Flyers Will Host Alex Ovechkin's Last NHL Regular Season Game

On Monday, NHL legend Alex Ovechkin announced that this will be his last season in the NHL before retirement, meaning that the Philadelphia Flyers will stake claim to an honor nobody else can.

Ovechkin, 41, will face the Flyers for perhaps the final time in his NHL career on April 10, 2027, when the Washington Capitals sniper visits Philadelphia in the last game of the 2026-27 regular season for both teams.

Of course, the Capitals and the Flyers could always meet in the playoffs at some point, though the way the Flyers have played to start their season, that seems pretty unlikely.

But, if the Flyers don't give any other reason for excitement in Game 84, true hockey fans will turn up to see the send-off for The Great 8, the greatest goal-scorer in NHL history with the all-time record of 929 goals and counting.

"It's sad, but it is what it is. We have an unbelievable team for this year and 82 games left. Let's make the playoffs, let's have fun and enjoy the moment," Ovechkin said, addressing his teammates in the locker room in a video posted by the Capitals on social media.

Averaging an NHL career low 13:10 of ice time through Washington's first two games, Ovechkin has one assist and one shot on goal thus far, taking a backseat to newcomers like Jordan Kyrou and Alex Tuch as the Capitals aim to make his last season count.

Ovechkin's impact against the Flyers

It goes almost without saying that Ovechkin has long been a thorn in the side of the Flyers during a storied NHL career that has spanned 22 seasons and 1,575 regular season games and counting.

Fifty-four of Ovechkin's 929 career goals have come against the Flyers, according to Statmuse, and the star Russian winger owns 86 points in 82 career games against Philadelphia overall.

Flyers captain Sean Couturier and Ovechkin have played each other 50 times over their respective careers, with Couturier scoring 13 goals, 20 assists, and 30 points in those games, while Ovechkin posted 28 goals, 14 assists, and 43 points.

Another blast from the past: Flyers GM Danny Briere played Ovechkin in the regular season 29 times, scoring 10 goals, 12 assists, and 22 points in those games, whereas his Capitals counterpart potted 22 goals, 13 assists, and 35 points.

The playoffs were a different story, though, as Briere produced six goals, five assists and 11 points to Ovechkin's four goals, five assists, and nine points in seven games, when the Flyers went the distance to defeat the Capitals in the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs.

As long as physical health allows, Briere will be in the house as Couturier and the Flyers welcome Ovechkin to Philly for one last regular season game.