The Human Highlight Reel: Ovechkin’s Top 5 Moments

Alex Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer, announced that he will be retiring following the 2026-27 season. 

Now in his 22nd NHL season, Ovechkin has achieved things that most athletes only dream about. Besides being the captain of the Washington Capitals 2018 Stanley Cup championship team, his career achievements list is a mile long. He is the player everybody is chasing when it comes to career goals (930), power-play goals (331), and game-winning goals (141). Ovechkin is a top-10 player in career points (1,691), and at some point this season will likely pass Mario Lemieux (1,723).  

While Wayne Gretzky is hockey’s G.O.A.T, Ovechkin’s name will continue being included in the conversation. 

Over the last two-plus decades, the player nicknamed “The Great Eight” could also be referred to as “The Human Highlight Reel.” Here’s a look at Ovechkin’s top 5 NHL highlights. 

Ovechkin’s Unforgettable Career Moments

“Ovi” has enjoyed such a legendary career that Netflix or Prime Video could easily produce a four-part documentary series. ESPN produced the Ovechkin feature “8 Forever” that aired during the spring included a look at the lasting impact he’s made during his two-plus decades of playing pro hockey. 

Ovechkin’s list of career achievements is so impressive that theScore compiled a career timeline that covers everything from his first career goal to becoming the third player in NHL history to score 800 career goals.

Top Five Ovechkin Career Highlights

5. The Ovechkin Spin-o-rama, February 18, 2009

There are times when Ovechkin does something on the ice and the immediate response is “Did he really just do that?”.  This February 2009 game against the Montreal Canadiens certainly fits the bill as Ovechkin performed a spin-o-rama backhanded pass off the boards to, you guessed it, himself. From there, all he did was skate around Kyle Chipchura and send the puck past Carey Price while sliding across the ice. There is no career milestone attached to this one, it’s simply one that must be included on the Ovechkin career highlight reel.  

4. First Career NHL Goal, October 5, 2005

The first chapter of Ovechkin’s career story might’ve gotten off to a delayed start due to the 2004 lockout that wiped out the entire season.  When the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NHL Draft finally played his first game for the Capitals, his welcome to the NHL moment included scoring two goals against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Career goal No. 1 came via a slapshot. 

Fans were treated to the added bonus of Ovechkin hammering Blue Jackets defenseman Radoslav Suchy into the boards so hard that a panel of protective glass got dislodged.

3. Ovechkin Scores No. 895, April 6, 2025

This one isn’t just an Ovechkin career highlight, it’s one of the greatest goals in NHL history. He scored on a Washington power play from the top of the circle that came in the second period against the New York Islanders. It will forever be known as  No. 895 of his career. This was the day Ovechkin passed Gretzky and became the league’s all-time leading goal scorer. Besides being shown live on TNT, Gretzky and Commissioner Gary Bettman watched it unfold from the stands. 

2. The Goal, January 16, 2006

It takes a very special athlete to score a sliding, over-the-shoulder goal with one hand on his stick. The Great One, who was the Phoenix Coyotes head coach at the team, was even amazed by what he had just witnessed from behind the bench. The announcers referred to it as “simply sensational.” If you do a YouTube search for Ovechkin’s top goals, this one takes the No. 1 spot on the top-10 highlight reel. 

1. Ovechkin Hoists Stanley Cup, June 7, 2018

Many great NHL players have put strong career numbers but retired without winning a Stanley Cup. Ovechkin is not going to be one of them as his Capitals defeated the Vegas Golden Knights and took home the 2018 league championship. It also happened to be the franchise’s first and only Stanley Cup championship. Instead of highlighting one of Ovi’s impressive postseason goals, the moment that tops the list is when Bettman says, “Alex Ovechkin, it’s your honor.” Ovechkin then comes over to greet the commissioner and  hoists the Stanley Cup.

Closing The Book On Ovechkin’s Legendary Career 

Fittingly, Ovechkin’s final regular season home game will take place April 4 against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The final regular season game is six days later against the Philadelphia Flyers. 

Between now and then, Ovi will continue adding to his career highlight reel and milestones. 

Since winning the 2018 Cup, his Capitals have not enjoyed much postseason success as the team has not advanced beyond the conference semifinals. 

Could Ovi’s closing chapter be different?

Washington’s hockey betting odds to win the 2027 Stanley Cup are +1100. That price has them among the top-seven teams, with the defending champion Hurricanes (+600), Colorado Avalanche (+700), and Florida Panthers (+750) leading the way. 

With or without another championship, Ovechkin has reached legend status among the NHL all-time greats. Like with The Great One, GR8 is one of those players who we will continue talking about decades beyond his retirement year.