The 2026-2027 hockey season will be Alex Ovechkin’s final season on the ice, the Capitals announced on Monday. The National Hockey League’s all-time leading scorer has skated 22 seasons with the Capitals—the entirety of his tenure in the NHL. Ovechkin is not just DC’s star athlete: He’s considered one of the greatest hockey players of all time.
The left wing made history in April as the all-time NHL goal leader, passing reigning titleholder Wayne Gretzky with 895 goals. While many thought he’d retire after that season, Ovechkin signed a one-year contract with the team, perhaps heeding chants from fans for “one more year.” The hockey player enters his final season with a historic 1,688 points and 929 goals.
Ovechkin’s star power was clear from the start when he led all rookies in points during his first season. The team captain maintained momentum, taking the Capitals to their first and only Stanley Cup in 2018, then shattering the goal record eight years later. In his two decades with the Capitals, Ovechkin did Stanley Cup keg stands, poured his own limited-edition cereal, and even posed with a goat (a nod to his status as the GOAT) for a Washingtonian cover.
The legendary athelete is scheduled to play his last regular season home game at Capital One Arena against the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 4. Tickets are currently $610 to $2,633—and climbing. It’s sure to be an emotional night for Capitals fans as we say farewell to the late great Number 8.
Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Takoma.
