All Hockey news

The historic GR8 Chase by Alex Ovechkin has finally ended, and it seems that the NHL has quieted down – not until another buzz about who would be able to beat the new record set by the Washington Capitals star has started going around the league. So far, most analysts and even players claim that Toronto Maple Leafs captain and star Auston Matthews might be able to pull it off. Records are made to be broken, and it took a long time for Ovechkin to chase down the legendary Wayne Gretzky’s record for the most career goals in the NHL, and at the age of 39, he did manage to score 895 goals and showed the world that chasing a long-standing record isn’t impossible. To be fair, LeBron James did break the NBA’s long-standing record of most points scored in February 2023 – then later set 40,000 points in the next year. There’s indeed a lot of records that are meant to be broken – and many people seem to think that Matthews is also capable of pulling off that same feat as well. The thing is – there is indeed a lot to expect considering how it is hard to score a goal in the NHL, let alone score a total of 896 goals by the end of one’s career. A Long Way to Go Well, Matthews does have a case to beat that record. Sure, Sidney Crosby (622 goals), Steven Stamkos (579 goals), an Evgeni Malkin (513 goals) do have better numbers as of the time of writing, but they are already past their prime and are unlikely to make a chase for the top of the scoring list. Matthews, on the other hand, has a total of 398 goals in 623 career games. He is 497 shy of Ovechkin’s mark, and he would at least need 778 more games to score 896 goals based on his current goals-per-game pace. In a season perspective, that’s about nine more seasons. Luckily, Matthews is just 27, and considering that Ovechkin reached it at the age of 39, the Maple Leafs star will be 36 when he breaks the record – and still has three more years to add to the tally. That is a long way to go, yes, but Matthews himself definitely deserves to be in the conversation with the way he’s playing. “I mean, this guy just broke the record. I’m so far away from that, and I don’t think that should be a focus on myself,” Matthews said about being the next to beat the scoring record. “I mean, it should be on Ovi, and rightfully so. It should be on Ovi, and what he’s been able to accomplish in his career, and obviously this record being one of them.” Other Factors to Consider While it is entirely plausible for Matthews to beat the NHL scoring record, there are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to his scoring. One begins at how many goals will Ovechkin have when he retires – considering that he’s still playing at an impressive pace and is bringing a high level of play, the Capitals forward will likely last for two more seasons and may even be daring enough to be the first to reach 1,000 goals. If that happens, then the numbers will be bigger for Matthews to chase, and let’s not forget that health is a concern for Matthews – and if he will be playing for more games with the Maple Leafs as well. For now, the focus for Matthews is to bring his game to a high level and keep the pressure on the Eastern Conference as he seeks to come up with a winning pace with Toronto heading into the playoffs. The scoring talk will have its time, soon.

Alex Ovechkin’s 895th goal of his career was the only goal scored by the Washington Capitals in their 4-1 loss to the New York Islanders, but it was still a historic finish that now set him apart from the legendary Wayne Gretzky in the all-time scoring list of the NHL. Ovechkin now stands alone at the top of the goal list of the NHL, and he is still expected to add more to that tally even with the season winding down. It was more of a harmless loss for the Capitals – who are still yet to clinch its 50th win of the season, as they remain the first seed of the Eastern Conference and is already ensured of home-ice advantage for the rest of the postseason. At this point, it cannot be denied that Ovechkin has been a great boost for the team, and there are high hopes that he can carry it to the postseason run as well. At the age of 39, Ovechkin has now become the sole leader in scoring in the NHL. It took him quite a long time – possibly his whole career, to surpass the legendary Wayne Gretzky. It has been a promising campaign for the veteran star, and it is also expected that he would be gunning for more goals as the Capitals also seek to cruise for another championship now more than ever. A Historic Night for Ovechkin Alex Ovechkin entered the second period with the hopes of breaking the scoring drought for the Capitals in this game against the Islanders. The forward scored the record-setting goal at 7:26 of the second period on a power play as he raced off a pass from Tom Wilson before pulling up a wrist shot over Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin on the blocker side from the top of the left face-off circle. Of course, the Capitals did not