Alex Ovechkin joined Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe as the only NHL players to score 800 career goals when he completed a hat trick against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night.

Ovechkin is now one goal behind Howe and 94 behind Gretzky for the all-time record.

The 37-year-old tallied his total in 462 fewer games than Howe played.

Ovechkin has buried 20 goals in 31 contests this season. The nine-time Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner produced three other multi-goal games in 2022-23 - including one less than a week ago - but Tuesday night's effort was his first hat trick of the campaign.

It was the 29th three-goal game of Ovechkin's career, moving him ahead of Marcel Dionne and Bobby Hull for sixth on the all-time list. Gretzky also tops that group with 50.

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Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat did his best to sidestep rampant trade speculation Tuesday, releasing a brief statement assuring his commitment to the franchise for the time being.

"I am focused on this season and playing for the Vancouver Canucks, helping the team in any way I can." the statement reads. "I will not have any further comments this year about my future."

Horvat addressed his statement later Tuesday.

"At this point, it's not about me," he said, according to Thomas Drance of The Athletic. I've always wanted to keep this confidential ... I don't want to let this be a distraction ... I feel bad for my teammates having to hear all about this in the media."

It was reported Monday that Horvat and his camp rejected Vancouver's most recent contract extension offer a few weeks ago, forcing the club to shift its focus toward the trade market for the 27-year-old.

Horvat is a pending unrestricted free agent and is expected to earn a significant raise over the $5.5-million cap hit he's had since 2017. This past offseason, the Canucks awarded forward J.T. Miller with a seven-year $56-million extension that will kick in for the 2023-24 campaign, making it difficult for the cap-strapped club to afford a new deal for Horvat as well.

Vancouver drafted Horvat ninth overall in 2013 and named him captain in 2019. The Ontario-born center is in the midst of a career year, ranking fourth in the NHL with 20 goals through 28 games while averaging nearly 21 minutes per night.

The Canucks currently sit sixth in the Pacific Division with a 12-13-3 record.

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Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said he won't tear down his club while icon Alex Ovechkin chases down Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal record.

"I'm not gonna do what I did last time and trade everybody," Leonsis told ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.

"I'm sure there'll be an influx of some young players, but we're not gonna rebuild the team," he added. "To me, a rebuild is when you look the players, the coaches, the fans in the eye and say we're gonna be really, really bad. And if we were really, really bad, I don't think Alex would break the record."

Leonsis, who's owned the franchise since 1999, is referencing the teardown he oversaw in the early 2000s before landing Ovechkin with the first overall pick in 2004.

Ovechkin's arrival completely transformed the organization. Washington has made the playoffs 14 times since being built around the Russian sniper, winning a Stanley Cup in 2018. However, the Capitals haven't won a playoff series since their long-awaited triumph and currently sit outside a playoff spot with a 14-12-4 record.

Washington has dealt with several key injuries early in the 2022-23 campaign, but Ovechkin's goal pursuit has been a bright spot. The 37-year-old has 17 tallies in 30 games and is now up to 797 for his career. Ovechkin is 97 goals from tying the Great One and a mere five from passing Gordie Howe for second on the all-time list.

Ovechkin signed a five-year, $47.5-million extension in 2021 not only with the record in mind but in hopes of capturing another championship.

"He's very cognizant of doing this the right way," Leonsis explained. "Alex said, 'I'm not gonna be a third-line guy playing 8-to-10 minutes a game (where you) trot me out on the power play and let me score my goals. That's not what I want to do. Promise me you'll keep the team competitive (and) a playoff team.' And he promised to come in shape all the time and not be fixated on the record but be fixated on winning another Stanley Cup."

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A significant salary-cap increase for the 2023-24 NHL season now appears unlikely.

Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league is projecting a $70-million escrow balance at the end of the 2022-23 season, which would result in the cap ceiling rising by just $1 million to $83.5 million for next year, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.

Bettman said in October that players were likely to pay off the escrow balance by the end of the season, which would've resulted in an increase of about $4 million.

A preseason report projected an $83.5-million cap for next season but approximately $88 million for 2024-25 and $92 million for 2025-26.

