Retirement rumours have swirled around Alex Ovechkin for the entire 2025-26 season.
The league’s all time leading goal scorer just finished the final year of his contract as the Washington Capitals missed the playoffs for just the fifth time since drafting the Russian forward with the first overall pick in 2004.
Addressing the media during Capitals’ locker cleanout on Thursday, the 40-year-old hinted that he hopes to return for a 22nd NHL season but his final decision still needs to be made.
“I’m pretty sure it’s not my last game. I hope it’s not my last game against Columbus. How I said, I have to make a decision to see where we’re at,” Ovechkin said. “Team, family. Obviously my family is going to support me. Kids have already asked me ‘Dad are you staying or no’? I told them we’ll see.
“They’re excited. They want me to come back because they love the city and the team.”
Ovechkin played all 82 games this season, the fifth time in his career he’s achieved the feat, scoring 32 goals and 64 points. It was the 20th time in 21 seasons he has hit the 30-goal mark, only falling below the threshold once during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, when he scored 24 goals in 45 games.
“The Capitals still really don’t know the intentions of Alex Ovechkin,” TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston said on Early Trading. “It’s going to probably be at some point in the summertime when we get clarity here.
“So yes, it’s maybe not going to be a sendoff the hockey world would want if this were indeed the end. But Ovechkin is doing things his own way and keeping everyone in the dark until he makes some sort of formal decision after the season.”
If he were to retire, Ovechkin would finish his career with 929 goals and 1,687 points in 1,573 games, nine Maurice “Rocket” Richard trophies, three Hart Trophies, three Lester B. Pearson/Ted Lindsay awards as well as one Calder, one Conn Smythe and one Art Ross.
Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky’s scoring record on April 6, 2025 when he potted his 895th career goal against the New York Islanders. Gretzky has held the record for 31 years before Ovechkin took the mantle last season.
Ovechkin also captained the Capitals to the franchise’s only Stanley Cup title in 2018.
