Alex Ovechkin's chase for history may have a finish line. The Capitals captain has revealed his plan for deciding on retirement. The decision hinges on discussions he will have this summer.

He will take some time this summer to discuss his future with the close ones before making any decision.  Ovechkin has decided that there will be no rush to take the decision on whether he will play the next season or not. 

The Capitals captain said he will discuss it with the family, team owner Ted Leonsis, and other team management individuals. 

"When you ​love something, you do it with heart. Obviously, I love playing hockey, ⁠and I love scoring goals. We're going to make a decision in ​the summer. I have to talk to my family, with Ted, and with other team officials”, Ovechkin said in ​an interview.

Alex Ovechkin is already 40, and health should be the consideration before taking any big call. "I'm going to be 41 in September. You just have to be smart about it," he said.

Alex Ovechkin, one of the legends of the game, has been playing in the NHL since 2005-06. Since then, he has only played for the Washington Capitals and won a lot of games for the franchise.

Alex Ovechkin On Growing Demands of the Game

Ovechkin reflected on how the NHL keeps evolving, stressing the need to adapt physically and mentally as younger, faster talent enters the league.

“The game’s changed almost every year,” Ovechkin said. “More faces come into the league, and you can see how fast they are, how skilled they are. And obviously, you have to adjust yourself, your body, your mind. It’s life.”

Despite his age, Ovechkin continues to perform at a high level, demonstrating the same powerful shot and competitive drive that defined his early years.

This season, the Capitals’ captain recorded 61 points in 79 games. That includes 31 goals and 30 assists. Overall, he has played 1570 games till now and recorded 1684 points.

Last year, on April 06, 2025, he surpassed Gretzky’s 894-goal mark and became the highest goal scorer in the league’s history. 

Currently, he is sitting at 928 goals. He has a chance to go past 1000 goals if he continues. But for now, the message from Ovechkin is simple: patience.

As of now, his only goal is to figure out how he can take his team to the playoffs in the NHL 2025-26 season. The team is currently sitting at No. 6 in the Eastern Wild Card standings with 89 points. 

This summer will be a time of anticipation for all hockey fans to see if he plays again once again during another NHL season or retires for good.

Read more at NHL Fan Central!

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi