Alex Ovechkin on Retirement Talk: "I Understand Hockey Is Not Forever, But I'm Not Thinking About It"
Photo credit: The Economist
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, now the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer, recently talked about the rumors swirling around his potential retirement date.
Alex Ovechkin is now the all-time leading goal scorer in NHL history after he broke the record set by Wayne Gretzky in 1999, surpassing the 894 goal mark with a snipe in April against the New York Islanders.
Ovechkin and the Capitals were eliminated in the postseason in the ECSF by the Carolina Hurricanes, and speculation about his future began to swirl considering he's only under contract for another year.
Ovechkin knows people are talking about it and even though he knows he can't play forever, he recently said he's not thinking about retirement just yet.
I understand that hockey is not forever but I'm not thinking about it now.
Capitals general manager Chris Patrick also recently spoke about Ovechkin's longevity
He defies logic and Father Time and everything else. He's got [a] couple more milestones right off the hop here early in the season that are within reach, so I'm sure those are in the back of his mind, and it will be fun to see when he hits those.
From Fatherhood to a Future Academy, Ovechkin Eyes Life After Hockey
Ovechkin also plans on passing on his knowledge of hockey to the youth in Russia, while also noting that he isn't going to force hockey on his sons Ilya and Sergei.
I want to pass on my experience to young people and inspire them to play sports.
The main thing is that they have their own desire. If they want to [play hockey], they will do it, if not, no one will insist.
If 2025-26 is Ovechkin's last year in the NHL, it will truly be the end of an era that began 20 years ago in the fall of 2005.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 30 | 33 ANSWERS Alex Ovechkin on Retirement Talk: "I Understand Hockey Is Not Forever, But I'm Not Thinking About It" Will 2025-26 be Alex Ovechkin's final year in the NHL? | ||
| Yes | 21 | 63.6 % |
| No | 12 | 36.4 % |
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