Nastya Ovechkina gave an exclusive interview to aif.ru’s Olga Shablinskaya after returning to her native Russia, along with the rest of the Ovechkin family, last week. A quote from the story was first published on X by @HockeyNewsHub.
In the sit-down, Nastya reveals that her husband, Alex Ovechkin, plans to play the final year of his NHL contract with the Washington Capitals next season and then return to Russia for good.
“Alexander still has a contract for a year,” Ovechkina said, per a translation by Google Translate. “So we will play the next season, and then fly back to live in Moscow, to our homeland. We will stay in Russia, yes.”
The news comes a day after an email campaign from the Capitals’ corporate sales department was sent to a select group of season-ticket holders, claiming that the 2025-26 season would be Ovechkin’s last with the Caps. Capitals PR responded to the commotion, stating the email was a mistake and that no decision had yet been made on Ovechkin’s future beyond next year.
Ovechkina adds that this past season was tough on her husband, as he felt the pressure of chasing down Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record. Ovechkin tied and surpassed Gretzky in the final month of the regular season, with three goals in two games on April 4 and April 6.
“He didn’t show it, but I understood how hard it was for him,” Ovechkina said. “So, I repeat, I waited for Sasha to score faster. And relax. He has his last season next year. And I want him to simply enjoy what he loves, to simply enjoy this last season.”
Ovechkin was less clear about his intentions than his wife when asked about his future on Capitals’ Breakdown Day. Instead of giving a straight answer, the 39-year-old winger joked about playing for the Hershey Bears in the AHL playoffs and preparing for training camp.
“Be honest (with) you, I haven’t thought about it yet, but we’ll see what’s going to happen,” Ovechkin said. “Obviously, I’m going to try to do my best to be able to do well next year, and we’ll see.
“For me, it’s first of all to make a roster when 40 years old, you know? I have to pass skating test,” he added. “It’s one thing, and then we’ll see.”
Ovechkin has waffled back and forth on how he wants to end his professional hockey career, but has suggested in the past he’d like to finish with his hometown team, Dynamo Moscow of the KHL. The future first-ballot Hockey Hall of Famer was brought up through Dynamo’s hockey academy and played the first four years of his professional career with Dynamo in the then-Russian Super League.
Dynamo currently employs Ovechkin as an advisor, and he has remained active in an alumni setting with Dynamo since debuting with the Capitals in 2005. Ovechkin’s last game for the team came during the 2012-13 lockout, when he and Caps linemate Nicklas Backstrom skated for the eventual Gagarin Cup champions before the NHL resumed play.
Ovechkin will become eligible for a contract extension on July 1 this summer. The 2025-26 campaign is the last on the five-year extension he signed with the Capitals in 2021.
