There isn’t much Washington Capitals forward Alex Overchkin hasn’t accomplished during his 21-year NHL career.
His trophy case includes the Calder (2006), given to the NHL’s Rookie of the Year, an Art Ross (2008), given to the NHL’s leading scorer each year, nine Rocket Richards, given to the league’s leading goal scorer every year, three Hart Trophies, given to the league MVP, and a Conn Smythe, given to the MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Ovechkin also has 13 All-Star Game appearances and three-time Ted Lindsay Awards, he was a two-time EA Sports “NHL” cover athlete and a one-time “NHL 2K” cover athlete, a member of the NHL 2000s and 2010s All-Decade first team, and he won a Stanley Cup in 2018.
Oh, and he also broke Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record for most career goals (929). But with nothing left to prove, Ovechkin doesn’t seem keen on walking away just yet, though.
Alex Ovechkin Hints at Retirement Plans
GettyAlex Ovechkin hoists the Stanley Cup after the Washington Capitals won the 2018 Stanley Cup
The Capitals just missed out on a playoff spot by three points this season, and although their season is over, that doesn’t mean Ovechkin’s career is.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, the 40-year-old Russian hinted that he plans to return for Year 22 next season.
“To be honest with you, I’m pretty sure it’s not my last game,” Ovechkin stated. “I hope it’s not my last game, against Columbus. I have to make a decision to see where we’re at. The team, family. The kids are already asking me, ‘Dad, are you staying or no?’ And I tell them, ‘We’ll see.’ They want me to come back. They love the city, they love the team, they love the boys.”
Retirement rumors have followed Ovechkin for a few seasons now, but he proved this year that he still has plenty left in the tank.
His 32 goals and 64 points led the Capitals, and he’s now hit the 30-goal plateau in 20 of his 21 seasons. He’s also topped the 80-point mark in 10 of 21 seasons.
Ovechkin’s Contract Status
Set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, Ovechkin, a former No. 1 overall pick, is on the record stating he won’t want to play for any other NHL team besides Washington.
Some have speculated he could return to Russia and play for the Moscow Dynamo in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) — a place where he’s said previously he’d like to play his final games as a pro.
But for now, it seems likely that Ovechkin reaches a new short-term deal with the Capitals for one or two seasons before he returns to his homeland to finish up his career in the very place that ti started.
“I never could even come close to wrapping my head around what he’s done over the last three years,” Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said. “He did so many things to defy odds at his age. And then getting to know him as a person. How infectious his personality and enthusiasm every day at the rink is. If this ends up being his last year, that’s what I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.”
Alex Ovechkin Drops Major Retirement Hint After Capitals Season Finale