Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin. James Guillory-Imagn Images

Capitals accidentally start Alex Ovechkin retirement rumor

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated May 29, 2025 3:29 PM ET

The Washington Capitals are in damage control mode after accidentally claiming that next season will be Alex Ovechkin’s last.

The Capitals confirmed Thursday that the team’s sales department sent an email to season-ticket holders that erroneously claimed that next season will be Ovechkin’s final year in the NHL. That forced the team to issue a public statement saying that Ovechkin has not made any decisions on his future beyond next year.

“No decision has been made on Alex Ovechkin’s future following the 2025-26 NHL season,” the team said in a statement. “An email was sent from an individual with the corporate sales department that mistakenly alluded to next year being Alex Ovechkin’s final year.”

No decision has been made on Alex Ovechkin’s future following the 2025-26 NHL season.

An email was sent from an individual with the corporate sales department that mistakenly alluded to next year being Alex Ovechkin’s final year.
— Capitals PR (@CapitalsPR) May 29, 2025

2025-26 could certainly be Ovechkin’s final season, and it makes sense that the Capitals would want to hype it up to sell tickets if that was the case. However, it is not great if the team is advertising that while he himself has not made that determination.

Ovechkin turns 40 in September. He has won a Stanley Cup and broke the NHL’s all-time goal-scoring record this past season. His list of accomplishments is pretty much complete and his legacy is secure, so it would not be a shock if next year is his last. The Capitals just won’t want to be forcing him into that decision, accidentally or otherwise.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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