score any single goal after that, but it was indeed a historic night for the star as he has finally emerged as the leading scorer in the history of the NHL. Ovechkin nearly had a chance to pass Gretzky at 2:35 of the first period, but Sorokin pulled off a great save to redirect the puck. "What a day, huh?” Ovechkin said during his on-ice ceremony. “Like I always said, all the time, it's a team sport and without my boys - the whole organization, the fans, the trainers, coaches - I would never be standing here, and obviously I would never pass the 'Great One.' So, fellas, thank you very much.” Shifting Focus and Priorities After that goal by Ovechkin, nothing good followed. The Capitals failed to score and were routed all the way to the finish. Charlie Lindgren made 18 saves for Washington, who would have clinched the Metropolitan Division for good with a win. Still, the team is way ahead of the pack and is 11 points ahead of the second-place Carolina Hurricanes. “I’m frustrated about how the game went after Ovechkin’s goal, but it's not an easy scenario that our players have just gone through in the last 72 hours, having gone through the home game, flying here yesterday, the earlier start here,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. “I'm not taking anything away from the New York Islanders because the game was at 12:30 and it started at 12:30 for them as well. But it's a difficult stretch for us. I thought that goal would have snowballed and was hoping it would create some momentum for our group, but that didn't happen.” Now more than ever, the focus now shifts for the team in preparation for the playoff campaign, where the Capitals are one of the heavy favorites to win it all and close out a promising campaign too. With Ovechkin’s goal chase off the table, getting healthy and locked in for the playoffs is the main priority.

Despite the Washington Capitals’ 8-5 loss to the unsuspecting Buffalo Sabres, Alex Ovechkin pulled closer to breaking the NHL scoring record as he is now five goals away from surpassing the legendary Wayne Gretzky for the most goals scored in the history of the NHL. So far, it has been a hyped campaign, and one can say that this is really a hyped push for the Capitals’ veteran star. At the age of 39, Ovechkin is now knocking in the doorstep of the goal record set by Gretzky, who scored his final goal on March 29, 1999. Known as “the Great One”, Gretzky has been able to come up with explosive games over the years, setting the standard for his greatness in the game and cementing his place in history. Ovechkin, however, played at a high level for most of his career, and now he is on the cusp of breaking and rewriting history now more than ever, which says a lot about the impressive chase that he’s been gunning for so far. Now more than ever, Ovechkin is bringing fiery performances in the season and is leading the Caps to the playoffs – all while accomplishing his own goals. The GR8 Chase Closing Fast Starting out the season with just 853 career goals, many expected Ovechkin to come up short considering his age and the Capitals’ waning dominance in the league entering the campaign. However, both proved to be wrong so far as Ovechkin has blazed his way through the season and has scored big numbers – all while the Capitals have kept on grinding their way to the top of the league. Ovechkin scored 15 goals in his first 18 games before going down with a broken fibula back in November. Many thought that it would halt his campaign to break Gretzky’s goal record, but he was just out for five weeks and returned to form in a snap, not even missing a single beat since returning to injury. Scoring his 890th goal in a loss to the Sabres, Ovechkin now moves four goals behind to tie the record and five to set a new record now more than ever. With nine games left to play, it seems that there are high expectations for the Capitals star to at least break the record or even become the first to reach 900 goals. A Legend Among Men There are only three players with at least 800 goals in the history of the NHL, which includes Gretzky (894), Ovechkin (890), and Gordie Howe (801). Ovechkin’s climb, however, has been really impressive with the way he has kept on scoring at a high level. In 2005, Ovechkin scored his first goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets, then scored his 50th against the Atlanta Thrashers in 2006. A year later, Ovechkin clinched 100 goals against the New York Rangers. What’s surprising is that Ovechkin has tallied only 32 career hat tricks, even missing out in 2011-12, 2014-15, 2020-21, and 2023-24. Ovechkin is likely expected to break the scoring record by April 4th vs Chicago or April 6th vs the Islanders, assuming that he scores at least one goal against Boston (April 1) and Carolina (April 2). At this point, one can say that Ovechkin is really ramping up his big game, and it is easy to expect that the star is going to set his massive record and leave his mark in the history of the league.

