Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin confirmed he plans to retire at the end of the season.
The NHL’s all-time goals leader with 929, Ovechkin said he made the decision over the summer and wanted to share the news in order to begin thanking those who helped him reach the pinnacle of the sport over the past 22 years.
Ovechkin, 41, broke the news to his teammates in the locker room Monday in a moment captured by the Capitals.
“My family and I decided this summer that this will be my final year in the NHL. I love this game so much, but I know in my heart it’s the right decision,” Ovechkin said in a statement. “It was important for me to make this announcement before our first home game, so I have the chance to thank all the people around the game, everyone who has been so important to me and my family and helped me through good times and tough losses. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve everything I have in my life without them.
“I am excited about this season with my teammates, and we will do everything we can to make this year special. I am going to enjoy every moment with my family, my boys, our fans and everyone who has been part of my hockey career.”
Ovechkin became the NHL’s all-time goals leader on April 6, 2025. He scored his 895th career regular-season goal, passing Wayne Gretzky. He’s also the all-time leader in power-play goals (331), game-winning goals (141), overtime goals (27), road goals (476), game-opening goals (154), game-tying goals (155), go-ahead goals (297), 40-goal seasons (14) and 30-goal seasons (20) and is tied for first in 50-goal seasons (nine).
Ovechkin has 1,688 career points (929 goals, 759 assists) in 1,575 games for the Capitals, the 10th-most points in NHL history.
He’s 11 goals away from passing Gretzky for most total goals (regular season and playoffs combined) in NHL history and four assists away from passing Nicklas Backstrom for the franchise career assists record (762).
He led Washington to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup championship in 2018 and became the longest-tenured athlete in Washington sports history when he began his 22nd season last week, passing Washington Senators pitcher Walter Johnson (1907-27).
Ovechkin has one assist through the Capitals’ first two games of the season. He’ll play his final home opener Wednesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who also have a player in his 22nd season with the same team, Sidney Crosby.
Crosby understood the timing for Ovechkin because of the number of times he has been asked to discuss his future plans. Both players entered the NHL in 2005 and Ovechkin’s final regular-season game is scheduled to be against Crosby and the Penguins in Washington.
As of now, Crosby has no plans to retire.
“Definitely we’ve had some great battles over the years. It’s something when you get to our age you have to make decisions on,” Crosby said Monday. “It’s tough. You come into the league at 18 years old and before we even met we were kind of built up against each other. It’s kind of a natural thing to happen.
“I think with how competitive that we are, especially coming in trying to prove ourselves, it would have been difficult to be too close, I think. Given just some of the playoff matchups and history there. I think over the years I’ve developed a friendship with him and have a ton of respect for him. You play against someone that long, you are compared and you see each other enough, I think that’s something that builds over time.”
–Field Level Media
