Alexander Ovechkin is within striking distance of breaking the National Hockey League goal record this season.
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On Sunday morning, Ovechkin scored not just once, not just twice, but three times against the Edmonton Oilers for his 32nd career regular-season hat trick, as the Capitals thumped the Oilers 7-3.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
OVI GOT THE HAT TRICK AND TOOK A LAP AROUND TO FIST BUMP HIS SON 🎩
13 AWAY FROM THE RECORD 🚨 <a href="https://t.co/Q0LmDdrujU">pic.twitter.com/Q0LmDdrujU</a>
&mdash; B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) <a href="https://twitter.com/BR_OpenIce/status/1893760776399204456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Ironically, the player with the most goals in a career, Wayne Gretzky, helped the Oilers win four Stanley Cups in the 1980s. A few decades later, it’s almost a guarantee that Ovechkin will break the record, maybe by the end of the season.
In 1,467 career games, the Russian winger has 882 goals and 1,596 points, just 12 goals shy of matching Gretzky’s record and 13 away from breaking it. What’s more is that there is an opportunity to break the record in fewer games, as Gretzky managed those 894 goals in 1,487 games, meaning Ovechkin needs to score 12 goals in 20 games.
With his empty net goal to cap off the hat trick, Ovechkin also became the first player in National Hockey League history with 200 or more goals in three separate decades. In the naughties, he scored 255 goals and in the 2010s he scored 437 goals.
What an incredible career.
<h2>Cale Makar is the third \-fastest defenceman to reach 400 career points</h2>
Another superstar reached a milestone on Sunday, as Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar became the third-fastest defenceman to reach 400 career points.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
IN ELITE COMPANY 🤩 
Only Bobby Orr and Paul Coffey have reached 400 points in fewer games than Cale Makar! <a href="https://t.co/TtLE9TcUEz">pic.twitter.com/TtLE9TcUEz</a>
&mdash; NHL (@NHL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL/status/1893805632714588527?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Avalanche fell 3-1 to the St. Louis Blues, but Makar assisted on Devon Toews’ opening goal to pick up his 400th point. This season, he’s scored 22 goals and 64 points in 59 games as he’s on pace for 30 goals and 88 points, two points shy of his career-best total from last season.
Only 26 years old, Makar has had a fantastic start to his career, and not just at the individual level. In 2022, he helped the Avalanche win their first Stanley Cup since 2001, scoring eight goals and 29 points in 20 postseason games as he won the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Makar has also won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2019-20 as well as the James Norris Trophy in 2021-22 thanks to 28 goals and 86 points in 77 games. Recently, Makar also hoisted the 4 Nations Face-Off trophy where he picked up an assist in three games. 
If you’re wondering which defenceman reached the 400-point mark quicker than Makar, it was legends Bobby Orr (333 games) and Paul Coffey (359 games). Makar was able to do it in 374 games. The Calgarian is certainly a generational defenceman and hopefully, he will consider the Calgary Flames whenever he becomes a free agent.
<h2>The 2025 Draft will be held in Los Angeles</h2>
Could there be an Alexander Ovechkin or Cale Makar in the 2025 draft? Well, we’ll have to find out in late June, as the league announced it’ll be held in Los Angeles, California, on Jun. 27 and 28.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The 2025 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NHLDraft</a> is heading to Los Angeles June 27! <a href="https://t.co/3eSw7QXqqO">pic.twitter.com/3eSw7QXqqO</a>
— NHL (@NHL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL/status/1893421441489502335?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
This will be the first draft in history that won’t have club representatives at the event. They’ll attend the event virtually while fans, media, and potential draftees attend the event in person.
It’ll be interesting to see where the Calgary Flames pick, as they’ll likely have two first-round draft picks on Jun. 27 barring any surprising trade.
Thanks for reading! You can follow me on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) shoots the puck against the Calgary Flames during the third period at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Alexander Ovechkin is within striking distance of breaking the National Hockey League goal record this season.
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2109" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="328"></div>
On Sunday morning, Ovechkin scored not just once, not just twice, but three times against the Edmonton Oilers for his 32nd career regular-season hat trick, as the Capitals thumped the Oilers 7-3.

https://twitter.com/BR_OpenIce/status/1893760776399204456

Ironically, the player with the most goals in a career, Wayne Gretzky, helped the Oilers win four Stanley Cups in the 1980s. A few decades later, it’s almost a guarantee that Ovechkin will break the record, maybe by the end of the season.

In 1,467 career games, the Russian winger has 882 goals and 1,596 points, just 12 goals shy of matching Gretzky’s record and 13 away from breaking it. What’s more is that there is an opportunity to break the record in fewer games, as Gretzky managed those 894 goals in 1,487 games, meaning Ovechkin needs to score 12 goals in 20 games.

With his empty net goal to cap off the hat trick, Ovechkin also became the first player in National Hockey League history with 200 or more goals in three separate decades. In the naughties, he scored 255 goals and in the 2010s he scored 437 goals.

What an incredible career.
<h2>Cale Makar is the third \-fastest defenceman to reach 400 career points</h2>
Another superstar reached a milestone on Sunday, as Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar became the third-fastest defenceman to reach 400 career points.

https://twitter.com/NHL/status/1893805632714588527

The Avalanche fell 3-1 to the St. Louis Blues, but Makar assisted on Devon Toews’ opening goal to pick up his 400th point. This season, he’s scored 22 goals and 64 points in 59 games as he’s on pace for 30 goals and 88 points, two points shy of his career-best total from last season.

Only 26 years old, Makar has had a fantastic start to his career, and not just at the individual level. In 2022, he helped the Avalanche win their first Stanley Cup since 2001, scoring eight goals and 29 points in 20 postseason games as he won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

Makar has also won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2019-20 as well as the James Norris Trophy in 2021-22 thanks to 28 goals and 86 points in 77 games. Recently, Makar also hoisted the 4 Nations Face-Off trophy where he picked up an assist in three games. 

If you’re wondering which defenceman reached the 400-point mark quicker than Makar, it was legends Bobby Orr (333 games) and Paul Coffey (359 games). Makar was able to do it in 374 games. The Calgarian is certainly a generational defenceman and hopefully, he will consider the Calgary Flames whenever he becomes a free agent.
<h2>The 2025 Draft will be held in Los Angeles</h2>
Could there be an Alexander Ovechkin or Cale Makar in the 2025 draft? Well, we’ll have to find out in late June, as the league announced it’ll be held in Los Angeles, California, on Jun. 27 and 28.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The 2025 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NHLDraft</a> is heading to Los Angeles June 27! <a href="https://t.co/3eSw7QXqqO">pic.twitter.com/3eSw7QXqqO</a>
— NHL (@NHL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL/status/1893421441489502335?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
This will be the first draft in history that won’t have club representatives at the event. They’ll attend the event virtually while fans, media, and potential draftees attend the event in person.

It’ll be interesting to see where the Calgary Flames pick, as they’ll likely have two first-round draft picks on Jun. 27 barring any surprising trade.

Thanks for reading! You can follow me on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

Sponsored by bet365:
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