Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin Yet To Make A Decision As Contract Expiration Looms

Washington Capitals left-winger captain Alex Ovechkin is in the final year of the five year, $47.5 million contract extension he signed in 2021.

Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin Yet To Make A Decision As Contract Expiration Looms

Alex Ovechkin (Image via Imago)

In Short
  • Alex Ovechkin will decide on his playing future after the season ends.
  • The Capitals general manager supports Ovechkin taking his time with the decision.
  • Ticket prices for the Capitals' final home game have surged amid retirement speculation.

The Washington Capitals have been the home for the Russian-born Alex Ovechkin since he was drafted first overall 22 years ago as an 18-year-old. In his long storied career with them, Ovechkin rewrote the history books as the league’s all-time top goalscorer and the first-ever to score 900 goals.

Named amongst the best ever to grace the sport, Ovechkin has also won the Stanley Cup in 2018 when he led the Capitals to their maiden championship. The 40-year-old, after a sensational season that saw him become the first-ever male hockey player to score 900 career goals in the NHL, has been thinking about hanging up his skates as his current contract with the Capitals will come to an end after this season.

Nonetheless, he won’t be making a decision until the season comes to an end. However, the decision may not be what his fans would want to hear. Ovechkin said in a sitdown with John Walton ahead of the Capitals’ Wednesday night game against the Maple Leafs:

We’re going to make a decision in the summer. I have to talk to my family, with [Capitals owner Ted Leonsis]. … We have to make a decision in the summer. Healthwise, I’m going to be 41 years old in September, so you just have to be smart about it.

The Capitals’ general manager, Chris Patrick, earlier noted that the Capitals are fine if Ovechkin’s decision takes a bit longer than ideal. Patrick told The Daily Faceoff that he thinks that “he’s (Ovechkin) going to do the process the way he wants to do it, and we certainly are going to respect that.“

Alex Ovechkin is no longer the strong slider on ice he once was, but the silver-haired Russian has managed to lead the franchise in both goals and points this season. Furthermore, he has also the third-most assists among the players in the Capitals locker room. It won’t be a surprise if he re-signs for one or more seasons.

The Capitals have three games to play, twice against the Pittsburgh Penguins and once against the Columbus Blue Jackets. They still have the mathematical possibility of making the playoffs through the Metropolitan Division spots. The Penguins are likely to clinch the second spot if they defeat the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.

The Capitals have made the playoffs sixteen times in the 21 seasons Ovechkin has played for them, including the last two.

Washington Capitals – Pittsburgh Penguins ticket prices soar amid Alex Ovechkin retirement rumors

The Washington Capitals play the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on Sunday night for their last home game of the season. The ticket prices for the game has shot up incredulously in the last few days amid rumors that it may be the Great 8’s final home game.

Alex Ovechkin
Alex Ovechkin 9Image via Imago)

Ticket resale prices on platforms like TickPick have surged to an average of $377, almost three times the typical $102 cost of a regular-season Capitals game. Even upper-deck seats on Ticketmaster now start at over $220, while premium seats are listed for more than $2,000. However, the spike began even before the current NHL season, fueled by growing speculation surrounding Alex Ovechkin’s possible retirement.

It’s not just his contract reaching the expiration date that has sent alarms across the league. Earlier, his longtime friend and running mate, John Carlson, was traded to the Anaheim Ducks after seventeen seasons together. Ovechkin said that it was the toughest day of his career, and Carlson’s departure made the day ‘a sad one.’

Also Read: