📸: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
Alex Ovechkin is headed home to Russia without concrete plans that he’ll be back in Washington, DC, this fall.
According to Russian outlet TASS, Ovechkin and family are set to arrive in Moscow, Russia, on Wednesday after a full day of travel. The Washington Capitals captain will depart the DMV without a contract for next season.
Ovechkin stated on Breakdown Day that he was “pretty sure” that he hadn’t played his last game in the NHL. He emphasized that he’ll be factoring in family, health, and, most importantly, whether the Capitals plan to contend for a Stanley Cup, into his decision on returning for a 22nd career season.
The Capitals missed the playoffs for just the fifth time during Ovechkin’s 21-year stint with the club, trailing the Philadelphia Flyers by three standings points at the end of their 82-game schedule. He played in all 82 games for the Caps this past year, taking the ice for what could be the final time in the NHL against the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 14.
Ovechkin will officially become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, but the Capitals are expected to want an answer from the 40-year-old winger before then. The 2026 NHL Draft gets underway on June 26, and the Caps own two first-round draft picks, which they could move to bolster their roster.
NHL free agency then opens days later, and the Capitals are set to have $36.6 million to spend. If Ovechkin returns, his new contract will likely take up a sizable chunk of those available funds.