“Am happy being the No. 1 European player” – Alex Ovechkin surpasses Jaromir Jagr for third in NHL goals 

“Am happy being the No. 1 European player” – Alex Ovechkin surpasses Jaromir Jagr for third in NHL goals 

Alex Ovechkin

Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin passed Jaromir Jagr for the third spot in the National Hockey League (NHL) goals when he scored No. 767 against the New York Islanders at Capital One Arena on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old now trails just legendary Gordie Howe (801) and Wayne Gretzky (894) for the most in NHL history.

Coming to the current season, Ovechkin has scored 37 goals in 59 games. The Moscow native has played 1,256 regular-season games during 17 seasons with the Washington team.

FS Video

“It’s pretty cool,” Ovechkin said. “[To] pass all those names, legends, it’s history. It’s going to be forever, and I hope somebody is going to break my record. We will see.”

“It’s special,” Ovechkin said. “If he didn’t go back to the KHL, I think he would be 2 or maybe No. 1, but it is what it is. Now I’m happy, and being [the] No. 1 European player, Russian player, it’s pretty cool.”

“I just close my eyes and shoot,” he added. “I [had] pretty good chances previous games. Finally, ‘Kuzy’ wins a good face-off right on my stick. To score on a very good friend, ‘Varly’, it’s nice too.”

“Might come back to the NHL and start chasing you”

Jaromir Jagr
Jaromir Jagr

Jaromir Jagr, who played 1,733 NHL games during 24 seasons with nine teams, smashed 83 goals in 190 games for the Capitals (2001-04). However, he last played in the NHL for the Calgary Flames in 2017. 

“Alex, ‘The Great 8,’ congratulations,” Jagr said in a video posted on Twitter. “Now you’ve become the leading NHL goal-scorer among European players, but keep scoring. Keep scoring, because as you know, I didn’t retire from hockey yet and there’s a chance I might come back to the NHL and start chasing you.”

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