechkin won three world championships with the Russian national team, which is currently banned from international competitions.