Todd McLellan makes his feelings known about Alex Ovechkin creeping closer to Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL record

Todd McLellan praises Alex Ovechkin's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's record (Source: Imagn)

Detroit Red Wings coach Todd McLellan shared his thoughts on Alex Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goal record of 894. Ovechkin scored his 870th goal during Sunday’s game, putting him just 24 behind Gretzky. McLellan praised Ovechkin’s ability to perform at a high level even late in his career.

“He’s chasing Gretzky,” McLellan said via The Hockey News. “He seems to be getting better than he was last year or the year before. And they've done a really good job with their team, an excellent job, but he's done a real good job with his chase to energize that group too.”

He also noted how Ovechkin’s chase motivates his teammates.