The NHL salary cap was stuck at $81.5 million for the previous three seasons due to pandemic-related revenue losses. It rose to $82.5 million for the current campaign.

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We have a massive slate of NHL games on Tuesday night, which means there are a boatload of player props to comb through.

Let's take a look at three that stood out from the rest.

Auston Matthews over 4.5 shots (+100)

Matthews took a while to hit his shooting stride, but he sure seems to have turned a corner. The superstar Maple Leafs sniper has gone over his shot total in five of his last seven games, clearing six shots on four occasions in that stretch.

No. 34 is in a great spot for that success to continue at home to the Ducks. They have been horrendous defensively all season long and yet they continue to reach new lows.

The Ducks have conceded more than 68 attempts, and 37 shots on goal, per 60 minutes of five-on-five play over the last 10 games. Both totals comfortably rank them last in the NHL.

They aren't very good on the penalty kill, either, so Matthews figures to get plenty of looks on the man advantage as well.

Given his shooting trajectory and the fact this putrid Anaheim team is on the latter half of a road back-to-back, there's every reason to expect another active night from Matthews.

Gustav Forsling over 2.5 shots (-135)

The following Florida Panthers have generated more shot attempts than Gustav Forsling over the last eight games:

...

That's right: nobody. Not Matthew Tkachuk. Not Aleksander Barkov. Not Carter Verhaeghe. Not Aaron Ekblad. Nobody.

Forsling has logged nearly 25 minutes per game in that time and made the most of it, generating 55 attempts for an average of just under seven per game. That's more than enough to hit three shots on a consistent basis, which is why Forsling has gone over the number in six of his last seven.

I like Forsling's chances of making it seven hits in eight tries tonight against the Blue Jackets.

Columbus allows a whopping 11.51 shots per game to opposing defensemen. The Coyotes (10.58), Ducks (10.41), and Oilers (10.07) are the only other teams allowing double digits, and the Blue Jackets have distanced themselves from that group quite a bit.

With Forsling logging so much ice time, he should make the most of this advantageous matchup.

Timo Meier over 4.5 shots (+105)

At home, Meier has gone over his shot total in six of the last 10 and two of the last six. Those are not great numbers, especially compared to what we've grown accustomed to seeing from the Sharks forward.

Don't let the results take you off of him, though; the process remains as solid as ever.

Meier has averaged 9.2 shot attempts per game over his last 10 at home. For the season, he has averaged 8.2 attempts at home. So he's actually shooting the puck more than he was earlier in the year, when it felt like he was automatic every night regardless of the game location.

As long as he maintains his attempt volume, it's a matter of time before he gets consistent results again.

As is the case with Matthews and Forsling, Meier finds himself in one of the best matchups you could ask for. The Coyotes struggle to defend at five-on-five and take a ton of penalties, allowing extra shooting opportunities for Sharks players like Meier.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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At the one-third mark of the NHL season, theScore's John Matisz and Josh Wegman offer their takes on four hot topics captivating the hockey world.

Which breakout superstar would you rather build a team around, Jason Robertson or Tage Thompson?

Wegman: Thompson, and I swear this isn't recency bias after watching the Buffalo Sabres star's five-goal outburst last week. Both are exceptional talents, but I lean toward Thompson because he's a center, and all great teams are built strong down the middle. Plus, at 6-foot-7 with soft hands and a heavy shot, his ceiling is limitless. If we're factoring contracts into the decision, Thompson, 25, is signed through the prime of his career with an extremely team-friendly seven-year, $50-million extension that begins next season. Robertson is signed through 2025-26 at a $7.75-million cap hit before he's due for a sizable raise.

Matisz: Robertson - for four main reasons. First, he's two years younger. Given their ages, this typically wouldn't be an important distinction. However, we're talking about building a team around one or the other, so the gap is a key data point. Second, Robertson's top attribute is his brain. One of the more cerebral players in the sport, the Dallas Stars winger's hockey IQ is off the charts. Thompson, meanwhile, relies heavily on physical gifts, which tend to deteriorate sooner and quicker. In other words, I'll probably prefer having 28-year-old Robertson over 28-year-old Thompson. Third, Robertson is arguably a more polished dual threat. He can facilitate scoring chances one shift and pull the trigger himself the next. Lastly, while neither is a defensive specialist, I trust Robertson's off-puck chops slightly more than Thompson's.

