Alex Ovechkin will decide on NHL future this summer, no announcement expected before end of season
Alex Ovechkin isn’t ready to make a decision on the future of his NHL career just yet.
The Washington Capitals captain confirmed in a sit-down interview with John Walton, the radio voice of the Caps, that he won’t be announcing his plans until he consults with his family and the club’s top decision makers this summer. The Capitals have just four games remaining this season, starting Wednesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“We’re going to make a decision in the summer,” Ovechkin told Walton. “I have to talk to my family, with Ted (Leonsis), with CP (general manager Chris Patrick), Mac (president of hockey operations Brian MacLellan), and we have to make a decision in the summer.”
Ovechkin then reiterated that the primary factor in his decision will be his health and how he feels after completing his 21st season in the NHL. He has been upfront about how hard it is to keep up with the top young players in the league today, even though he still managed to score 30 goals for a record 20th time.
“Health-wise, I’m going to be 41 years old in September, so you just have to be smart about it,” Ovechkin said.
The 40-year-old winger has not missed a single game for the Capitals so far this season, and he is slated to play a full 82-game schedule for the first time since he was 32 years old (2017-18). He leads the Caps in scoring with 61 points (31g, 30a) in 78 games.
Ovechkin’s confirmation of his intentions comes shortly after Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reported that Ovechkin is not interested in a farewell tour and liked how Wayne Gretzky announced his retirement ahead of his final regular-season game. That report stirred talk that Ovechkin may be considering an announcement in the final days of this season, despite him previously saying that he plans to play out the entire season before determining his future.
Ovechkin has also recently received the go-ahead to play another season from his mother, Tatyana Ovechkina, and similar words from former teammate and mentor Sergei Fedorov.
The Capitals plan to air Ovechkin’s full interview with Walton during Monumental Sports Network’s pregame coverage of the team’s game against the Maple Leafs.
