One of the great records in NHL history seems set to fall, with Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin closing in on the goal-scoring record set by Wayne Gretzky during an incredible 20-year career.
Few thought another player would even approach Gretzky's record of 894 goals. "The Great One" was a radically different player than anyone the NHL had seen when he burst onto the scene in the 1980s, and he did so in an era where defensive tactics placed more emphasis on hard hits than denying space and opportunities.