On Sunday, hockey fans across the globe witnessed Alex Ovechkin make history. He got his 895th goal on Ilya Sorokin, surpassing Wayne Gretzky on the all-time list. Hockey has a new scoring king and he hails from Moscow.
Ovechkin has also earned the moniker of being the long-time antagonist of the Vegas Golden Knights. He, along with the Washington Capitals, defeated the Golden Knights in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final, winning the Conn Smythe along the way. The Russian winger has scored eight goals and four assists in 17 games against Vegas.
So who's capable of breaking his record? One name brought up was Auston Matthews and with good reason. The Toronto Maple Leafs forward has 398 goals through 623 games. How many did Ovechkin score? 391. Don't forget others like Leon Draisaitl (399 career goals).
Sadly, not many names for Vegas come to mind
Unfortunately, there aren't many Golden Knights that come to mind regarding this feat. The franchise relies on a balanced attack, where everyone gets to eat. However, that doesn't mean that some names come to mind.
Automatically, the first name that would come to mind is Jack Eichel. While the 28-year-old has emerged as an elite player this season, he's miles away from catching the "Great 8." Eichel has 238 goals in 615 career games, marred by an array of injuries.
Yes, he was previously said to be the Ovechkin of the Golden Knights. From a focal point of view, that is true. However, he's not a traditional goal-scoring option like some of the team's wingers.
That's why one Golden Knights star does have a shot at breaking that record. His breakthrough performance this season set the table for many remarkable years to come. He also happens to be Russian like Ovechkin, too.
Who's the mystery Vegas Golden Knights star that can break Alex Ovechkin's goals record?
When Golden Knights fans were asked who'd be the team's leading goal-scorer this season, many names came up. That included Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl, and Mark Stone. However, nobody mentioned Pavel Dorofeyev as a possibility.
Yet, here we are. The dark-horse candidate leads the Golden Knights in goals scored with 33, turning the team's winger position into a juggernaut. That includes 13 power-play goals, giving Vegas the best power play unit in the league (29.7% entering Tuesday).
Currently, the 24-year-old has 53 career goals. He would need an average of 59.67 goals in 15 seasons to tie. That's a far cry from matching Alex Ovechkin's record. However, it can be done given his role.
Aside from being a power play sniper, Dorofeyev has made the most of his left-handed shot. He has a quick release and a hard shot that can blister through opposing defenses. On top of that, his continued growth has made him a fun player to watch.
Add in shiftiness and terrific hockey instincts and you have a dark horse threat to break Ovechkin's record. It might sound far-fetched given that he's only 24 years old. After all, anything can happen in the hockey world. However, Dorofeyev has the talent and the right circumstances to make a run.
Could Pavel Dorofeyev actually break the goals record?
It's unlikely he does, given that it'll require a combination of consistency and longevity to break Ovechkin's all-time record. The Washington Capitals winger only scored less than 30 goals once in his NHL career (2020-21). He's also had nine seasons of 50 or more goals, pushing him past Wayne Gretzky.
Even his current season is a marvel unto itself. Scoring 42 goals as a 39-year-old player? That takes serious dedication and commitment to achieve this.
Names like Matthews and Leon Draisaitl are more realistic options for breaking the record. They're consistent scoring threats and tend to stay on the ice longer. One downfall of Dorofeyev's situation is that he's supposed to be a two-way forward. That means playing both ends of the ice and using his body for any necessary means.
Still, that shouldn't deter the Russian winger from giving it a try. He has plenty of forwards and puck-moving defensemen who can get him started. Who knows? He might shock the NHL world and throw his hat into the ring someday.