is not ready to skate away from the NHL, not yet, and now he gets a chance to make his even more difficult to break.
Ovechkin signed an incentive-laden deal Thursday to return for a 22nd season while also giving the Washington Capitals a chance to build a Stanley Cup contender and its longtime captain the opportunity to add to his jaw-dropping total of 929 goals.
“I鈥檓 back!鈥� Ovechkin said.
Ovechkin, who turns 41 on Sept. 17, inked a deal with a $1 million salary and bonuses worth an additional $8 million. He receives a $3.25 million signing bonus and makes the additional $4.75 million if he plays 10 games, but the contract structure allows him to count just $4.25 million against the cap. All of that will help the Caps put a team together that could send Ovi out on a high note should this really be it.
After scoring 32 goals at age 40, Ovechkin is 35 clear of now second-place Wayne Gretzky, whose on April 6, 2025, completing that captivated hockey. He had said in recent months to decide whether to return or retire from the only NHL team he’s ever played for, and management was working on contingency plans either way.
鈥淭hank you to everyone for giving me and my family the time to make this decision,” Ovechkin said. 鈥淚鈥檓 healthy. I love playing hockey and competing to win. I鈥檓 excited to come back and join my teammates so we can fight for a playoff spot and have a chance to win.鈥�
The Capitals missed the playoffs this spring but qualified 16 times in a stretch of 18 years, which included winning the franchise’s only Stanley Cup in 2018 when Ovechkin was playoff MVP.
A teammate for 16-plus seasons, fellow Cup champion John Carlson said he was not surprised by Ovechkin’s decision.
“I knew that he was coming back for a long time,” Carlson said on a video call with reporters after signing with Tampa Bay. 鈥淚鈥檓 sure that there was conversations to be had and decisions to be made on his end, too, but it just was always my gut feeling that he wasn鈥檛 ready to give it up and good for him. He鈥檚 been an amazing player for far too long in this league, and it鈥檚 just incredible what he鈥檚 been able to accomplish. I鈥檓 thrilled that he gets to keep living out that dream.鈥�
Ovechkin also holds the NHL records for the most power play goals with 331 and game-winning goals with 141. He scored 30 in a season 20 times, joining Hall of Famers Gordie Howe, Johnny Bucyk and Teemu Selanne as the only players to hit that mark at 40 or older.
鈥淲hat is he, 41, 42, and just incredible that this guy鈥檚 still finding ways to put up 30-goal seasons,鈥� said Brandon Duhaime, who played the past two with Ovechkin in Washington before joining Toronto in free agency. 鈥淎s a fan of the game, just to be able to watch him and over the past two years, to be able to see him break those records was pretty surreal. Growing up watching him and then being a part of that was absolutely incredible. Obviously wish him nothing but the best this season. Just a really incredible story. Really happy for him and his family.鈥�
Ovechkin has been married to his wife, Nastya, since 2017, and the couple has two young children, Sergei and Ilya. They spend their summers in Ovechkin鈥檚 hometown of Moscow, and the family is expected to settle in Russia once his playing career is over.
That is not yet, which was welcomed by veteran forward Boone Jenner after signing with Washington. Jenner is one of several players the Capitals acquired this offseason, along with , Jordan Kyrou and Vincent Desharnais to build around what might be one final run for Ovechkin.
鈥淚 always kind of thought he was going to be be back,鈥� Jenner said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been great for the group. (His return) just adds to what they already have and the other additions that the Caps have made.鈥�
___
AP NHL:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