Alex Ovechkin has proved himself to be the gritty star that many fans have praised him for years, and his success with the Washington Capitals can already be called a career at this point and he’d still earn a shot at the Hall of Fame without any doubt. However, it seems that he wants to cap off his legendary career by surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s scoring record in the NHL. At the age of 39, nothing is already surprising for Alex Ovechkin. He gets injured? Well, he always comes back stronger than ever. He has a scoring slump? Well, he gets over it in just a short period of time. With Gretzky’s record standing at 894, it seems that Ovechkin may well be bringing the thunder in his next few games as he seeks to break the scoring record and set a new dynamic in the NHL as he continues to play at a higher level. Before this week, Ovechkin was sitting at 887 goals total, and he came up with a huge performance to close the gap now more than ever. With the way he is pacing in the game right now – he could both break the scoring record and even set a bigger number in the long run, and then bring a huge finish by the end of the season by also leading the Washington Capitals to a coveted championship. The Race to the Record Alex Ovechkin has been focused on breaking the scoring record, and he has even partnered with the Hockey Fights Cancer and the V Foundation for Cancer Research to launch "THE GR8 CHASE for Victory Over Cancer.” This campaign will see the star donate a dollar amount equal to the goal total he scores all the way to end of his career. Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Capitals, will match every donation. "It's just a matter of time, whether it's late this year, early next year, whenever," Gretzky told NHL.com earlier this season about Ovechkin's chances of breaking his record. "I mean, he's a great player. He's a great goal scorer." It can be remebered that Alex Ovechkin opened the season with 853 career goals in tow. He was blazing hot in his early games of the season, coming up with 15 goals in 18 games. Ovechkin did suffer a broken fibula back in November, leading him to miss five weeks of action. However, that did not do anything to hamper his goal-hunting pace at all. In fact, Ovechkin scored four goals in his first five games coming off injury. To come up with a strong scoring run in his return from such an injury says a lot about the expectations set before him, which certainly brings a promising dynamic for the star’s hopes of proving his worth better than ever. A Chance at a Title? As of the time of writing, the Washington Capitals are the only team to have clinched a playoff spot so far – and that says a lot about how they are doing better than he 48-win Winnipeg Jets, who have just played a game more than the Caps so far. Being able to clinch ahead of last year’s contenders in the Edmonton Oilers and champions Florida Panthers, one can say that Ovechkin has played a huge role in leading the charge – and the Capitals are reaping all the massive benefits now more than ever. Who knows, maybe this could end up as a massive season to remember for Alex Ovechkin, who is definitely going to clinch that scoring record anytime this week. After all, another championship could only add to his already legendary career.

This season has been quite special for the New Jersey Devils to begin with, but given how the injuries have become impactful on their winning chances, it seems that their odds have been dampened with their lack of star power. However, one can say that the team still has a lot of power in terms of their roster, which says a lot about how they can still manage to win big. This season, the Devils will be gunning for the rest of the campaign without top forward Jack Hughes (shoulder surgery), and even no. 1 defenseman Dougie Hamilton. If anything, the Devils are going to be shorthanded on both ends, and their Stanley Cup Playoff chances are definitely in question now more than ever. However, the Devils still have a lot of reliable players in its rotation, and one can even say that they have what it takes to come up with a deep playoff run now more than ever, which is definitely giving them a chance to at least secure their spot in the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference while also putting up a fight against the elite contenders all the way to the season finish now more than ever. Production from Secondary Players The Devils have seen a huge spark of production from wing star Timo Meier ever since Hughes and Hamilton were set out of the game, and it cannot be denied that he has been impressive since that stretch and has ensured that New Jersey will still have a winger to rely on their offensive push so far. Meier has six points (four goals, two assists) and 23 shots on goal in his past seven games and is tied for fourth in 5-on-5 shot attempts since March 1 (47). Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe shouldn’t worry that much about how the squad can take the fiery battles ahead. Depth players have elevated their play, such as Stefan Noesen, who has led the forwards in high-danger shots on goal and goals made in that regard. It is worth noting that even without both Hughes and Hamilton, they are having better shooting fortunes on that end so far. Both captain Nico Hischier and center Cody Glass have also shown thriving performances so far as well. Hischier has seen a career-high 12 power-play goals, tied for seventh in the league overall. Glass, on the other hand, has been a good acquisition with his quick plays and has been present on the line most of the time with Jesper Bratt. Devils Still Hopeful Despite the challenges posed by key injuries this season, the New Jersey Devils remain in a strong position to make the playoffs, thanks to the depth and talent spread throughout their roster. Other players contributing offensively and providing stability in both ends of the ice shows that they do have a strong chance now more than ever. The team’s well-rounded approach, including their strong defensive core and goaltending tandem, ensures that even in the absence of some key figures, the Devils are still competitive and capable of sustaining success. Moreover, New Jersey’s depth isn’t just about individual players stepping up; it’s also a testament to the team-oriented system that has been instilled by head coach Lindy Ruff. The Devils have developed a style of play that emphasizes speed, transition, and relentless puck pressure, allowing them to continue generating scoring opportunities even without their top stars fully healthy. The commitment to a collective effort has seen other players take on expanded roles, and this is where the Devils' resilience shines. As long as they continue to play to their strengths, rely on their well-rounded depth, and get timely contributions from all corners of the lineup, the playoffs remain within reach for New Jersey.

Patrick Kane can retire today and he’ll be hailed as one fof the best players to ever play the game at this point in time. He has three Stanley Cup trophies to his name, a handful of MVPs, and a lot of records set in his glorious run in the NHL that seems to be quite the promising resume for an Hall of Famer at this point in time. So when Kane returned to action coming off an injury for the Detroit Red Wings, one can say that he is actually showing a lot of hope in his games with the way he has played – 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in his past 13 games for the team. That’s just absurd considering that he’s already 36, not that we’re discounting how impressive Alex Ovechkin has been in his chase for the NHL’s record in most goals scored. Detroit remains a competitive team in the Eastern Conference, and Kane is definitely living up to his “Showtime” nickname with the way he has impressed night in and night out for the team, which says a lot about what should fans expect from him as he moves towards a deeper push in his career. Pushing His Limits One can easily forget that Kane also had a hip resurfacing surgery back in 2023 – that is just one among so many injuries he suffered in his career. The star had hip impingement, grinding bone on bone – which saw the femoral head trimmed and capped with metal, and no player has ever managed to excel in their return after that kind of surgery – save for Kane. For head coach Todd McLellan, this is just another display of elite hockey play from Kane, who aspires to be one of the legends of the game, despite having a strong case for that end. “I just think that he loves playing hockey still,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said. “He comes and he wants to play, and he wants the puck and he wants it to make plays. Does it always go perfect? No. But he can’t wait to get back on the ice again, and that excitement to play remains there in a player that could just say, ‘I’m full. I’ve got my Cups. I’m going to the Hall of Fame.’ He knows that. We all know that. He could say ‘I’m secure in my life.’ But the hunger’s still there.” Last season, Kane finished with 47 points in just 50 games, coming off 20 goals and 27 assists. This season? Kane has similar numbers at 46 points on 17 goals and 29 assists in 56 games as of the time of writing. He did sit out two games – but both correlated to his upper-body injury and not the hip issue. Adding to a Legendary Career For those who don’t know, Kane already has 1,330 points on 488 goals and 842 assists in 1,287 games. He already has the chance to become the highest scoring American player in the history of the league as he also trails two Detroit legends in Brett Hull, who had 1,391 points, and Mike Modano, who had 1,374 points. Considering the pace that Kane is riding on, one can expect that he will be coming in for those numbers, and he can certainly keep on going considering how well he has performed in every single game for the Red Wings, who are pacing on the 11th spot with a 32-29-6 record so far.

