Ovechkin admits this could be his last season in the NHL
Are we witnessing the last few NHL games of the Alexander Ovechkin era?
The NHL’s all-time leading goalscorer is set to become a UFA this summer, and speculation has run rampant on this possibly being his final season in the NHL.
The Washington Capitals have just four games left on their regular-season schedule and are looking like long shots to make the playoffs, meaning his NHL career could come to an end following a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, April 14.
But what does the Russian superstar have to say about this? Ovechkin sat down with Capitals sportscaster John Walton earlier this week, where he talked about the possibility of this being his final NHL season.
“We’re gonna make a decision in the summer,” Ovechkin said. “I’m gonna have to talk to my family, with [Capitals owner] Ted [Leonsis]…. We’re gonna have to make a decision in the summer.”
Alex Ovechkin sat down with John Walton to discuss his plans to take time after the season to reflect and consult with his family before determining his future this summer.
Catch their full conversation tonight on Caps Pregame Live on @MonSportsNet pic.twitter.com/J9jAKL5HJE
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 8, 2026
Ovechkin has been one of the most prominent figures in the NHL for the past 21 seasons and has cemented himself as the best goalscorer in league history with 928 goals through 1569 games. That is 34 more goals than Wayne Gretzky’s second-place total of 894.
The Capitals captain surpassed Gretzky’s record last season with an iconic goal against the New York Islanders.
One year ago today, Alex Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record 🐐 pic.twitter.com/xrN3ixVGsY
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 6, 2026
If this is truly the end of Ovechkin’s NHL run, it has been a phenomenal one. On top of holding the league’s all-time goals record, the Great Eight has one Stanley Cup championship, nine Rocket Richard Trophies, and three Hart Trophies to his name.
He is undoubtedly one of the best NHL players of all time and is a lock to eventually be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as soon as he is eligible.
There has been speculation that Ovechkin could leave the NHL and return to his native Russia to finish his playing career in the KHL. It has not been confirmed if that is a legitimate possibility, but you’d have to imagine there would be massive interest from Russian teams to bring Ovechkin on board.
Though Ovechkin has been a polarizing player at different times during his career, there is no doubt that he has left a lasting impact not just on the NHL but on the entire sport of hockey.