11:44 a.m.: Silber clarified for DC Backcheck that the team alleges no email was sent at all, not just that Ovechkin’s decision was unconfirmed. “An email was sent from an individual with the corporate sales department that mistakenly alluded to next year being Alex Ovechkin’s final year,” the team later said in a statement.
11:03 a.m.: The Capitals indicated in an email to season ticket holders that the upcoming 2025-26 season will be Alex Ovechkin’s last in the NHL, relays Tony Wolak of The Hockey Writers. The organization relayed to Sammi Silber of The Hockey News that no official decision has been made on his future, but Washington appears to at least be operating under a strong assumption that Ovechkin will announce his plans to retire from the NHL next offseason.
Next year is Ovechkin’s last one under the five-year, $47.5MM extension he signed in 2021. He told reporters during locker clean-out day earlier this month that he fully intended to honor the final year of his contract but was unsure of his future beyond that, saying he hadn’t given any thought to whether or not he’d be open to extension talks with the Caps as soon as he becomes eligible to sign one on July 1.
There’s not much left for the 39-year-old to accomplish in his career. He’ll walk away as the greatest left-winger of all time and one of the most impactful players in the league’s history, breaking Wayne Gretzky’s goal-scoring record in the regular season’s final weeks. He now sits at 897 career tallies entering what should be his 21st and final NHL campaign, all spent with the Capitals.
This coming season will be Alex’s last? Damn. Not enough younger players, outside of, say, Tage Thompson, actually try to score on every shift. TT doesn’t limit himself, just like Alex never has. I’ll also add #29 for the Avs, and for EDM, #97 & #29. Caps Radio 24/7 is going to get a workout in 2025-2026.
^ If this isn’t trolling I dunno what is
Not sure why, actually.
Still playing at a very high level. Can score 1,000 goals if he wants. Only one Cup and his team is strong.
He has always said he wants to go play in Russia again before he retires. I’d say he plays two years in the KHL. And you know he wants to still be playing at a high level when he does that…
Damn I feel old
Malkin probably going with him
Damn, the Caps are gonna get this team just enough off the ground to crash in two years.
Someone in the Caps corporate sales department will be looking for a new job soon. :D
Is this the Capitals following the lead of the moron down the street? Now Alex, then no more Alex (so buy tickets!)? Ovechkin doesn’t cut the same profile as endless Jagr. Either way, I encourage the Capitals to hold a promotional Taco nite…
24/7
Can’t see him retiring before scoring 1,000. I’d retire right after scoring the 1,000th; immediately after the ceremony.
This latest news sounds like it originated from a recently or soon-to-be-fired employee.