Alex Ovechkin continues his relentless pursuit of history, inching closer to the unprecedented 900-goal mark, while the New Jersey Devils are showcasing dominant form, and a compelling matchup between Quinn Hughes and Lane Hutson has the hockey world buzzing.
Ovechkin's Quest for 900
Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals' captain, is on the cusp of becoming the first player in NHL history to reach 900 career goals. The 40-year-old Ovechkin currently sits at 898 goals after scoring in a 5-1 victory against the Minnesota Wild. Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky's previous record of 894 career goals late last season. In that game against the Wild, Ovechkin also recorded an assist and now has four points through five games this season. Ovechkin's 898th goal was his 567th at even strength, surpassing Gordie Howe for second all-time in that category; Gretzky leads with 617.
"The chances were there," Ovechkin said after the game against Minnesota. "Sometimes you just have to be patient and one goes in and I hope next game it's going to be more".
Experts believe that while Ovechkin's speed may have diminished, his accuracy and positioning remain elite. Ovechkin himself has stated that breaking 900 goals is a realistic target, but he is also aiming for 1,000 goals.
Devils Displaying Dominance
The New Jersey Devils are making waves early in the 2025-2026 season. The Devils are one of three NHL teams located in the New York metropolitan area. Founded in 1974 as the Kansas City Scouts, the team moved to Denver as the Colorado Rockies in 1976 before becoming the New Jersey Devils in 1982. The team plays their home games at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, which has been their home since 2007.
Hughes vs. Hutson
A highly anticipated matchup between two of the league's most dynamic defensemen, Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks and Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens, took center stage recently. The game took place Saturday at Rogers Arena. Hughes, 26, won the Norris Trophy in 2024 as the NHL's top defenseman, while Hutson, 21, is coming off a Calder Trophy-winning rookie season.
The two met earlier this year on January 6, where both players had multiple points, with the Canadiens winning 5-4 in overtime. Among defensemen with at least one NHL season, Hughes is second in career points per game (0.94) behind Cale Makar (1.08), while Hutson is fourth (0.82). This season, however, Hutson has more points (eight in nine games) than Hughes (five in eight games). Hutson also leads all NHL defensemen in even-strength points with seven, while Hughes has one.
Last season, Hughes posted a slightly better max skating speed (24.56 mph) than Hutson (23.77 mph). Hughes also ranks higher in offensive zone time percentage this season, at 47.6%, compared to Hutson's 45.6%. In terms of total skating distance, Hughes (31.82 miles) and Hutson (30.83 miles) are among the highest-workload skaters in the NHL this season.