True or false: One of the Oilers or Rangers - both conference finalists last year - will miss the playoffs.

Wegman: True. It's hard to imagine that the Rangers and Oilers - with as much star power as they possess - are in jeopardy of missing the playoffs at this stage of the season, but here we are. I'm less concerned about Edmonton, mainly because the Pacific Division and Western Conference are much easier. But New York is in tough playing in the much deeper Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference. Igor Shesterkin masked a lot of the Rangers' issues a year ago. Now that he's playing at a human-like level, the Blueshirts are being exposed for who they really are - a team with plenty of flaws.

Matisz: False. I don't care how unreliable the goaltending is, the probability of a team with prime Connor McDavid and prime Leon Draisaitl missing the playoffs is close to zero. The Oilers are in a wild-card spot with Evander Kane sidelined for half the season. Kane (wrist injury) is expected back around February, and surely a piece or two will be added before the trade deadline.

As for the Rangers, there's been an overreaction to their 15-10-5 record. Sure, they're an imperfect team, but New York sits eighth in expected goals for percentage, 25th in shooting percentage, and 12th in save percentage. I'm confident the strong underlying numbers will turn into more goals and saves as the season progresses. The top of the Rangers' lineup - from Adam Fox to Artemi Panarin to Shesterkin - won't go down without a fight.

Should the Devils be viewed as legitimate Stanley Cup contenders?

Wegman: No. I've been a big believer in the Devils' rebuild under general manager Tom Fitzgerald. I also love the direction they're headed, and I wouldn't be surprised if they win the Presidents' Trophy this year or a Stanley Cup down the line. However, the playoffs are a different beast, and this core group of players has never been to the postseason together. Every Cup-winning team in recent memory experienced some playoff heartbreak before reaching the top of the mountain. I don't expect the Devils to go all the way in their first crack at it.

Matisz: No. Not yet, anyway. Ask me in another 28 Devils games, and I may have changed my mind. The "legitimate Cup contender" label should be reserved for four or five teams per season. Based on both surface-level and underlying stats, this club deserves the title. Yet, the jury is still out on the goaltending, and we can't ignore how much the style of play changes in the postseason. New Jersey's blue line is built for playoff hockey, but is the forward group? Hard to say. Another layer to this: excluding Vegas' run as an expansion team, only seven of the 39 conference finalists over the past 10 years missed the playoffs the year prior. The Devils, who last made the dance in 2018, could end up part of that 18% - they are that good. But, again, it's too early to be fully confident in them as a legit Cup contender.

NHL save percentage is down, and several highly paid netminders are struggling. What gives?

Wegman: I don't necessarily think it's a goaltending issue, per se. I think we're just seeing the game evolve positively. First, the NHL cracking down on penalties over the years (slashing in 2017, cross-checking last year) has gradually made it tougher to play defense than ever before. Second, there's just so much more skill in the game today. In Europe and North America, skill coaching is more prevalent than ever at the grassroots level, and we're starting to see that come to light at the pro level. Heck, even a veteran player like Luke Schenn, known as a physical, stay-at-home defenseman, needed skill coaching to save his career.

Matisz: Where to start? All modern defensemen must be mobile and, at the very least, competent offensively. This archetype change has led to cleaner breakouts and more odd-man rushes during five-on-five play. The rulebook has changed. Through sharper video and statistical analysis, power plays have become extra efficient. Teams are also boosting the likelihood of scoring by limiting shots from the point and instead focusing on the slot. The proliferation of offensive skills coaches, better stick technology, and an industry-wide love for east-west passing have made stopping pucks more difficult than ever. Plus, the flat salary cap has forced additional younger, cheaper, defensively flawed skaters into the lineup. The list goes on and on ...

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