WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin is returning for a 22nd season with the Washington Capitals.Will this be the final act of his illustrious career?“I don’t know,” he said. “We’ll see.”The NHL’s career leader in goals didn’t formally commit to returning in 2026-27 until last week, so it was perhaps no surprise that Ovechkin remained noncommittal on whether this is going to be his swan song in Washington. Ovechkin said his wife suggested he play “one more year, or maybe two years, I don’t know” — so if anyone was expecting him to announce a retirement tour for this season, that did not happen.Instead, Ovechkin is focused on showing he can still be effective — he’ll be 41 — and help the team win. The organization he’s returning to has been one of the most active in the league this offseason, adding Jordan Kyrou, Alex Tuch and Boone Jenner — among others — via the trade and free agent markets.
Those three have all reached 30 goals at some point in their careers, and Ovechkin did that even last season at his advanced age. The Capitals missed the playoffs, but they had the same number of points (95) as Vegas did before the Golden Knights made a run to the Stanley Cup Final. Washington also finished tied for third in the NHL in even-strength goal differential.
