The 2025 ESPYs took place in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday, and two hockey players were honoured. Washington Capitals left winger Alexander Ovechkin of Moscow, Russia won the award for the best record breaking performance and Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl of Cologne, Germany won the award for the best National Hockey League Player.
This is the first time a hockey player won the best record breaking performance. Draisaitl is the first German born player to win the best NHL player award and is the second Oilers player. Connor McDavid of Richmond Hill, Ontario won the award three straight seasons from 2022 to 2024.
What record did Ovechkin set?
Ovechkin set the record for the most goals in a NHL regular season career with 895. He finished the 2024-25 NHL season with 897 goals. The previous record was set by Wayne Gretzky of Brantford, Ontario, Canada, who had 894 goals. All of Ovechkin’s goals came with the Washington Capitals from 2005 to 2025. Ovechkin’s record-breaking goal came on April 6, 2025 in a 4-1 Capitals loss to the New York Islanders at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. Ovechkin scored a power-play goal from Canadian forwards Tom Wilson of Toronto, Ontario, and Dylan Strome of Mississauga, Ontario at 7:26 of the second period. At the time, the Capitals pulled within one goal, as the score was 2-1 for the Islanders.
Gretzky’s 894 goals came with the Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and New York Rangers from 1979 to 1999. Gretzky is still the all-time leader in assists (1963), points (2857), even strength goals (617), shorthanded goals (73), postseason goals (122), postseason assists (260), postseason points (382), postseason even strength goals (75), and postseason game-winning goals (24). Ovechkin is also the NHL all-time leader in regular season power-play goals (326), regular season game-winning goals (136), and regular season shots on goal (6864).
Leon Draisaitl’s season
Draisaitl led the NHL this season in goals (52) and game-winning goals (11). During 71 games, he had 54 assists and 106 points, was a +32, with 34 penalty minutes, 33 power-play points, 240 shots on goal, 650 faceoff wins, 27 blocked shots, 23 hits, 35 takeaways, and 88 giveaways.
In the postseason, Draisaitl led the NHL in points (33), and game-winning goals (four). All four of the postseason game-winning goals came in overtime. In 22 postseason games, Draisaitl had 11 goals, 22 assists, was a +4 with six penalty minutes, 12 power-play points, 56 shots on goal, 212 faceoff wins, 16 blocked shots, 33 hits, 14 takeaways, and 35 giveaways. Draisaitl now enters the first season of a possible eight more seasons with the Oilers after signing an extension.
