How many hat tricks does Alex Ovechkin have? Comparing Capitals star to Wayne Gretzky, other NHL goal leaders

How many hat tricks does Alex Ovechkin have? Comparing Capitals star to Wayne Gretzky, other NHL goal leaders originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Alex Ovechkin is considered by many to be the greatest pure goal scorer in the history of the NHL. He has netted the most goals in the history of the sport.

One thing propelling Ovechkin's passing of Gretzky's all-time goal mark is that he's already logged multiple hat tricks, the holy grail for sharpshooters like the Great 8. Ovechkin most recently lit the lamp three times against the Montreal Canadiens on Nov. 20.

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Here's a look at how many hat tricks Ovechkin has for his career, and how he compares to other NHL goal leaders. 

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How many hat tricks does Alex Ovechkin have?

Alex Ovechkin has 33 hat tricks in his career, placing him in a tie for fourth on the all-time list with St. Louis Blues legend Brett Hull.

Ovechkin has had 10 seasons in his 20-year NHL career where he's netted multiple hat tricks. The most hat tricks he's had in a single season were four in 2019-20, and he scored three hat tricks in 2017-18, the season the Capitals won the Stanley Cup.

Ovechkin has scored 30-plus goals in a season 19 times, which is an NHL record. When he scored against the Flames on Feb. 25, 2025, he joined Teemu Selanne, Johnny Bucyk, and Gordie Howe as the only players in hockey history to score 30-plus goals in a season at age 39 or older.

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NHL hat trick leaders

Ovechkin has overtaken Gretzky for the NHL goals record, but it's unlikely he'll score more hat tricks than the Edmonton great, who has 50 in his career.

Here's where Ovechkin stands among the all-time NHL hat tricks leaders.

Rank

Player

Hat Tricks

1.

Wayne Gretzky*

50

2.

Mario Lemieux*

40

3.

Mike Bossy*

39

T-4.

Brett Hull*

33

T-4

Alex Ovechkin

33

6.

Phil Esposito*

32

T-7.

Marcel Dionne*

28

T-7.

Bobby Hull*

28

9.

Maurice Richard*

26

10.

Cy Denneny*

25

11.

Jari Kurri*

23

12.

Teemu Selanne*

22

T-13.

Glenn Anderson*

21

T-13.

Rick Martin

21

15.

Pavel Bure*

20

*Denotes Hockey Hall of Fame member 

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have?

Alex Ovechkin has 907 career goals, leading the all-time list. The Washington superstar has averaged 49 goals per season in his 20-year NHL career.

Gretzky once said, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." The Great 8 has put more shots on goal than anyone in NHL history. Ovechkin also has the most power-play goals (320) and game-winning goals (135) in league history.