Alex Ovechkin has announced on social media that he is returning to the Washington Capitals.
The team’s long-time captain was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time on Wednesday with the expiration of his 13-year, $124-million contract. The team announced that the new contract is for five years with an average annual value of $9.5 million — just shy of the $9.54-million AAV of his previous deal.
All throughout his contract year, both player and team management were confident a deal would get done. The longtime captain has made clear his intentions to spend his entire NHL career with Washington. This new pact will see him signed through the 2025-26 season, at age 40.
“Alex is a world-class athlete who will forever be regarded not only for leading the team to achieve our ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup, but also for inspiring the next generation of fans and youth players,” said Monumental Sports & Entertainment Founder and CEO Ted Leonsis in the team’s press release. “The impact Alex has had on hockey in D.C. extends well beyond Capital One Arena. His performance on the ice has undoubtedly sparked countless new fans of the game and inspired more youth players to lace up skates of their own. Off the ice, Alex’s impact is equally unmatched. Not only is he committed to the franchise, but also to the community, and we look forward to seeing him in the Capitals uniform for years to come.”
Over the course of his 16 NHL seasons with Washington, the nine-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner and three-time MVP has registered 730 career regular-season goals and 1,320 points, making him the greatest goal-scorer of today’s game and one of the all-time best, period. He’s hit the 50-goal mark in eight seasons, passed 100 points four times, and is currently sixth on the all-time goals list.
Based on his current scoring rate, he’s poised to reach third on that list by season’s end, passing legends like Marcel Dionne (731 goals), Brett Hull (741), and Jaromir Jagr (766). Over these next five years, all eyes will be on Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record of 894. (Gordie Howe is second all-time in goals, with 801.)
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