Ovechkin retirement decision won’t arrive until summer, Capitals star says

People hoping for an Alex Ovechkin retirement announcement shouldn’t hold their breath. The NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer said in an interview posted to the Washington Capitals’ X account Wednesday that he won’t decide until the summer.

Ovechkin, 40, is running out of accolades to chase. He passed Wayne Gretzky for the league’s regular-season goals record more than a year ago. The Russian already holds most of the Capitals’ franchise records, including games played.

“When you love something, you do it hard,” said Ovechkin, who leads the Capitals with 31 goals this season. “I love playing hockey. I love to score goals.”

The three-time MVP is in the final year of a five-year, $47.5 million contract extension he signed in 2021. He will technically become a free agent in the offseason, though analysts widely expect him to retire or re-sign with the Capitals.

“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,” Ovechkin said before detailing the top factors in his thought process. “Healthwise, I’m going to be 41 years old in September, so you just have to be smart about it.”

Ovechkin lacks the speed and dynamism of his early career, but the gray-haired winger still leads Washington with 61 points entering Wednesday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

On Wednesday morning, the Professional Hockey Writers Association announced Ovechkin as the Capitals’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy, which honors the player who best “exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication.”

The Capitals have kept an open door for Ovechkin throughout his retirement process. General manager Chris Patrick has repeatedly told reporters that he had no inside information about Ovechkin’s plan, and the Capitals have no interest in rushing the decision.

“He’s going to do it on his timeline, and if that ends up spilling into the offseason, I think he’s going to do the process the way he wants to do it, and we certainly are going to respect that,” Patrick told the Daily Faceoff.

Teammates and coaches sound happy that Ovechkin is still playing.

“It’s been awesome. Ever since I was a little kid, he was my idol. I had his jersey and everything,” Capitals center Connor McMichael said. “It’s definitely been a privilege to be alongside him. It’s an absolute pleasure to play with him, and I’m just enjoying every day.”

Coach Spencer Carbery said Wednesday that he’s tried to reflect. He’s been busy trying to keep the Capitals alive in a tight playoff race, but the NHL’s reigning Jack Adams Award winner doesn’t want to blink and miss the end of Ovechkin’s career. 

“This is a legend. This is one of the greatest athletes to play our sport and sports in general and the greatest goal scorer in the history of the game,” Carbery said on D.C. radio’s “106.7 The Fan.” “To be able to take a step back and enjoy that and really soak up being able to coach Alex Ovechkin, I’m trying to do that.”

Washington trails the Ottawa Senators by 5 points for the Eastern Conference’s final wild-card spot before Wednesday’s game in Toronto. The Capitals then play a home-and-home set against the Pittsburgh Penguins before a regular-season finale in Columbus against the Blue Jackets on Tuesday.