Alex Ovechkin was one of the biggest stories in hockey this season, passing Wayne Gretzky as the most prolific goal-scorer in NHL history. After breaking the all-time record on April 6, he scored two more times to end the year with 897 career goals.
With his 40th birthday on the horizon in September, Ovechkin has become one of the oldest active players in the league, behind only the retiring Marc-André Fleury, Ryan Suter, Brent Burns, and Corey Perry. But while he’s watched plenty of his peers hang up their skates, Ovechkin says he’s not ready to call it quits just yet.
“I just packed my stuff. I’m going to Hershey,” he joked when asked if he planned to retire. “They have playoffs, so I’ll see you there.”
Ovechkin continued to produce in his age-39 season, tying for the third-most goals in the league in 2024-25 and recording a total of 73 points (44g 29a) in 65 games. If he hadn’t missed 16 games with a broken leg, he may well have earned his 10th career 50-goal season, breaking yet another NHL record.
While he plans to come back in the fall, Ovechkin isn’t sure whether he’ll continue playing beyond 2025-26. He has one year remaining on his five-year contract and could sign an extension beginning July 1, but told reporters at the Capitals’ breakdown day that his future plans would depend on how next season goes.
“Be honest (with) you, I haven’t thought about it yet, but we’ll see what’s going to happen,” he said. “Obviously, I’m going to try to do my best to be able to do well next year, and we’ll see.”
Ovechkin now has two decades in the NHL under his belt and ranks 26th in all-time games played (1,491). He kept a lighthearted tone when discussing the years ahead, joking about whether he’d make the cut in training camp this fall.
“For me, it’s first of all to make a roster when 40 years old, you know? I have to pass skating test,” he said with a smile. “It’s one thing, and then we’ll see.”
While Ovechkin took a jovial approach to questions about retirement, his teammates offered a more heartfelt assessment of what his continued presence means for the team. None of them have ever played on a Capitals roster without Ovechkin, and Tom Wilson was grateful he wouldn’t need to just yet.
“I don’t want to think about the day where he’s not a Cap,” Wilson said. “(He’s) just such a big part of this organization. You guys know that. It’s insane how big a part he is of DC hockey and everything he’s done here.
“It’ll be a very weird day when that happens, and we’ll cross that bridge when we get there….He’s truly a legend in every meaning of the word.”
For now, Ovechkin’s historic career will continue. His next big milestone will be goal no. 900, a mark he could hit soon after the 2025-26 season starts. While John Carlson lightheartedly suggested that he should shoot for the 50-goal mark next year, Ovechkin is setting his expectations one step at a time.
“Be honest (with) you, you never thought how many games you’re going to play,” Ovechkin said. “You never think how many goals you’re going to score, because you never know what’s going to happen on the ice. I was lucky enough this year to be able to score the goals to break the record, obviously. I’m looking forward for next year. How I said, I’m going to be 40 and I’m going to try to do my best to play and my team is going to help me too.”
