Ovechkin’s Uncertain Future
Alex Ovechkin, the beloved captain of the Washington Capitals, recently spoke at the onset of the team’s training camp, indicating uncertainty regarding whether the 2025-26 NHL season will mark his retirement from professional hockey. At 40 years old, Ovechkin, having surpassed Wayne Gretzky as the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer by recording 897 goals, expressed,
“I don’t know if this is going to be the last. We’ll see.”
Last Season’s Performance
Last season, despite battling injuries, including a broken leg that caused him to miss 16 games, Ovechkin still managed to net 44 goals. As he enters his 21st year in the league, he remains an unrestricted free agent after the current season. He shared that he has not yet engaged in discussions about his future with general manager Chris Patrick or president of hockey operations Brian MacLellan, hinting that he had recently returned and believes there’s still time for such conversations to take place.
“I want him to have the space to have this season go how he wants it to go,”
commented Patrick, acknowledging the importance of allowing Ovechkin to navigate his concluding chapters at his own pace.
Upcoming Milestones
In the upcoming season, Ovechkin stands on the verge of several significant milestones. Among these is the pursuit of becoming the first player in NHL history to score 900 career goals—an achievement that excites Patrick, who stated,
“I’m excited for 900. That will be really neat to see.”
Acknowledging Ovechkin’s age and legacy, Patrick emphasized the unique opportunity to watch the player perform at this stage of his career.
While Ovechkin has caught Gretzky in the regular season, he continues to trail the legendary player by 42 goals when accounting for both regular season and Stanley Cup playoff totals combined. As it stands, Gretzky has 1,016 total goals, while Ovechkin’s career total reached 974 after scoring 49 goals last season.
Additionally, Ovechkin is nine games away from achieving the significant milestone of playing in 1,500 NHL games, a feat accomplished by only 22 players in league history.
Focus on the Season Ahead
Looking ahead, Ovechkin expressed a desire for the upcoming season to unfold without the constant pressure of chasing records, stating,
“You just get tired to hear when it’s going to happen, how you’re going to do it. Right now, we just focusing on the different things.”
Teammate and fellow defenseman John Carlson, who also faces an uncertain contractual future, summed up the feelings surrounding Ovechkin’s tenure:
“It’s been really cool to play with one of the game’s greats, and now the leading goal scorer of all time. Those are insane things that you can reflect on. Pretty special times.”
