Wayne Gretzky Has Been Helping Alex Ovechkin Long Before This Record Goal Chase

A little more than three decades before Alex Ovechkin's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's NHL career goals record , the "Great One" had his own chase.

Gretzky was in hot pursuit of Gordie Howe's record in the spring of 1994. Howe was there when Gretzky tied and passed him. His father, Walter Gretzky, told him to be there, be supportive and be proud if anyone approached the record again.

Heeding his father's advice, Gretzky made his first in-person appearance for Ovechkin in time to see the Washington Capitals captain score his 893rd and 894th goals to tie his mark. But Gretzky has been helping Ovechkin along the way to this point far before Friday night.

It was December 2022, and Ovechkin stalled out just short of passing Howe for second on the all-time list, going four whole games without a goal.

"I called him and I said, 'Hey, you've got to relax out there,'" Gretzky recalled. "And he's like, 'You know, I'm pressing.' And I said, 'For most people, that's 20 games without a goal.'"