Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin kicked off his retirement tour Monday, Oct. 5 with an official announcement: the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer will retire from the league at the end of the 2026-27 season. "It was important for me to make this announcement before our first home game, so I have the chance to thank all the people around the game, everyone who has been so important to me and my family and helped me through good times and tough losses. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve everything I have in my life without them.” Ovechkin, 41, is the NHL’s career leader in goals, having passed Wayne Gretzky’s long-standing record of 894 in April 2025.
The Capitals play their first home game Wednesday, Oct. 7. Ovechkin will soon have an opportunity to add to his record total of 929 regular-season goals, along with 77 more in the playoffs. His 1,006 combined regular-season and postseason goals are 10 shy of Gretzky’s NHL record, putting yet another milestone within reach before his 22-year career ends.
More news: Panthers Announce Great Brad Marchand News Before Ducks Game Washington selected Ovechkin No. 1 in the 2004 NHL Draft, and he's spent his entire career in the nation's capital. At home, Ovechkin has faced criticism off the ice for his support of Russian president Vladimir Putin, including his recent appearance an election campaign ad for Putin’s United Russia party ahead of last month's Russian elections. On the ice, Ovechkin will retire as one of the greatest all-around talents ever to play the game.
More news: Another Detroit Red Wings Star Has Requested a Trade “I am excited about this season with my teammates, and we will do everything we can to make this year special,” he said via the Capitals.
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