Don’t call it the farewell tour — yet.
The Washington Capitals put out an Alex Ovechkin retirement fire Thursday after “an email was sent from an individual with the corporate sales department that mistakenly alluded to next year” being the captain’s final season.
“No decision has been made on Alex Ovechkin’s future following the 2025-26 NHL season,” the Capitals said in a message on X.
Speculation about Ovechkin’s possible swan song percolated earlier in the day after it was reported emails had been sent to season ticket holders informing them the upcoming NHL season would be the 39-year-old winger’s last.
The email read, “OCTOBER – the start of Capitals hockey and Alex Ovechkin’s FINAL NHL SEASON,” according to The Hockey Writers.
Ovechkin is coming off a record-smashing season, breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals mark in April.
He became the top goal-scorer in league history after netting his 895th career goal against the Islanders with the Great One in attendance.
“895’s pretty special,” Gretzky told Ovechkin at UBS Arena on April 6 “… They say records are made to be broken, but I’m not sure who’s gonna score more goals than that.”
He scored 44 goals in the 2024-25 regular season, bringing his career total to 897 in 1,491 games played.
The Capitals reached the second round of the playoffs before falling to the Hurricanes in five games.
Ovechkin, who scored five goals across 10 postseason games, said he wanted to take the offseason to “enjoy my life” after Washington’s elimination.
“I’m going to use those couple months (in the offseason) to rest, enjoy my life, then back to work,” he said.
Ovechkin is entering the final year of his five-year, $47.5 million extension.
The upcoming season marks his 21st in the league, all with the Capitals.
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