The 41-year-old Russian made the announcement on Monday, telling his Capitals teammates before practice that he had decided to retire at the end of the season. The Capitals subsequently released a statement from their captain confirming the decision.
Ovechkin confirms retirement decision
Ovechkin said he and his family made the decision during the summer and that he felt the time was right to bring his NHL career to an end.
“My family and I decided this summer that this will be my final year in the NHL,” Ovechkin said in his statement released by the Capitals.
He explained that he wanted to announce his decision before Washington's first home game so he could spend his final season thanking the people who have supported him throughout his career.
Ovechkin also told his teammates that he wanted them to enjoy the remaining games of the season and push for a playoff place.
NHL's all-time leading goalscorer
Ovechkin enters his final NHL season as the league's all-time leading goalscorer with 929 regular-season goals.
He surpassed Wayne Gretzky's longstanding record in April 2025 when he scored his 895th NHL goal. He has since extended the record and became the first player in league history to reach 900 regular-season goals.
The Capitals captain also holds NHL records for power-play goals, game-winning goals, overtime goals and 40-goal seasons. He has recorded 14 seasons with at least 40 goals and 20 seasons with at least 30.
A legendary Capitals career
Ovechkin has spent his entire 22-season NHL career with Washington after the Capitals selected him with the first overall pick in the 2004 NHL Draft.
He has recorded 1,688 points from 1,575 games for the franchise, including 929 goals and 759 assists.
His greatest team achievement came in 2018, when he captained Washington to its first Stanley Cup championship. Ovechkin was also awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
His longevity has also placed him alongside some of the most iconic one-franchise players in NHL history. Ovechkin and longtime rival Sidney Crosby are both playing their 22nd season with the same franchise.
More milestones within reach
Although Ovechkin has confirmed his retirement plans, he still has several milestones to chase during his final season.
According to the Capitals, he entered the campaign 11 goals short of Wayne Gretzky's combined regular-season and playoff record of 1,016 goals.
He is also four assists away from surpassing Nicklas Backstrom for the most assists in Capitals history, while 12 points separate him from 1,700 career NHL points.
Ovechkin is also one 20-goal season away from matching Gordie Howe's NHL record of 22 seasons with at least 20 goals.
Final season begins
Ovechkin has already appeared in Washington's opening two games of the 2026-27 season and recorded one assist.
His final season will include a particularly significant home opener, with the Capitals scheduled to host Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday. The matchup will feature two of the NHL's most celebrated stars, both entering their 22nd season with one franchise.
For Ovechkin, however, the focus is on enjoying the final chapter.
“We have an unbelievable team this year,” he told his teammates. “Let’s make the playoffs, let’s have fun and enjoy the moment because times fly.”
Key career figures
• Club: Washington Capitals
• NHL seasons: 22
• Career games: 1,575
• Goals: 929
• Assists: 759
• Points: 1,688
• Stanley Cups: 1
• NHL goal-scoring record: 929
• 40-goal seasons: 14
• 30-goal seasons: 20
• 50-goal seasons: 9
Ovechkin's retirement will bring an end to one of the most remarkable goal-scoring careers in professional hockey, with his final NHL season now officially serving as a farewell tour for one of the sport's defining players.