The wait is finally over.
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 484th career goal on Thursday night to become the NHL’s leader in goals scored by a Russian born-player, passing Hall of Famer Sergei Fedorov who scored 483 goals in 1,248 NHL games.
“I would like to congratulate Alex on this achievement,” Fedorov said in a statement. “What he has accomplished thus far in his career has been nothing short of remarkable. I had a great opportunity to play with Alex in Washington and have seen first-hand the respect, passion and enthusiasm he has not only for the game of hockey but for his country as well.”
Since entering the NHL at the beginning of the 2005-06 season, Ovechkin leads the NHL in goals, points, power play goals, power play points and game-winning goals.
“Alex has meant a great deal to our organization and our community and it has been a pleasure to watch as he continues to rewrite the record books,” said Capitals president Dick Patrick. “Alex is a proud Russian and this record means a great deal to him, especially knowing the respect and admiration he has for Sergei.”