Alexander Ovechkin Becomes 8th Player in NHL History with 700 Career Goals

Washington Capitals left wing Alexander Ovechkin added another line to his stellar resume by scoring his 700th career goal Saturday against the New Jersey Devils.

The Great Eight's 700th career goal was fittingly a blast from the right faceoff circle past Devils goalie Mackenzie Blackwood to tie the game at 2-2 in the third period:

The Capitals congratulated Ovechkin with the following tweets:

Ovechkin joined an exclusive list that includes Wayne Gretzky (894), Gordie Howe (801), Jaromir Jagr (766), Brett Hull (741), Marcel Dionne (731), Phil Esposito (717) and Mike Gartner (708).

Ovechkin has led the NHL in goals in eight of his 14 seasons, including each of the past two and six of the last seven. He has a chance to earn the goals lead again this season, sitting just one behind league leaders David Pastrnak and Auston Matthews with 42.

The first overall pick of the 2004 NHL draft burst on the scene with 52 goals during his 2005-06 rookie year after a lockout wiped out the 2004-05 season. He scored a career-high 65 in 2007-08.

Ovechkin is a 12-time All-Star and three-time Hart Trophy winner. He also took home the Conn Smythe during the Caps' 2017-18 Stanley Cup-winning campaign.

Ovechkin is the only active player in the top 10 of the career goal-scoring list and one of two in the top 25, with the San Jose Sharks' Patrick Marleau the other.

Ovechkin, 34, will end the year sixth overall on the goals list if he can score 17 more. Finishing his career as the league's all-time leader in goals before retirement isn't out of the realm of possibility either.

As far as Ovechkin's team goes, the Caps sit tied for first in the Metropolitan division and tied for third in the NHL in points. This year's team is once again in a position to make a Stanley Cup run after another stellar regular season.