Peter Bondra was the Capitals’ all-time leading goal scorer until 10 years ago last week, when Alex Ovechkin scored his 473rd career goal on April 2, 2015 – surpassing Bondra’s then-record 472.
That was now 422 goals ago for Ovi, almost double that record, but Bondra’s not surprised that he has gone on to this over the last decade.
“There wasn’t a chase, that was like a train going through a station where he never stopped,” Bondra laughed when he chatted with Brian Mitchell and Tobi Altizer on Wednesday. “It wasn’t a matter of if he was going to do it, there’s no question. He’s a different level, different category, everything else – and if I’m going to be second to Ovi, I’m okay!”
Bondra was gone from the Capitals by the time Ovi debuted after the ’04-’05 lockout, having already played a season in Ottawa before finishing his career in Atlanta and Chicago – but in playing against him for those last two seasons, and hearing from former Caps teammates who were still there through 2007, Bondra indeed knew right away, just a few goals in, how special Ovi could, and would, be.
Listen to Bondra’s entire visit with BMitch & Tobi above!