There’s a saying about people needing to know when it’s time to bow out gracefully. This saying can be applied to athletes as well, knowing when their prime has expired and whether or not it’s time to retire.
Alex Ovechkin, unfortunately, fits the bill of one of those professional athletes whose reached the age where people start to wonder when he’s going to call it quits. However, it appears he has no intention of throwing in the towel before the 2025-26 NHL season.
What Has Alex Ovechkin and His Family Said About Future Retirement?
Ovechkin is one of the most legendary NHL players in modern history. Originally the No. 1 pick in the 2004 NHL Draft, he has played with the Washington Capitals his entire career. In 2017, he was named one of the 100 greatest NHL players of all time and most recently broke legend Wayne Gretzky’s record for the most career goals in NHL history.
In addition to having the most goals in league history, the left wing also has the most empty-net goals in NHL history, the most power-play goals, the most shots on goal, and is a 13-time All-Star selection.
In addition to all of this, Ovechkin is a 2018 Stanley Cup winner, 2018 Conn Smythe Trophy winner, three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner, and three-time Ted Lindsay Award winner.
Make no mistake, Ovechkin’s success train isn’t leaving the station anytime soon, at least according to his wife. On Friday, May 30, Russian outlet AIF quoted Ovechkin’s wife, Nastasiya Ovechkina, suggesting that the Capitals forward would return to Russia from the U.S. in 2026.
HE DID IT, HE DID IT ‼️
ALEX OVECHKIN HAS THE MOST GOALS IN NHL HISTORY 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Ej2cclff9y
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 6, 2025
Ovechkin’s contract with Washington runs through the 2025-26 season.
“Alexander still has a contract for a year,” Ovechkina said, per a translation by Google Translate. “So we will play the next season, and then fly back to live in Moscow, to our homeland. We will stay in Russia, yes.”
The news came just one day after an email campaign from the Capitals’ corporate sales department was sent to a select group of season-ticket holders, claiming that the 2025-26 season would be Ovechkin’s last with the Caps. Capitals PR responded to the commotion, stating the email was an unfortunate and egregious mistake and that no decision had yet been made on Ovechkin’s future beyond next year.
It remains to be seen what his future looks like, but at 39 years old, Ovechkin said he’s approaching his upcoming years with a level head.
“For me, it’s first of all to make a roster when 40 years old, you know? I have to pass skating test,” he added. “It’s one thing, and then we’ll see.”
