Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is one of the most heralded players in NHL history. The legendary forward already has a ton of records on the NHL history books, but he's still chasing Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record.

Alexander Ovechkin has been a staple of the NHL since he began playing for the Washington Capitals in 2005. He has been one of the league's best players ever since his rookie season. Ovechkin commenced his career with two goals in his first game on NHL ice when Washington Capitals faced off against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct.

The 39-year-old Ovechkin is within striking distance of Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL goals record of 894. "The Great One" scored his final goal on March 29, 1999. "The Great Eight" could very well surpass that mark 26 years later.

Heading into the Capitals’ final 27 games, Ovechkin has 879 goals during his 20 NHL seasons, including 26 goals in 39 games this season, leaving him 16 from breaking Wayne Gretzky ’s League record of 894. Ovechkin insisted that record wasn’t on his mind during the break, though.

Nearly every NHL fan is keeping close tabs on Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin as he inches closer to breaking the long-standing goal record of "The Great One". Ovechkin has 879 goals, just 15 behind Gretzky’s 894 career goals.

Yet Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin is closing in on that Gretzky record. The Capitals drafted him with the first overall pick in the 2004 NHL Draft and he has been in the NHL since