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Nike Drops Bold Ad Celebrating Alex Ovechkin’s 895th NHL Goal

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Apr 7, 2025 5:45 AM ET

Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin passed Wayne Gretzky on Sunday afternoon to become the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer, notching the 895th goal of his career in the second period of the Capitals’ game against the New York Islanders.

Ovechkin reached the milestone with a power-play goal from the top of the left circle—his trademark spot—with 12:34 remaining in the second period. The game paused for 25 minutes as fans, teammates, and league icons honored the moment with an on-ice ceremony.

Nike quickly joined the chorus of tributes with a sharp campaign across its social platforms.

“EIGHT NINETY FIVE, ALL CAPS." Nike wrote on X. "Congrats to Alexander Ovechkin on breaking the NHL all-time goal scoring record.”

EIGHT NINETY FIVE, ALL CAPS. Congrats to Alexander Ovechkin on breaking the NHL all-time goal scoring record. pic.twitter.com/T6iIoo5tya
— Nike (@Nike) April 6, 2025

Nike’s post stood out for its wordplay and bold simplicity. “EIGHT NINETY FIVE, ALL CAPS” wasn’t just a nod to Alexander Ovechkin’s record-breaking goal total, but it hid tiny and clever details within it.

In pop culture, “no cap” is a slang expression for "genuinely" or "truthfully," so calling it “all caps” subtly reinforced the legitimacy of the moment. At the same time, it referenced Ovechkin’s team, the Capitals, known as the "Caps."

Ovechkin has been with the brand since early in his career, appearing in various Nike Hockey campaigns and player gear drops.

Ovechkin, 39, broke the record in his 1,487th game—the same number Gretzky played throughout his career before hanging his skates in 1999.

The Caps winger leads the NHL in career goals, power-play goals (325), overtime goals (27), and game-winning goals (136).

Ovechkin missed time earlier this season with a broken fibula in November, but since returning in late December, he’s scored at a 50-goal pace, reaching 42 goals on Sunday. He already put together his 20th consecutive season scoring at least 20 goals, the only player to do it in NHL history.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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