Alex Ovechkin announced that 2026–27 will be his final NHL season

A decision made with his family

Ovechkin had signed a one-year contract over the summer and turned 41 on September 17. He said the decision about his last NHL campaign had been made with his family, AP reported. It was his twenty-second season with Washington. [2]

Reuters reported that he wanted to make the announcement before the home opener so he could thank the people who had supported him throughout his career. His statement paired that appreciation with a desire to make the remaining season successful alongside his teammates. [3]

The goals record was already his

Ovechkin entered the season with 929 regular-season goals, according to AP’s October 5 report. That is a dated starting point, not a claim about his eventual final total. [2]

The record-breaking goal was a different milestone: his 895th, scored in April 2025, carried him past Wayne Gretzky. Reuters also listed Ovechkin first in power-play goals and in seasons with at least 40 goals at the time of the retirement announcement. [3]

His Washington career included the 2005–06 Calder Trophy as rookie of the year and three Hart trophies as league MVP. In 2018, he was playoff MVP when the Capitals won their first Stanley Cup. [2]

A final season still to play

Washington had added forwards Jordan Kyrou and Alex Tuch through trades, along with free-agent signings Boone Jenner and Vincent Desharnais, as it sought another deep playoff run. [2]

Reuters placed the announcement in the context of Ovechkin’s long rivalry with Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby, who expressed respect for a player whose career had so often intersected with his own. The October decision fixed an intended NHL endpoint; results from the farewell season would still have to be earned on the ice. [3]