The Great 8 may have donned the skates for the final time.
Alexander Ovechkin, the all-time leading goal scorer (929), is 40 years old, and is only getting older.
Ovechkin has been a staple of the Washington Capitals’ roster since 2005, as he was drafted by the Caps in the 2004 NHL Draft, first overall, however Ovechkin wouldn’t see the ice until the following year, as the NHL was in the midst of a lockout.
Since his rookie year, Ovechkin has been one of the biggest threats to opposing teams on the ice.
The Soviet-born player started his professional career in 2001, playing for Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Super-League (RSL), where he would play until he was drafted first-overall by Washington in 2004.
The 2005 first-overall draft pick, Sidney Crosby, has been a longtime rival of Ovechkin. The two faced off for what could be the final time last week, and despite being in enemy territory, Pittsburgh fans gave Ovechkin a standing ovation.
Ovechkin hasn’t announced a decision about his future in the NHL, however speculation has been building since before the first puck drop of the season.
The Capitals sent out an email to season ticket holders about the 2025-26 season featuring a retirement tour for Ovechkin, however it was quickly deleted. The speculation runs further;
The fixture that displays Ovechkin’s career goals at Capital One Arena returned during the season, after it disappeared after he scored his 895th, which broke Wayne Gretzky’s nearly 30-year record.
What has Ovechkin himself said about retirement? Well, he’s been oddly vague.
While that quote wasn’t very descriptive, the signs are there.
Should Ovechkin retire, he would retire as one of the greatest players to skate on NHL ice. The 3-time Hart Trophy winner, Calder Trophy winner, Conn Smythe Trophy winner, and the 2018 Stanley Cup Champion would be a surefire first-ballot choice for the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The Capitals missed the playoffs this year, finishing 4th in the Metropolitan Division, with a 43-30-9 record.
The question quickly becomes, does Ovechkin retire? His team is on a decline, and Ovechkin is in his 40s.
I believe Ovechkin will retire, and that the final game of the year on the road in Columbus was his last game. Ovechkin is a humble man, one who stays away from the glitz and glamour of being a well-known athlete, and the perfect way to retire is to announce it after you’re done playing.
If this is the end for Ovechkin, the hockey world will be losing its brightest star.
