Lane Hutson is having one of the most productive rookie campaigns by a defenceman ever and now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with a Hall of Famer that Montreal Canadiens fans know plenty about.

By the time you’re reading this, there’s a good chance Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record will have fallen.

Alexander Ovechkin has been a man on a mission this week, scoring four times already and after a two-goal performance Friday night, he needs just a single tally to become the NHL’s all-time leader in goals. With the Washington Capitals facing off against the New York Islanders on Sunday, there’s a very strong possibility there will be a new scoring king by Monday.

Gretzky’s record was one of the handful in professional sports that most felt was never going to be broken. Part of that is because to ever challenge it, you’d have to play at an elite level for a very long time and in a physical sport like hockey, that’s almost unheard of. Sure, we’ve seen players recently play well into their late 30s and early 40s, but usually in a reduced role where their skills have significantly diminished. Ovechkin, though, is still racking up goals at a ridiculous pace and isn’t really showing too many signs of slowing down.

In this, his age-39 season, Ovechkin has 41 goals in 60 games after missing a bunch of time with a broken leg. That works out to a 56-goal pace and even factoring in all that missed time, Ovechkin’s goal scoring production is still the most ever by anyone at 39 years old, according to Sportsnet Stats.

Most goals in age-39 season

• 1) Alex Ovechkin (2024-25) – 41
• 2) Gordie Howe (1967-68) – 39
• 3) Johnny Bucyk (1974-75) – 29
• T4) Jean Ratelle (1979-80) – 28
• T4) Shane Doan (2015-16) – 28
• T6) Daniel Aldredsson (2011-12) – 27
• T6) Joe Pavelski (2023-24) – 27
• T6) Teemu Selanne (2009-10) – 27
• 9) Joe Nieuwendyk (2005-06) – 26
• T10) Jean Beliveau (1970-71) – 25
• T10) Brett Hull (2003-04) – 25

Most goals in age-40 season

•1) Gordie Howe (1968-69) – 44
• 2) Johnny Bucyk (1975-76) – 36