After spending a total of 16 seasons with the Boston Bruins, Brad Marchand now begins his next chapter with the Florida Panthers. It has been quite a whirlwind of a season for Marchand, and it is expected that the star will try to find his way to fit into the squad now that he is joining a contender team that is still on the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference. Marchand was the captain for the Boston Bruins since last season when Patrice Bergeron retired from the game. So for the team to trade him for a conditional second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft says a lot about the path that the Bruins are taking after years of highly competitive and successful seasons. Marchand was originally slated to become a free agent by July 1st, and being unable to agree on a new contract with Boston was never easy, but nevertheless a better choice than to test his worth on the free agency market. Now he is seeking a renewed chance to win another Stanley Cup to make the most of his chances. A Historic Boston Run Marchand has been a pivotal player for the Boston Bruins, who now have plummeted to the 12th spot in the Eastern Conference with a 29-28-8 record in the season after being one fo the contenders in the playoffs last year. Trading him away seemed like a way forward rather than to gamble his value on the market in the offseason. “It is very tough when you have to deal with the business side of things," Marchand said. “You know, I have had an incredible run in that organization, and I am extremely proud of how things went there. It was disappointing things didn't get done, just because I love the organization and wanted to stay there. But I know this is a business and every player has a shelf life. Selected no. 71 overall in the 2006 NHL Draft, Marchand has been a legendary figure in Bruins history, being the fourth overall in total games played at 1,090 and fifth in total points with 976 (coming off 422 goals and 554 assists). He won the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011 and last played in the Final in 2019, where they lost to the St. Louis Blues in seven games. This is quite a storied trade, considering that Florida was the one to eliminate Boston in the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. Now he joins his 4 Nations teammates in Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart on the same lineup aside from playing for Canada. A New Chapter Following a 4-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres, Marchand is now slated to play in a Florida jersey for the rest of the season, but feels that he would rather be here than ride out the rest of the campaign with Boston after failing to reach an agreement on a new contract. “It has been a whirlwind the past few days," Marchand said Monday. “It's sad to leave a place I look at as home. I have a lot of great memories in Boston, a lot of incredible years there. But it is extremely exciting to be part of such an incredible group here.” So far, Florida stands as the second seed in the Eastern Conference with a 40-21-3 record for 83 points as of the time of writing, but way behind the Washington Capitals, who have a 42-14-8 record for 92 points.

At the age of 23, Jack Hughes has been really an impressive performer in his own right and has certainly ignited the New Jersey Devils fanbase this season. However, he will now be out for the rest of the season after coming up with a shoulder surgery this Wednesday. The star is expected to come up with a full recovery in the coming months and will be definitely ready for training camp when it comes up. Jack Hughes has been an absolute performer for most of the season, effectively carrying the New Jersey Devils to the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference. However, since his injury, the team has plummeted back to the sixth seed after a phenomenal start so far. Now it seems that they are back to the drawing board once more and is likely to fall from playoff contention if they continue to lose games. Selected first overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, Hughes has risen to stardom with the way he has grown in his games, and it seems that he was even poised for a promising run as the MVP this season. However, it seems that Hughes’ big game will now have to be put at a pause for now as he is slated to recover while the Devils try to salvage what is left of what used to be an amazing season so far. A Big Loss for New Jersey It can be remembered that Jack Hughes also had a surgery on his shoulder back in April 2024 and went on to miss the final four games of the regular season back then. He would go on to return to the team’s training camp and has not missed a game since. Being injured at this point – a crucial stretch in the season – definitely hurts the Devils’ chances at a massive scale. "Jack's a very important player, so the whole group was feeling for him the other night, myself and the coaching staff included," Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said Tuesday, before the extent of the injury was known. "Injuries are part of the game but just the nature of it and all of that makes it tougher and also knowing what he's been through in the past." Hughes tops off the Devils in almost every single category this season. He is the team leader in goals, (27), game-winners (7), shots on goal (229) and average ice time (20:54) among forwards. His total of 70 points matches Jesper Bratt for first and is second in assists (43) behind the latter’s 53 total. Dawson Mercer took over Hughes’ spot in the second line, joining Ondrej Palat and Tomas Tatar to begin the game in Dallas. That game ended up in a whopping 4-3 loss for the team. Devils Odds Crashing The Devils opened up the odds of the season at +1300. But after a series of tough losses down the stretch has set them back to the odds of +1700 at worst. Standing at 33-24-6 in the season, the Devils now have a total of 19 games left after Hughes was declared out for the season. The team still ranks third in the Metropolitan Division and stands four points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are two games less in total played. The Devils return hom,e on Friday after wrapping up its five-game road trip to play the Winnipeg Jets at the Prudential Center. The team has been 7-7-0 since January 22 and has gone cold at 9-11-3 to start off 2025.

