The Blue Jackets’ memorable season is dangling by a thread after a stinging 7-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday at Nationwide Arena, but they could also play a role in NHL history during back-to-back games April 12-13 against the Washington Capitals.
As the Jackets continue pursuing a playoff spot with back-to-back road games against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday and Ottawa Senators on Sunday, the Capitals’ history-chasing captain, Alex Ovechkin, is now even in career goals with “The Great One.”
After scoring his 40th and 41st goals of the season Friday in a 5-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, Ovechkin is tied with Wayne Gretzky for the NHL’s all-time record of 894 goals and needs just one more to set the new mark with 895. The Capitals have six games left for Ovechkin to get the record in this regular season, including two of their final four against the Blue Jackets on consecutive days — April 12 at Nationwide Arena and April 13 in Washington.
What are the odds Gretzky, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and a traveling contingent of NHL dignitaries will witness Ovechkin’s massive moment during a Blue Jackets game?
According to oddsmakers, it’s possible but the odds have dropped.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Columbus Blue Jackets no longer atop odds to allow Alex Ovechkin’s record-setting goal
According to FanDuel and DraftKings, Ovechkin’s goals against the Blackhawks shook up the odds of which team he’ll score the record-setter against. The Blue Jackets dropped from first to third behind the New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes, who each play Washington before the Capitals’ back-to-back against Columbus.
The Islanders host Washington on Sunday and have surged to the front with -110 odds on FanDuel and -120 on DraftKings to give up the big goal. On Wednesday, those sites had the Isles behind the Blue Jackets with the second-best odds to be party of history, giving them +320 at FanDuel and +230 at DraftKings.
Likewise, the Carolina Hurricanes also jumped ahead of the Blue Jackets due to playing the Capitals on Thursday in Washington. Carolina is +240 on FanDuel and +270 on DraftKings to give up Ovechkin’s 895th goal, moving up from third at +550 at FanDuel and +425 at DraftKings on Wednesday.
The Blue Jackets are now third, dropping to +270 on FanDuel and +330 on DraftKings after leading the list Wednesday with +175 odds at FanDuel and +140 at DraftKings. The Pittsburgh Penguins, who host the Capitals on April 17 in the season finale, are still least likely to give up Ovechkin’s record goal. They’re +3,300 at FanDuel and +3,000 at DraftKings, after having +900 odds at FanDuel and +600 at DraftKings on Wednesday.
Alex Ovechkin has scored 26 career goals against Columbus Blue Jackets
Ovechkin has scored 894 career goals. This season, he’s netted 41 in 59 games, including one Nov. 15 in the Capitals’ 7-2 rout of the Blue Jackets in Washington. He’s scored 26 goals in 49 career games against the Blue Jackets, including the first of his career on Oct. 5, 2005, in Washington.
That goal was scored against former Blue Jackets goalie Pascal Leclaire. Until late this week, you could place a prop bet on whether one of the current Blue Jackets’ goalies, Elvis Merzlikins or Daniil Tarasov, would be in net for the goal that passes Gretzky’s mark. That prop is no longer being offered at either FanDuel or DraftKings.
During his goal-scoring journey, Ovechkin has notched a jaw-dropping 33 career hat tricks and scored against 182 different NHL goalies. Former Blue Jackets star Sergei Bobrovsky is among the goalies who’ve given up the most goals to Ovechkin, allowing 16 during his own standout career.
That ranks eighth highest on the list.
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at [email protected] and @BrianHedger.bsky.social
Get more on the Columbus Blue Jackets with our Cannon Fodder podcast
