Crosby on Ovechkin and Gretzky’s record: “We couldn’t fathom it — it seemed so far away. It’s pretty cool that we’re both still playing and chasing it”

Sidney Crosby on Alexander Ovechkin and Wayne Gretzky’s goals record

In a recent interview, Sidney Crosby was asked about Alexander Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record. Crosby said that he and Ovechkin are both fortunate to still be playing and competing at a high level at this stage of their careers.

“It’s pretty cool that we’re both still playing and chasing it,” Crosby said. “When we came into the league, we couldn’t fathom it — it seemed so far away.”

Gretzky retired in 1999 with 894 goals, a record that seemed untouchable at the time. However, Ovechkin has been steadily climbing the all-time list in recent years, and he is now just 121 goals away from breaking Gretzky’s record.

If Ovechkin can stay healthy and continue to produce at a high level, he could break Gretzky’s record by the end of the 2023-24 season.

Crosby said that he is impressed by Ovechkin’s longevity and consistency.

“He’s been doing it for a long time,” Crosby said. “He’s been one of the best players in the world for a long time. He’s a great scorer, and he’s still going strong.”

Crosby also said that he believes Ovechkin can break Gretzky’s record.

“I think he can do it,” Crosby said. “He’s got a lot of hockey left in him. He’s still playing at a high level. He’s still scoring goals. I think he can do it.”