Martin Brodeur’s Thoughts on Ovechkin’s Record-Breaking Achievement
The all-time NHL goal-scoring record officially belongs to Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, who surpassed Wayne Gretzky with his 895th goal in a game against the New York Islanders today. Gretzky had held the record since 1999, making Ovechkin’s achievement highly anticipated over the past few weeks. Fans, as well as Gretzky himself, followed the Capitals across the U.S. in hopes of witnessing the historic moment in person. Among the many who congratulated Ovechkin was Devils legend Martin Brodeur, who shared a playful message on social media.
Ovechkin scored his 895th goal after receiving a cross-ice pass from teammate Tom Wilson and firing past Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin with 12:34 left in the second period. This moment mirrored how Gretzky set the record back in 1999 when he also scored against the Islanders, adding a layer of significance to Ovechkin’s achievement. With Ovechkin never having scored on Sorokin prior to this game, the goalie gave him his stick to mark the memorable occasion. At UBS Arena, Ovechkin was classily named the first star of the game, celebrated with a beer shower, and posed with the record puck, making the game a truly unforgettable experience for fans and players worldwide.
Since the news broke, many athletes and celebrities have sent Ovechkin congratulatory messages, such as his favorite athletes, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, and LeBron James. Gretzky was one of the first to congratulate Ovechkin, attending the game in person and delivering a speech after the game was paused for a brief ceremony on the ice. Among the most exciting messages for Devils fans, however, was one from goaltending legend Martin Brodeur, who made a video post earlier today on Instagram. Brodeur, while still holding the record as the winningest goalie of all time, is one of the 183 different goalies that Ovechkin has scored on.
Though Ovechkin had called out Brodeur in the ESPN documentary “GR8TNESS” for “crying to the league” about wearing a mirrored visor, it appears that Brodeur has brushed off the remarks, showing sportsmanship and support in his message. Brodeur, who allowed seven goals in 21 regular-season games against Ovechkin, humorously shared that he “hated playing against [him] because [he] shot the puck too hard.” He even encouraged Ovechkin to “raise it [his goals] to a thousand,” cheering for his continued success as Ovechkin prepares to play one more season with the Capitals. Brodeur concluded his message by saying that breaking the record is “an unbelievable accomplishment,” showing the respect between two of the game’s greatest talents.
