The Washington Capitals have issued a clarification regarding an email sent to season ticket holders, which inaccurately announced that the 2025-26 season would be legendary forward Alex Ovechkin's final campaign in the NHL. In a statement posted on X, the Capitals emphasized that 'no decision' has been made concerning Ovechkin's future beyond the upcoming season. The email, originating from a member of the corporate sales department, 'mistakenly' indicated that the next season would mark Ovechkin's last in the league.

Ovechkin, who will celebrate his 40th birthday in September, made headlines earlier this season when he broke the NHL's career goal-scoring record, surpassing Wayne Gretzky's long-standing total of 894 goals. With 897 career goals to his name, Ovechkin has solidified his place among the greatest hockey players of all time. Originally selected first overall by the Capitals in the 2004 NHL Draft, he has since established numerous franchise records including goals, games played, points, shots on goal, and power-play goals.

Throughout his two-decade career in Washington, Ovechkin has earned a plethora of accolades, cementing his status as the face of the Capitals. These honors include 13 NHL All-Star selections, nine Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophies as the league’s leading goal scorer, one Art Ross Trophy for leading point scorer, and three Hart Memorial Trophies as the league’s Most Valuable Player. Furthermore, Ovechkin played a pivotal role in leading the Capitals to their only Stanley Cup title in 2018, where he also received the Conn Smythe Trophy for his playoff performance, recording 15 goals and 12 assists across 24 games.

Despite the Capitals not advancing past the second round of the playoffs during Ovechkin's career, he has demonstrated impressive postseason capabilities, amassing 77 goals and 70 assists for 147 points in 161 playoff games. Ovechkin has reached the 40-goal threshold in 14 different seasons and surpassed 50 goals on nine occasions, highlighted by a career-best season in 2007-08, during which he netted 65 goals. In the 2023-24 season, he recorded 31 goals over 79 games, marking his fewest goals in a full season aside from the 2020-21 campaign, where he played only 45 games. However, Ovechkin rebounded this past season, finishing with 44 goals, along with 29 assists, and exhibiting his best plus/minus rating since the 2015-16 season.

Under Ovechkin's leadership, the Capitals achieved remarkable success during the past season, finishing with 111 points to lead the Eastern Conference—a testament to their best team performance since 2016-17. Although the Capitals were eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the playoffs with a 4-1 series outcome, the team’s competitiveness has generated optimism for potential Stanley Cup contention in the upcoming seasons. The next season will mark the final year of Ovechkin's current contract, and while speculation regarding his retirement persists, his impressive performance this past season indicates that he may have the capacity to extend his career for additional years.