Capitals Backtrack After Team's Email States Next Season Will Be Alex Ovechkin's Last

The soon-to-be 40-year-old became the all-time leading goal scorer in NHL history this past season.

Capitals star Alex Ovechkin set the NHL all-time goals record this past season. / James Guillory-Imagn Images

The Washington Capitals are in damage control mode after sending an email to season ticket holders on Thursday indicating that next season will be Alex Ovechkin's last in the NHL.

The Capitals quickly issued a correction, noting that the soon-to-be 40-year-old Ovechkin, who set the NHL's all-time goals record this past season, hasn’t made any firm decisions on his playing future.

"No decision has been made on Alex Ovechkin's future following the 2025-26 NHL season. An email was sent from an individual with the corporate sales department that mistakenly alluded to next year being Alex Ovechkin's final year."

No decision has been made on Alex Ovechkin’s future following the 2025-26 NHL season.
 
An email was sent from an individual with the corporate sales department that mistakenly alluded to next year being Alex Ovechkin’s final year.

— Capitals PR (@CapitalsPR) May 29, 2025

Next season is Ovechkin's final year of a five-year, $47.5 million contract that he signed prior to the 2021-22 campaign. He is currently scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026-27 should he want to play in his age 41 season.

Ovechkin has scored 897 career goals, which is best of all-time. He will try to put his goal scoring record even further out of reach next season (and potentially beyond).

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