Alex Ovechkin says 22nd season will be his last

Alex Ovechkin will retire at the end of this season. The Washington Capitals captain said Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, that his 22nd season in the NHL will be his last. He told his teammates first.

The team then posted his message on social media. Ovechkin said he and his family reached the decision over the summer, 1360 Sports.

The timing was precise. The announcement came 21 years to the day after his NHL debut, according to the Capitals, NHL.com.

Ovechkin leaves as the NHL's career goalscoring leader. He broke Wayne Gretzky's record in April 2025. He entered the 2026-27 season with 929 goals, The Guardian.

He has spent his entire career in Washington. He turned 41 in September. He signed a one-year contract this summer to come back for one more run.

That extension carries a $1 million salary, NHL.com. It followed a five-year contract he signed in July 2021, a deal that ended with his 21st season.

Ovechkin had left the door open last winter, saying he would decide on his future after Washington finished the regular season. The summer talks with his family settled it.

For fans, this means every stop is a farewell. Every road building gets one last look at that left-circle one-timer. Every home night in Washington is one game closer to the end.

He changed how teams defend. Penalty killers (the short-handed units trying to survive a penalty) had to tilt toward him. Goalies had to slide across faster. The forecheck still came hard, and he still shot through it.

No farewell tour was announced. No ceremony schedule yet. Just 82 games left on the calendar, and then the record stays where it is.