After much speculation, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has called it a career after 22 seasons in the NHL. Ovechkin made the announcement on Monday, October 5th, two days before the Capitals host the Pittsburgh Penguins for their home opener.
“My family and I decided this summer that this will be my final year in the NHL,” Ovechkin said in a statement. “I love this game so much, but I know in my heart it’s the right decision. It was important for me to make this announcement before our first home game, so I have the chance to thank all the people around the game, everyone who has been so important to me and my family and helped me through good times and tough losses. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve everything I have in my life without them. I am excited about this season with my teammates, and we will do everything we can to make this year special. I am going to enjoy every moment with my family, my boys, our fans and everyone who has been part of my hockey career. See you Wednesday, babes!”
Ovechkin, 41, was drafted by the Capitals 1st overall at the 2004 NHL Draft and would make his NHL debut during the 2005-06 season where in his first game against the Columbus Blue Jackets would score two goals to make an immediate impact for the Capitals.
Ovechkin entered the 2026-27 season with 929 goals and 758 assists for 1,687 points in 1,573 regular season games played. In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he has 77 goals and 70 assists for 147 points in 161 playoff games played. Combined, Ovechkin has recorded 1,006 goals and 828 assists for 1,834 points in 1,734 total NHL games.
During Ovechkin’s rookie season in 2005-06, he would record 52 goals and 54 assists for 106 points in 81 games played on his way to earning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the Rookie of the Year. Ovechkin would be a highlight reel that season from scoring “The Goal” against the Phoenix Coyotes on January 16th, 2006, which would leave then Coyotes head coach Wayne Gretzky in awe, for his second of the game and 32nd of the season, to bone crunching hits and electric goal celebrations to entertain the fans.
The 2005-06 season would also mark the debut of another sensation in Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby which would reignite the Capitals/Penguins rivalry. Ovechkin would score his first career goal against the Penguins on March 8th, 2006 with a powerplay goal for his 42nd goal of the season.
In the 2007-08 season, Ovechkin would set a career high in goals with 65 and points with 112 to earn his first Hart Memorial Trophy, Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, and Ted Lindsay Award, plus his only Art Ross Trophy.
Ovechkin would win the Ted Lindsay Award two more times in 2008-09 and 2009-10 to win the award three consecutive seasons. He would also win the Hart Memorial Trophy two more time in 2008-09 and 2012-13. Ovechkin would also earn eight more Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies in 2008-09, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 for a total of 9 times which is an NHL record.
In 2017-18, the Washington Capitals would finally reach the promised land as they would defeat the Vegas Golden Knights in five games to become the Stanley Cup Champions for the first time in franchise history. Ovechkin would record 15 goals and 12 assists for 27 points in 24 games played in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with 3 goals and 2 assists for 5 points in the 5 games played in the Stanley Cup Final that would see Ovechkin be named the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy.
For Ovechkin’s other accolades, he would be named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2006, the NHL First All-Star Team 8 times (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2019), the NHL Second All-Star Team 4 times (2011, 2013, 2014, 2016), and played in 8 NHL All-Star Games (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2023).
With all of that said, Alex Ovechkin will forever be remembered as the greatest goal scorer in NHL history.
Ovechkin became the third player in NHL history to score 800 goals when he scored a hat trick in a 7-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on December 13th, 2022. Ten days later, Ovechkin would score two goals in a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets at Capital One Arena to pass Gordie Howe for second all-time with 802.
Ovechkin would surpass Wayne Gretzky when he would score goal number 895 on April 6th, 2025 in a 4-1 loss to the New York Islanders at UBS Arena. The historic goal would come at 7:26 of the second period while on the power play. Ovechkin took a pass from Tom Wilson and ripped a wrist shot from the left face-off circle past Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin to break Gretzky’s NHL goal record.
Two days earlier, Ovechkin would record two goals against the Chicago Blackhawks to tie Gretzky at 894, and with goal number 894, that would be his 136th game-winner to surpass Jaromir Jagr for the most game-winners in NHL history.
Ovechkin made more history in Game 1 of the 2025 Eastern Conference First Round, scoring the first overtime goal in his NHL postseason career, his 152nd playoff game, to give the Capitals a 3-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens.
Ovechkin scored his 900th NHL goal in his 1,504th game, 2:39 into the second period of a 6-1 win against the St. Louis Blues at Capital One Arena on Nov. 5th, 2025 to become the first and only player in NHL history to score 900 goals.
Later in the 2025-26 season, Ovechkin scored his 1,000th NHL goal in the regular season and playoffs combined at 14:17 of the third period in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche on March 22nd, 2026, joining Gretzky (1,016) as the second NHL skater to do so.
Ovechkin also broke the NHL record for most goals with one team when he scored his 787th goal for the Capitals in a 3-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes at Capital One Arena on November 5th, 2022. He passed Howe, who scored 786 goals in 1,687 games over 25 seasons with the Red Wings from 1946-1971. Ovechkin had tied the record when he scored his 786th goal in the second period of a 3-1 loss at Detroit on November 3rd, 2022, when Howe’s son, Mark, was in attendance. The goal was scored about three miles from the site of the Olympia, where Howe scored his 786th goal for Detroit on April 3rd, 1971.
Ovechkin, in two games played so far this season has one assist.
*Quotes courtesy of the Washington Capitals.
*Feature graphic courtesy of the Washington Capitals