Is “The Great Eight” Alex Ovechkin Retiring After 2025-26 Season? Capitals Issue Statement Regarding Captain After Email Mishap

Alex Ovechkin will turn 40 and be in the final year of his contract when he takes to the ice during the 2025-26 season.

Is “The Great Eight” Alex Ovechkin Retiring After 2025-26 Season? Capitals Issue Statement Regarding Captain After Email Mishap

Alex Ovechkin (Image via Imago)

On Thursday, the Washington Capitals fandom received some huge shock as an email informed that the 2025-26 season will be Alex Ovechkin‘s last one. The team’s PR was later forced to issue a statement regarding this.

The 39-year-old forward was in the fourth year of his 5-year contract extension with the Capitals. This means that he will be in the final year of his contract when he takes to the ice field next season.

All of this had led to speculations regarding his future. On Thursday, an email sent to season-ticket holders seemingly informed that the 2025-26 season would be the last one of Ovechkin.

Capitals fans would go into a frenzy on social media after hearing this and started paying tribute to his career. A few moments later, the Capitals PR team issued a statement regarding this email and claimed that the email was inaccurate. No decision regarding the future of the Russian international has been made following the 2025-26 season.

No decision has been made on Alex Ovechkin’s future following the 2025-26 NHL season. An email was sent from an individual with the corporate sales department that mistakenly alluded to next year being Alex Ovechkin’s final year.

So, is Alex Ovechkin retiring after the 2025-26 season? For now, the answer is no. The forward previously claimed that he would continue playing until he could not skate anymore.

Alex Ovechkin previously claimed that he was unsure about his future

The 2024-25 season turned out to be a historic one for Alex Ovechkin. “The Great Eight” turned back the clock and finished the regular season with 44 goals and broke the goal-scoring record of Wayne Gretzky. He though did express uncertainty regarding his future.

Alex Ovechkin
Alex Ovechkin 9Image via Imago)

The Capitals star will turn 40 in September this year. After the 2025-26 season, his contract will be up. After the Caps were eliminated from the second round by the Carolina Hurricanes, Ovechkin expressed that he was not sure what his future holds once his contract expires.

I haven’t thought about it yet, but we’ll see what’s going to happen. I’m going to try to do my best to be able to do well next year, and we’ll see.

Ovechkin has been part of the Capitals since 2004. He was drafted as the No.1 draft pick that year. The 2025-26 season will mark his 21st season as a Capitals player.

Alex Ovechkin’s long-time career rival, Sidney Crosby does not think he will retire soon

The future of Alex Ovechkin became a topic of murmur among NHL fans on Thursday after an email went viral. While the email has been refuted, the question remains the same: Will Ovechkin hang up his skates soon? His long-time career rival, Sidney Crosby does not think that this would happen.

Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin
Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin (Image via Bleacher Report)

After the Pittsburgh Penguins failed to make it to the Stanley Cup playoffs, Crosby served as the captain of Team Canada at the IIHF World Hockey Championship. During this, he was asked by reporters on what he thought about Ovechkin’s future and potential retirement.

The Penguins’ captain does not expect to see his rival retire. He expressed that Ovechkin is in fine form and if he (Ovechkin) thinks he can go on, then he will continue to play.

I don’t expect him to retire. He’s playing unbelievable even at his age. What he’s able to do is pretty incredible, so if he feels good, I’m sure he’ll keep going.

The two stars have formed a huge rivalry as they started in the NHL at the same time. They have both captained their teams to Stanley Cup glories. As of the 2024-25 season, the duo has combined to score 1,522 and have 1,788 assists.

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