This season will be the last for Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin. He made it official on Monday morning as he addressed the locker room and made a statement.
“This is going to be my last year… It’s sad, but it is what it is,” Ovechkin said to his teammates.
“We have an unbelievable team this year and 82 games left. Let’s make the playoffs, let’s have fun, and enjoy the moment because time flies for young guys and experienced guys alike. Enjoy the time because time flies.”
This is Ovechkin’s 22nd season, and many of his rivals are sounding off about how monumental his career has been.
He’s the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer and will continue to set that benchmark with all of the goals he gets this season.
One player that he faced often in the Eastern Conference was former Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos.
“People don’t appreciate how amazing (Ovechkin) was in his prime,” Stamkos said. “They see him now, and obviously he can still score, but in his prime he was almost unstoppable. Like, physically unstoppable. The skating, the puck-handling, the shooting, the physicality. It was impressive; he was a force.”
Stamkos reflects on facing Ovechkin
The Predators were on the ice practicing when Ovechkin’s announcement was posted online. After Stamkos got off the ice, he reflected on what it meant to play against him and go toe-to-toe with him.
Ovechkin’s sheer goal-scoring power is something Stamkos will remember for the rest of his life, and how impressive the Russian’s shot is.
“The generation that he came in, where goal scoring was at a premium and with how hard it was to score goals for the majority of the first half of his career… it just makes it even more impressive,” Stamkos said.
“Goalies didn’t know where (the puck) was going. He has that big curve (on his stick blade); I bet you sometimes he didn’t know where it was going. But it just got off his stick so quick that it was so hard to stop. His release, plus he’s so big and strong and generates a lot of force in his shot… it just came off his stick like no one else.”
Nashville and Stamkos will host Ovechkin one last time at Bridgestone Arena on October 29. Former Predators and Capitals head coach Barry Trotz will also be inducted into Nashville’s Golden Hall that same night later this month.
“I’m pretty lucky to have played against him for all of my career and the majority of his,” Stamkos said. “The longevity, the consistency, the health… it’s pretty rare.”
Andrew Brunette’s thoughts on Ovechkin retiring
Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette has played and coached against the NHL’s top scorer throughout his career.
It was an announcement that Brunette didn’t know would come this fall.
“I didn’t think he’d ever retire. Really haven’t put a whole thought into it. He’s the greatest goal-scorer of all time, and the game will miss him when he’s gone, but we have one more year to savor him,” Brunette said.
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Steven Stamkos Sounds off on Alex Ovechkin’s Final NHL Season