Alex Ovechkin Focuses on Next-Season Decision
No one knows what the future holds for the NHL’s all-time leading scorer, Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin. Despite a small mistake at the beginning of the season, Ovechkin has not said one way or another if the 2025-26 season will be his last in the NHL.
Ovechkin is a pending unrestricted free agent, meaning he is in the final year of a five-year, $47.5 million contract he signed on July 27, 2021. In 68 games this season, he has 51 points (24 goals and 27 assists). Ovechkin has struggled with inconsistency this season, scoring goals, but like Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ovechkin will have plenty of time to make a decision.
Given the fact that John Carlson was traded from the Capitals to the Anaheim Ducks, Ovechkin has a lot running on his mind. But as he told NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti following the trade deadline, the trade affected him, but he’s not sure if it will factor into his decision to move on.
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“I don’t know,” Ovechkin said. “I’m still here, so we’ll see, we’ll see what happens, but, yes, it’s difficult.”
As Washington Capitals General Manager Chris Patrick told Dan Rosen and EJ Hradek on First Shift on the NHL Network on Tuesday, Alex Ovechkin’s future with the Capitals is up to him, and the status quo. When he is ready to make a decision, he will inform the Royal Family.
Writing for NHLRumors.com
Dan Rosen: “We talked about John Carlson. Obviously, there’s another guy hanging around here in Alex Ovechkin, and what his future might be. While I don’t expect you to break the news right here, can you, if you’d like, just what, what’s the update? What’s the latest that you can really share?”
Chris Patrick: “Yeah and to be completely transparent, it’s kind of the situation. He’s just wanting to approach this season as he’s playing games and trying to get the team into the playoffs. And he wants to have some conversations, with his family and with Ted (Leonsis) and Brian (MacLellan) and myself. So he hasn’t fully recovered, so he hasn’t handled it well, so his time is right and as we go through his process. He’s ready, he’ll let us know.”
EJ Hradek: “Big decisions for everyone involved.”
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This is the same feeling he had following the March 6 trade deadline.
“Alex and I will talk about what happened and he will be able to go public if he wants to go public,” said Patrick. “I don’t understand what he’s hearing. What’s great about Alex is that he’s so focused on his team, his teammates, playing games and trying to win, and that’s all he’s been doing.”
As the Washington Capitals fight for their playoff lives, all eyes will be on Alex Ovechkin come the end of the season.
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