Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin won't commit to this being his final NHL season.
"We'll see. Right now, I'm focusing on coming back to D.C. and showing that I'm still a good player and I can help the team to win," he said, when asked if 2026-27 will be his last ride.
The Capitals captain signed a one-year contract with an average annual value of $4.25 million last Thursday. Ovechkin, who turns 41 in September, is the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer (929 in 1,573 games). He will return for his 22nd season. Last season, Ovechkin had 32 goals and 32 assists while playing in all 82 games.
Ovechkin reaffirmed that he entered the offseason unsure about his future. "You never know. The last season was hard emotionally, with all the trades and situations with the team," he said during a Monday press event. "But I was talking to my wife and she's like, 'OK, let's go one more year.'"
However, Ovechkin also said that his wife said, "maybe two years."
As far as wanting the kind of retirement tour that recently retired players like Marc-Andre Fleury and Anze Kopitar went on in their final campaigns, Ovechkin said "we'll see how it goes" this season.
"It's OK. I'm going to be 41 years old. I have lots of pressure on my shoulders through the years. I'm not going to think about it and just focus on the game and how to help my team to win," he said.
Ovechkin returns to a Capitals team that greatly upgraded its depth this offseason. The team traded for St. Louis Blues star winger Jordan Kyrou; made a sign-and-trade with the Buffalo Sabres that landed the team winger Alex Tuch, who would have been the top forward available in unrestricted free agency; and it signed Columbus center Boone Jenner, Rangers forward Jonny Brodzinski, as well as defensemen Justin Holl (Blues) and Vincent Desharnais (Sharks).
Washington owner Ted Leonsis called this offseason "a rebirth" for the Capitals, saying "everyone felt empty" after missing the playoffs last season.
"We all committed [before] this offseason to go for it," said the Washington owner, calling this version of the team "the strongest, fastest and has the most depth" of any Capitals team during his 27 years as primary owner. Ovechkin said the organization's blockbuster offseason helped lured him back.
"What management did, trading for new players and signing new guys, we have lots of depth in our lineup. I'm very excited for the team and for the fans, too, because on paper we have one of the best teams," Ovechkin said. "Now we have to work for the Stanley Cup."
Ovechkin wouldn't elaborate on his role with the Capitals this season, amid speculation that he might see his ice time decrease under coach Spencer Carbery. GM Chris Patrick said that Ovechkin can "move up and down the lineup" and that "he certainly gives us a lot of options."
