Editor's Note: A previous version of this story quoted information on Vitek Vanecek's performance against Alex Ovechkin that ended up being incorrect. We regret this error.
It's official. Alexander Ovechkin is the greatest scoring player in the history of the NHL. On Sunday afternoon, he scored goal number 895 against the New York Islanders. It was an epic moment that many are happy happened this season, and we didn't have to wait until next season to see him pass Wayne Gretzky on the all-time list.
ALEX OVECHKIN IS THE GREATEST GOALSCORER IN NHL HISTORY! 🚨🚨🚨 #Gr8ness pic.twitter.com/NKef3VvNaJ
— NHL (@NHL) April 6, 2025
Ovechkin has scored on 183 different goalies in his career. His second-career goal came against former Devils' backup and current media personality Kevin Weekes. He's scored a ton of goals against Devils' greats, including seven goals against the greatest goalie of all time Martin Brodeur. He has six career goals against current Devils' goalie Jacob Markstrom and five against Jake Allen.
He has 42 career goals against the Devils. Just once in his career did he go a whole season without a goal against New Jersey, and that was in 2007-08. He was particularly mad at the Devils in 2020-21, scoring six goals in eight games, a career high against Jersey's Team.
An unexpected former Devils starter has been really successful against Ovechkin
One former Devils starting goalie is as popular as any goalie has ever been against Ovechkin, and it's definitely not a goalie anyone would expect. Vitek Vanecek has never allowed a goal to Ovechkin after playing him in five games, incluing four with the Devils.
It's not like Ovechkin didn't have a good chance to score against him. He had 19 shots against him, and none went in. In one game, Ovechkin had eight shots against Vanecek, and none went in. It was one of Vanecek's best performances as a New Jersey Devils goalie. Only six goalies have faced more shots against Ovechkin without giving up a goal, but most were backups or worse. Michal Neuvirth has faced the most shots including the playoffs without giving up a goal (25), according to Russian Machine Never Breaks.
Vanecek was obviously also Ovechkin's teammate from 2020 to 2022. He must have learned a thing or two about stopping Ovechkin because he brought that knowledge to New Jersey. He also taught former Devils' goalie Akira Schmid how to stop Ovechkin, because he also never allowed a goal to the top scorer of all time despite playing him in four games.
Some might be surprised that Vanecek is on this list since he's allowed goals to just about everyone the past two years. In two games in the 2023-24 season against the Capitals, Washington scored 10 goals on the Devils. Ovechkin just hadn't had one with Vanecek in net. Ovechkin scored in the October 25th game, but that was on an empty net.
The Devils have faced Ovechkin 78 times in franchise history. It's an underrated rivalry, and it would be great to see the two finally face off in a playoff series. Hopefully, we get that this year.