As the 2025-26 NHL season approaches, several players are on track to reach significant career milestones. From scoring records to all-time games played, fans have much to anticipate. Here's a look at some of the notable milestones to watch for in the upcoming season.

Goal Scoring Prowess

Alex Ovechkin, who at the start of the season has 897 goals, is just three goals away from becoming the first player in NHL history to score 900 goals. Steven Stamkos is also approaching a major milestone, needing 18 goals to reach 600 in his career. John Tavares and Patrick Kane are also within striking distance of the 500-goal mark, needing just six and eight goals, respectively. Kane also has his eyes on the American-born points record. He is looking to surpass Mike Modano's mark of 1,374 points to become the top American-born scorer.

Points Milestones

Sidney Crosby is nearing several milestones. He is 13 points away from reaching 1,700 career points and 37 points away from passing Mario Lemieux for eighth place on the all-time list. Connor McDavid is also set to hit the 1,100-point mark early in the season and could reach 1,200 points if he maintains his scoring pace. Evgeni Malkin needs 54 points to reach 1,400. Anze Kopitar is 22 points away from 1,300. Stamkos is also approaching the 1,200-point milestone, needing just 10 points. Nikita Kucherov (six points away), Brad Marchand (20 away), Jamie Benn and Leon Draisaitl (44 away) are closing in on 1,000 points.

Games Played

Anze Kopitar is closing in on 1,500 games played, currently sitting at 1,454. Corey Perry is eight games away from 1,400, while Sidney Crosby is 48 games away from the same mark. Jamie Benn (1,192) and John Tavares (1,184) are approaching 1,200 games played. Brent Burns, who is currently on a long consecutive-games streak, could reach 1,000 games played.

Other Milestones

Several other players are also approaching significant milestones. These include:

• Jack Eichel: Needs 11 goals to reach 250 and 92 points to reach 700 points.
• William Karlsson: Needs 54 points to reach 500 points and 21 goals to reach 200 goals.
• Mitch Marner: Needs 59 points to reach 800 career points.

Coaching Milestone

Joel Quenneville is 31 wins away from reaching 1,000 career coaching wins.

The 2025-26 NHL season promises to be an exciting one for players and fans alike, with numerous milestones within reach. As these players continue their pursuit of greatness, the hockey world will be watching and celebrating their achievements.