The Toronto Maple Leafs needed overtime to edge the Pittsburgh Penguins at the PPG Paints Arena as they escaped with a 6-5 victory to extend their winning streak to five games in a row. Toronto now finds itself at the front of the Atlantic division and just six points behind the East-leading Washington Capitals in the standings. The Maple Leafs managed to tally 46 wins last season, and now it seems that they are on the pace to surpass that mark as they have now rallied for their fifth straight win, which is the second-longest winning streak in the NHL right now behind the Tampa Bay Lightning’s eight in a row. It seems that Toronto is playing on a hot pace and may well be on the way to come up with an impressive push on the East heading into the final stretches of the campaign. So far, Toronto is seeking to be the first Canadian team to win a championship in any North American sport since the Raptors did in the NBA back in 2019, and the second Toronto team to come up with the feat as well. This season may well be that big break that they are looking for quite some time now. Winning Winnable Games Since losing to their Canadian rivals in the Vancouver Canucks, the Toronto Maple Leafs would go on to win five straight, including this huge victory against the Penguins. The Maple Leafs took down the Carolina Hurricanes (6-3), Chicago Blackhawks (5-2), Boston Bruins (5-4), and the New York Rangers (3-2) before this win against Pittsburgh. So far, it took overtime for the Maple Leafs to bring down the Penguins. A game-winner from William Nylander 1:00 into overtime proved to be the pivotal play that closed down the door against Pittsburgh as they rallied twice to claim a win in this game on the road. It was also the second overtime game they played in their last three. “It’s good to win those games,” Nylander said of the massive overtime win for the Maple Leafs. “It’s the positive thing that you can take away from it. Even though we’re not playing great, we’re still able to win the game.” Auston Matthews came up with a goal and an assist as he now logged 700 NHL points, while Matthew Knies managed to bring up a goal and an assist of his own to boost the Leafs. Joseph Woll also played a huge role in helping Toronto come up with a promising clutch defense with 29 saves, now winning eight of their last nine games as well. A Big Night for Matthews Aside from logging 700 points, Auston Matthews also scored his 390th NHL goal, which now puts him ahead of the legendary Darryl Sittler in Maple Leafs scoring history. He now eyes Mats Sundin’s record of 420 goals with the team while also logging a nine-game point streak, now standing at 13 points coming off two goals and 11 assists. “It’s nice. It’s nice to be in the same sentence as a guy like Darryl Sittler,” Matthews said. “Obviously, a great Leaf. He paved the way for some of us out here today. So, it’s a big honor to be in the same sentence.” Matthews now has 51 points on the season with 22 goals and 29 assists in 45 games and is +4 on his games as well. He is coming off a 107-point season in 2023-24 when he finished the campaign with 69 goals and 38 assists.

