Overall, Ovechkin's a sniper, but he's no Gretzky

March 04, 2025

key points from this story:

• Ovechkin nears Gretzky's goal-scoring record
• Gretzky's era had higher-scoring games
• Gretzky's assist record remains untouchable
• Ovechkin excels in more defensive era
• Gretzky led Oilers to four Stanley Cups
• Stylistic differences: cerebral vs. sharpshooter

It was a legitimate question, coming from a person who is not a fan of the National Hockey League, but aware of the hype surrounding Washington Capitals' sniper Alex Ovechkin's drive to overtake Wayne Gretzky in the statistical category 'most goals-career' in the NHL: "So is Ovechkin better than Gretzky was?"

Uh, no. Not even close. It's like asking whether Bruce Springsteen is a better musician than Ludwig van Beethoven or Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Springsteen may have made a lot more money than the men who came 200 years before him, but … different eras.