The Washington Capitals issued a statement on social media to clarify that an email sent out on Thursday regarding the 2025-26 NHL season as being the final year for legendary forward Alex Ovechkin is inaccurate. The team specified that 'no decision' has been made concerning Ovechkin's future past the upcoming season, and they attributed the confusion to an email mistakenly sent by a member of the corporate sales department, which referred to next season as Ovechkin's final year.

Ovechkin, who is set to turn 40 in September, recently surpassed Wayne Gretzky’s longstanding record for career goals. With 897 goals, Ovechkin now holds the NHL's all-time goal-scoring record, eclipsing Gretzky's previous record of 894 goals, established before his retirement in 1999. Drafted first overall by the Capitals in the 2004 NHL Draft, Ovechkin has made an indelible mark on the sport and is regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time, holding numerous records for the franchise including most goals, games played, points, shots on goal, and power-play goals.

Throughout his illustrious 20-year career, Ovechkin has earned several accolades, including being a 13-time NHL All-Star, a nine-time winner of the Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy for leading goal scorer, and a three-time Hart Memorial Trophy recipient as the league's most valuable player. He also played a crucial role in securing the Capitals' sole Stanley Cup victory in 2018 and garnered the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP for his impressive performance that season. Despite the Capitals' playoff struggles in the years following their Cup win, Ovechkin's postseason statistics remain stellar, with 77 goals and 70 assists across 161 playoff games. During the 2023-24 season, although Ovechkin faced questions about his future after scoring a career-low 31 goals in his previous season, he rebounded successfully with 44 goals, showcasing that he still possesses the skill and determination necessary to compete at a high level. Ovechkin's contributions culminated in helping the Capitals achieve 111 points this season, their best performance in years, thus instilling hope for a strong contention in the upcoming seasons.