Alex Ovechkin Announces Retirement After 22 Seasons

The farewell tour has begun for the greatest goal scorer in NHL history.

Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin said early Monday that the 2026–27 season will be his final one, ending a 22-year career that established the Russian star as one of the sport’s all-time best. Ovechkin said he and his family made the decision this past summer, but he announced it after the start of the current campaign, and just before the Capitals play their home opener on Wednesday. 

“I love this game so much, but I know in my heart it’s the right decision,” Ovechkin said in a social-media post. 

Speculation around when the end of Ovechkin’s career would happen has been steady since the end of last season, when the Capitals suffered a rare postseason absence. After some weeks of public doubt, the 41-year-old Ovechkin signed a one-year contract in July, worth as much as $9 million with incentives and appearance bonuses, to return to Washington.

In April 2025, Ovechkin passed Wayne Gretzky to become the NHL’s all-time goals leader. Ovechkin’s current total of 929 is 35 ahead of Gretzky, and 275 ahead of the Penguins’ Sidney Crosby, ranked second among active players. 

The establishment of this season as Ovechkin’s swan song is already spiking prices on the ticket resale market. Get-in pricing for the Capitals’ home regular-season finale on April 4 now stands at $775 per ticket, and nearly doubled in the first hour after Ovechkin made his retirement announcement. Washington’s final regular season game, on the road on April 10 at Philadelphia, currently carries get-in resale pricing of $225, and also doubled in the same short time frame. 

The exact date of Ovechkin’s final game is unknown, however, as the Capitals are seen as a strong Stanley Cup contender, and currently rank fifth in championship betting odds among NHL teams. Washington’s strong position played a key role in Ovechkin’s decision to return for one more season.

“I am excited about this season with my teammates, and we will do everything we can to make this year special,” he said. 

Ovechkin has won three NHL Most Valuable Player awards and nine goal-scoring titles.