Alex Ovechkin is on the cusp of hockey history, just nine goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record. Ovechkin has 18 games remaining in the 2024-25 campaign, and if he can’t get it done in those games, he has one more year left on his current contract with the Washington Capitals.
Ovechkin has been non-committal about his future past the 2025-26 campaign, but recently divulged that he believes it will be his last with the Caps. The legendary winger shared the thoughts with Sport-Express’ Igor Rabiner in a lengthy interview last week.
“A Washington fan told me the other day before entering the arena that he dreams of you breaking the record and scoring your 900th goal, signing a new contract with Washington and going for a thousand. Is that possible?” Rabiner asked as translated via Google Translate.
“I don’t think so,” Ovechkin replied.
Ovechkin, set to turn 40 in September, has wavered back and forth on how he wants to end his professional hockey career in recent years, but has previously suggested that he’d like to finish his playing days with his hometown team, Dynamo Moscow of the KHL. Rabiner also questioned him about if those plans still stand.
“We’ll see,” Ovechkin said. “Most likely, yes, to Dynamo. If health allows. It’s hard to plan for such a long term now.”
Dynamo’s President, Viktor Voronin, shared in a February interview that his team is ready to negotiate with Ovechkin once his NHL deal expires. Ovechkin worked his way up through Dynamo’s hockey academy and played the first four years of his professional career with the club. Voronin added in his interview that he’d like to see Ovechkin join the team’s management staff full time once he hangs up his skates.
Ovechkin’s likely final contract with the Capitals, a five-year, $47.5 million extension, was signed during the 2021 offseason. In 1,474 career games for the Caps, he has recorded 1,600 points (886g, 714a). He is the franchise leader in games played, goals, and points.
Ovechkin reveals later in the interview that he’d like to see the only two teams he’s played for professionally, Dynamo and the Capitals, get together for a farewell game at some point in the future.
“If [the world situation] allows, we will think about it!” Ovechkin said.
