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Alex Ovechkin Announces 2026-27 Will Be His Final Season
By @sharedot · · 8 pages
- Sports
- Nhl
- Alex Ovechkin
- Washington Capitals
Alex Ovechkin announced Monday that his 22nd NHL season will be his last, 21 years to the day after his Capitals debut.
The Announcement
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin announced Monday, 21 years to the day after making his NHL debut, that the 2026-27 season will be his final one in the league. He told teammates first in a locker room address — "It's sad, but it is what it is" — before the club released his statement. The 41-year-old said he and his family decided over the summer, and he wanted to make the news public before Wednesday's home opener.
A Career Without Parallel
Ovechkin exits as the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer with 929 goals and 1,688 points (929 goals, 759 assists) in 1,575 career games, all with Washington. Per nhl.com, he ranks first in league history in power-play goals (331), game-winning goals (141), overtime goals (27) and road goals (476), among other categories. He captained the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup in 2018, winning three Hart Trophies and the Calder Trophy, and this season joined Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, Stan Mikita and Steve Yzerman as the only players to spend 22 seasons with one franchise.
Milestones Still Within Reach
The farewell tour comes with chaseable numbers. Ovechkin sits 11 goals shy of passing Wayne Gretzky (1,016) for the most combined regular-season and playoff goals in NHL history, per nhl.com, which also lists him 4 assists from passing Nicklas Backstrom for the franchise assist record, 12 points from 1,700 career points, and one 20-goal season from tying Gordie Howe's record of 22. He told teammates, "Let's make the playoffs, let's have fun and enjoy the moment because times fly."
Why the Timing Lands Hard
The announcement was not entirely unexpected — Ovechkin signed only a one-year deal, and The Associated Press notes he had confirmed he plans to return to live in Russia after retiring. Still, the exit of the most prolific goal scorer in league history, on the exact anniversary of his 2005 debut, marks the closing of an era that began alongside Sidney Crosby in the season after the lockout. The Capitals missed the playoffs last season, but Ovechkin played all 82 games and scored 32 goals.
Immediate Fallout
Interest in the farewell season was instant. According to The Associated Press, tickets for Washington's regular-season home finale against Pittsburgh on April 4 were going for a minimum of $825 on StubHub within hours of the announcement. Crosby, who faces Ovechkin in Wednesday's home opener, said the two developed a friendship over years of rivalry, while fellow Russian Evgeni Malkin said, "He's done everything... for team, for league." The Capitals have also built a contender around him, adding Jordan Kyrou, Alex Tuch, Boone Jenner and Vincent Desharnais.
What Comes Next
The Capitals open at home Wednesday against Crosby and the Penguins, then the farewell campaign unfolds across the season. nhl.com reports the team will announce a new Ovechkin-centered community initiative on the eighth of each month beginning in November, continuing causes like THE GR8 CHASE for Victory Over Cancer, which has raised more than $256,000, and his longtime support of the American Special Hockey Association. Washington closes the regular season with three straight road games, finishing April 10 in Philadelphia.