Alex Ovechkin Announces 2026–27 Will Be His Final NHL Season

Alex Ovechkin announced Monday, Oct. 5, that the 2026–27 season will be his last in the NHL, setting an endpoint for a Washington Capitals career that has spanned more than two decades.

“My family and I decided this summer that this will be my final year in the NHL,” Ovechkin said in a statement released by the Capitals.

The captain told his teammates before practice Monday, NHL.com reported. His announcement comes ahead of Washington’s home opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at Capital One Arena.

Ovechkin, 41, is playing his 22nd NHL season, all with Washington. He signed a one-year contract July 2 after leaving his future undecided at the end of last season.

He entered this season with 929 regular-season goals, the most in NHL history. He passed Wayne Gretzky’s previous record of 894 on April 6, 2025.

Ovechkin led Washington with 32 goals and 64 points last season while appearing in all 82 games.

For the District, his career links individual achievement to the Capitals’ first Stanley Cup championship. Ovechkin captained the 2018 title team and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason’s most valuable player.