Alex Ovechkin announces retirement at end of season

Alex Ovechkin has announced that he will retire at the end of the season, setting a finish line for his NHL career with the Washington Capitals. BBC Sport reported that the 41-year-old Russian made the decision public in a statement ahead of Washington's first home game, saying he wanted the opportunity to thank those who had supported him and his family.

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Ovechkin said he remained deeply attached to hockey but believed retirement was the right decision. He credited people around the sport with helping him through both achievements and difficult defeats. His announcement comes as he plays his 22nd consecutive NHL season, having been a fixture in Washington's team since making his league debut in October 2005.

The forward holds the NHL record for regular-season goals, having passed Wayne Gretzky in April 2025 with the 895th goal of his career. Gretzky's mark had stood for 31 years after he overtook Gordie Howe in 1994. According to BBC Sport, Ovechkin now has 929 goals and 759 assists in 1,575 games for the Capitals, giving him 1,688 points and tenth place on the league's career points list.

Two further milestones remain within reach during his final season. BBC Sport reported that Ovechkin needs 11 goals to move beyond Gretzky's combined total from regular-season and playoff games. He is also four assists away from surpassing Nicklas Backstrom's Washington franchise record of 762. Those are separate targets from the regular-season scoring record he already owns.

Washington selected Ovechkin with the first pick in the 2004 NHL Draft after his emergence in Russian hockey. He joined the Capitals from Dynamo Moscow at 20 and scored twice in his NHL debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He later helped Washington win the 2017-18 Stanley Cup, the franchise's only championship, and registered at least 40 goals in 14 of his first 21 NHL seasons, a league record.

In his statement, Ovechkin also expressed enthusiasm for the season ahead and said he and his teammates would work to make it special. He said he intended to appreciate the remaining time alongside his family, sons, supporters and others who had contributed to his hockey career.