For years, the Winnipeg Jets have been one of the NHL’s most passionate and determined teams, but something special has clicked this season. Once considered underdogs, they are now not just a playoff team but arguably the best team in the NHL. So far, there are high expectations for the team, and it is starting to become a reality. The NHL is no stranger to fierce competition, but in the 2023-2024 season, one team has managed to outshine all others: the Winnipeg Jets. With a record of 41-14-3, the Jets have not only dominated the league but have also proven they are a serious contender for the Stanley Cup. What stands out most about this record is their consistency. The Jets have managed to maintain a winning pace for much of the season, thanks to a balanced roster that excels both offensively and defensively. In fact, their goal differential (which currently sits at +32) is one of the best in the league, a key indicator of their well-rounded game. Huge Performances from Top Players One of the key factors behind the Jets’ success is their balanced offensive attack. They have depth in every line, and it’s not just one or two players carrying the load. Winnipeg boasts a plethora of scoring options, from their top line led by Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Blake Wheeler, to strong secondary scoring from the likes of Pierre-Luc Dubois and Nikolaj Ehlers. The ability to roll four lines that can all score has made them difficult to defend, especially when their power play is clicking at such a high rate. Well, there’s no defensive concerns for the Jets, because at the heart of the Jets’ success is their rock-solid goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck. Known for his consistency and ability to steal games, Hellebuyck has been nothing short of exceptional this season. With a .924 save percentage and a 2.40 goals-against average, he’s once again proving why he's one of the league’s top netminders. Mind you, he’s also one of the top candidates for the MVP now more than ever, which says a lot about his value in the squad at this point in time. A significant part of Winnipeg’s success has been their power play and penalty kill. While the Jets' power play has been clicking at an impressive rate (currently sitting among the league's top 10), it’s their penalty kill that really sets them apart. They have one of the most successful PK units in the league, killing penalties at an 85% clip, making them a tough team to score against even when they are short-handed. How the Odds Look for the Jets The Winnipeg Jets started out the season with odds of +2100, which was one of the top five picks to win it all. However, as the season progressed, the Jets continued to rain down impressive performances and eventually snagged a promising lead to the top of the Western Conference. So far, the Jets now stand with the best odds of winning at +800, just trailing the Edmonton Oilers behind with the latter set at +650 best odds to win. Looking ahead, the Jets will need to maintain their form as the regular season winds down and the playoffs loom large. However, the way they’ve been playing, there’s no reason why they can’t be one of the favorites come playoff time. With their defense, goaltending, and balanced attack, they’ve proven they are capable of matching up against any team.

Now up to 29 goals in 41 games this season, Alex Ovechkin finds himself even closer to the NHL’s all-time goals record of 894 – and he has 25 games left to play this season. The Capitals star led the way for Washington to come up with a 7-3 victory to beat the reigning Western Conference champions in the Edmonton Oilers. One game at a time, Ovechkin has been slowly chipping away at the 894-goal record set by the legendary Wayne Gretzky. With his 32nd hat trick overall, it seems that Ovechkin’s impressive game is seeing a lot of promise at this point in time, and he is surely not slowing down as he has now tallied 882 goals overall in his career. Washington has now logged an 11-0-5 record in its last 16 home games, and they are certainly making their presence felt in the league as one of its best teams, and Ovechkin is showing promising strides now more than ever. So far, this has been one of their blazing seasons, and it definitely resounds of a potential championship run as well. A Big Campaign for Washington Ovechkin has been phenomenal in his scoring so far, and he knows that one game at a time, passing Gretzky’s record seems more possible than ever. Today, he has seen impressive chances to score even more than three goals, and it shows just how aggressive he has been for most of the game so far. “I thought [that was] as good as we’ve played all season from start to finish,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “We were so dialed in from puck drop to the end of that game - the bench, not only what guys were vocalizing on the bench, but what they were going and doing every shift after shift after shift against as good a team as there is in the League on a back-to-back.” Dylan Strome registered a goal and two assists, and Tom Wilson and Jakob Chychrun each had a goal and an assist as the Capitals (38-11-8) rolled past the Pittsburgh Penguins 8-3 on Saturday. Washington extended its unbeaten run to 5-0-3 over the past eight games. Aliaksei Protas chipped in three assists, while Charlie Lindgren made 22 saves in the win. Washington’s 16-game home point streak has been the second-longest by the franchise after setting a 17-point run in 2016-17. On top of that, Ovechkin’s hat trick was nearly a nine-goal outing as he had nine shots on goal that could have been a historic night for the star. Oilers on the Losing Ground The Oilers, on the other hand, have now seen Connor McDavid on a -3 for a third straight game, joined by forwards Kasperi Kapanen and Vasily Podkolzin. Despite Leon Draisaitl extending for 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in his eight-game streak, it seems that the Oilers still aren’t that stable enough to come up with a lot of wins at this point in time. “I thought it was an excellent start,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “Good pace, both teams skating well, chances at both ends, goaltenders made some really big saves. They continued that pace, and we dropped. They were able to just make a lot more plays. They were outskating us and we looked like the slow team tonight.” The Oilers came out flat, and the Capitals made sure that they’d make the most of their chances to roll out with the win. This says a lot about the energy that Washington is riding with so far.