While the Washington Capitals defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets by a 2-1 final score in what was their final regular season game of the 2025-26 NHL season, the main storyline was that it could have potentially been the final game in the Hall of Fame career of longtime forward Alex Ovechkin, who became the leading goal scorer in the history of the NHL last season.
Ovechkin is in the last season of his contract, which has fueled heavy speculation that it could be the final year of his NHL career. However, during a recent game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in which Pittsburgh players made their way onto the ice to shake his hand, he waved them away, later saying he wasn’t sure it would be his final appearance in Pittsburgh.
And following their season finale against the Blue Jackets, Ovechkin said that the door could be open for a return for next season.
Is Alex Ovechkin Going To Come Back To The Washington Capitals Next Season?
Based on what Ovechkin had to say, it sounds like the door is open for potentially one more season in the NHL.
“I’m pretty sure it’s not my last game — I hope it’s not my last game, against Columbus. I have to make a decision to see where we’re at — the team, family,” Ovechkin said. “Obviously, family are going to support me, like my wife and kids. Kids are already asking, ‘Dad, are you staying or not?’”
So, what was his response?
“I tell them, ‘We’ll see,’” he said. ”They want me to come back because they love the city, they love the team, they love the boys.”
Before the game, Capitals forward Dylan Strome said that the club isn’t planning on prodding him for an answer on whether he would return for a 22nd NHL season.
“If he doesn’t want to talk about it, we’re not going to bring it up to him,” Strome said. “I think at the end of the day, he’s going to make a decision, like he said, in the summer and we’re going to be there to support him whatever that may be.
“So, just treat this like any other game and we’re going to try to have fun.”
Despite a late-season push, the Capitals fell short of the playoffs, missing for the second time in the last four seasons.
“It’s definitely a crappy way to go out,” said Tom Wilson, a longtime teammate of Ovechkin’s. “It’s a long season and the fact that it comes down to one or two games is pretty crazy, but there’s not much we can say now. We’re missing out.
“It’s kind of a brutal feel and kind of a brutal way to watch it go down, but it is what it is.”
Alex Ovechkin Became The NHL’s All-Time Leading Goal Scorer Last Season
Last season, Ovechkin broke the record that was set by Wayne Gretzky in 1999 of 894 career goals, scoring the historic 895th goal of his career against New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin at UBS Arena.
The game was halted and there was a special in-game ceremony to honor Ovechkin’s achievement, and featured appearances from both Gretzky himself along with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.
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