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Paul Bissonnette on Ovechkin becoming greatest NHL goal scorer of all-time

Paul Bissonnette discusses Alex Ovechkin surpassing Wayne Gretzky to become the greatest NHL goal scorer of all-time.

Sports Seriously

The Washington Capitals had to clear up confusion about Alex Ovechkin‘s potential final season after it sent out an email to season ticket holders.

Season ticket holders received an email Thursday morning that said the start of the 2025-26 season would begin Ovechkin’s final NHL season. The email was quickly posted on social media as NHL fans were under the impression the NHL’s all-time goal scorer would officially embark on a farewell tour next season.

However, the Capitals said in a statement that it is not true and there was confusion in the release.

“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

While it turned out to be a major mistake, it makes sense why people would believe Ovechkin could be hanging up the skates after next season. This season, he passed Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky‘s seemingly impossible record for career goals when he scored No. 895 on April 6. He finished his 20th career season with 897 goals.

There’s been plenty of speculation 2025-26 could be Ovechkin’s final season. He will be 40 years old when the season starts and the campaign will be the last of his five-year contract he signed before the 2021-22 season. After Washington’s season ended in the second round of the 2025 NHL playoffs, Ovechkin didn’t reveal whether he plans for the next season to be his last.

“To be honest with you, I haven’t thought about it yet. But we’ll see what’s going to happen. Obviously, I’m going to try to do my best to be able to do well next year,” Ovechkin said. “We’ll see.”

Regardless of whether next season will be his last, Ovechkin will have a chance to extend his illustrious scoring record and make it even more challenging to break. Aside from the shortened COVID-19 2020-21 season, he has never scored fewer than 31 goals in a season.