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Alex Ovechkin, the longtime captain of the Washington Capitals and holder of the NHL's career goal-scoring record, has confirmed that his 22nd season in the league will be his final one. The announcement came on Monday, setting the stage for a farewell tour honoring one of hockey's most accomplished players.
Before the team shared a message from him on social media, Ovechkin addressed his teammates in the locker room to deliver the news. "It's sad, but it is what it is," he said. "It's hard, but let's enjoy it and let's do some special things this year."
Ovechkin, who signed a one-year contract this past summer and celebrated his 41st birthday on September 17, indicated that he and his family had reached the decision in recent months. "I love this game so much, but I know in my heart it's the right decision," the Russian star stated in a release that preceded the Capitals' home opener on Wednesday night.
In April 2025, Ovechkin surpassed Wayne Gretzky's goals record, and he began this season with 929 career goals. The Capitals' front office has been active, acquiring Jordan Kyrou and Alex Tuch via trades and signing forward Boone Jenner and defenseman Vincent Desharnais in free agency to bolster a young core. The goal is another deep playoff run and a Stanley Cup contention. "We have an unbelievable team this year," Ovechkin remarked. "Let's make the playoffs, let's have fun and enjoy the moment because times fly."
Throughout his entire career with Washington, Ovechkin has earned numerous accolades: the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 2005-06, the Hart Trophy as MVP three times, and the NHL scoring title nine times. In 2018, he was playoff MVP, leading the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history.
There had been speculation that Ovechkin might face hostile receptions on the road after appearing in an ad for a party aligned with Vladimir Putin during the offseason. However, little evidence of that surfaced in the first two games at Carolina and Tampa Bay. When addressing the fallout last month, Ovechkin confirmed he would return to live in Russia upon retiring from the NHL.
In Washington's season-opening victory over the Hurricanes, Ovechkin logged 12 minutes and 46 seconds of ice time, the lowest of his career in a game where he was neither injured nor ejected. The Capitals missed the playoffs in 2025-26, but Ovechkin played all 82 games and scored 32 goals. He has reached the 30-goal mark in every season of his career except 2020-21, when he played only 45 games.
Long before his breakthrough during the Capitals' Stanley Cup run, Ovechkin revitalized hockey in Washington, and he will retire as one of the city's most decorated athletes in any sport. The Capitals selected him first overall in the 2004 draft, and he and Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby became stars almost immediately in 2005 when the league returned from a lockout that canceled a season. Ovechkin's blend of goal-scoring prowess, physical play, and relentless energy made him an instant sensation, and he scored a career-high 65 goals in his third season, earning his first Hart Trophy.
Washington's history of postseason disappointment, which predated Ovechkin, lingered for a while. The Capitals captured the Presidents' Trophy three times with the league's best regular-season record, only to fall short in the playoffs each time before a Washington team that merely won its division finally went all the way. In four postseason meetings between Crosby and Ovechkin—in 2009, 2016, 2017, and 2018—the winner went on to win the Stanley Cup each time.
Washington's home opener on Wednesday is against Pittsburgh.
Originally reported by headtopics.