Alex Ovechkin made a guest appearance on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show from the Washington Capitals’ team plane on Monday afternoon. Ovechkin continues to do the national media rounds after achieving hockey immortality eight days ago when he scored his 895th career goal to break Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goals record.
After introducing the entire Capitals roster to McAfee, Ovechkin answered questions about the record, his dietary habits, and even his potential future in the NHL past next season when his current contract is set to expire. McAfee broached the latter subject by asking Ovechkin how much longer he thinks his “jacked” body can hold up.
“Well, I have one more year, and we’ll see what’s going to happen,” Ovechkin said. “I’ll be honest with you, I love the team. I love being around the boys. As long as I can, I’ll try to stick around with my great body, how you said, in NHL. So we’ll see.”
Given the enormity of his recent feat, no one would blame Ovechkin if he retired on the spot after scoring the record-breaking goal like he had previously joked about doing. Instead, Ovechkin continued with the Eastern Conference-best Washington Capitals, scoring his 896th career goal on Sunday night.
Previous popular thought, including direct words from Ovechkin, was that The Great 8 planned to play out the remainder of his contract with the Caps before returning to Russia to finish his career. However, his words from Monday on ESPN, and his recent joking about another extension with Capitals owner Ted Leonsis at “The Gr8 City Celebration” last week, could indicate Ovechkin having some second thoughts on when he’ll call it quits in DC.
“So, Ted said it’s gonna be extension, maybe?” Ovechkin said on stage inside Capital One Arena last Friday. “I can sign right now for 13 more years.”
Ovechkin’s body has held up as well as any player in NHL history over his 20-year career, so there is likely little question about that part of the decision. His only significant injury, the freak leg break earlier this season at age 39, kept him out of the Capitals’ lineup for just 16 games.
“Of course, you have to adjust a little bit, but like, soon as the season’s over, you know how many times you have to prepare your body, prepare your mind for next year,” Ovechkin told McAfee. “So, I mean, when you’re young, it’s one thing, but when you get older, it’s a different thing. But overall, sometimes you have to start training a little bit earlier, sometimes you have to train a little bit later because it depends on when your season’s over.”
How in shape Ovechkin was during the 2024 offseason was a popular topic over the summer after Ovechkin was seen on social media playing shirtless beach volleyball and padel during his vacation in Turkey. He also spoke about how he hates the preseason and any off-ice working out.
“Are you sure I’m in shape?” Ovechkin jokingly asked Monday. “In the summer, no good.”
Ovechkin could also be fueled by being on the precipice of more NHL milestones. Among others, he is now just 104 goals away from 1,000 in his career and trails only Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin on the all-time hits list.
The Capitals are also well-positioned to be one of the best teams in the league for the foreseeable future, given the age of their other major contributors, their youth pipleline, and head coach Spencer Carbery behind the bench. Ovechkin could sign on for further years to chase a second Stanley Cup with the club if the Caps are unable to secure one in the 2025 or 2026 playoffs.
