Jaromir Jagr: Alex Ovechkin ‘cannot be stopped,’ will break Gretzky’s goals record

Jaromir Jagr is convinced: Alex Ovechkin will one day break Wayne Gretzky’s career goals record. 

“He cannot be stopped if he doesn’t want to,” Jagr told NHL.com. 

The Washington Capitals star is two goals away from tying Jagr for third on the NHL’s all-time goals list. At 36 years old, Ovechkin is having a renaissance — an MVP-caliber season with 34 goals and 34 assists in 55 games. 

The Russian winger opened the season seventh on the all-time list, but has since passed Marcel Dionne (731 goals) and Brett Hull (741). Now at 764 goals, Ovechkin is chasing Jagr (766), Gordie Howe (801) and Gretzky (894). Under contract with the Capitals through the 2025-26 season, a pace of about 30 goals per season would see Ovechkin pass Gretzky in his age-40 campaign. 

“He’s got a five-year contract that he signed,” Jagr told NHL.com. “I think he’s going to do it before that.”

Jagr, who played 24 seasons with nine different teams, spent three seasons in Washington from 2001-02 to 2003-04. Then after the NHL lockout in 2004, Ovechkin began his tenure with the Capitals in 2005. 

Jagr said the only thing that can stop Ovechkin from catching Gretzky are “injuries.” But he thinks part of the reason why “The Great 8” has remained remarkably healthy in his career is his strength. 

“But a huge advantage for him is nobody, I mean nobody, is as strong as him,” Jagr told NHL.com.