The Washington Capitals have confirmed to The Hockey News' Sammi Silber that an alleged email to season ticket holders claiming that 2025-26 will be Alex Ovechkin's final NHL season is not accurate. "No decision has been made on Alex Ovechkin's future following the 2025-26 NHL season," the team wrote in a statement. "An email was sent from an individual with the corporate sales department that mistakenly alluded to next year being Alex Ovechkin's final year." Ovechkin and the team have not made any announcements regarding the captain's future as he enters the final year of the contract extension he originally signed in 2021. The 40-year-old is coming off a star-studded season that saw him score 44 goals — the third most in the league — to overtake Wayne Gretzky as the NHL's new all-time leading goal scorer. Ovechkin, who returned to Russia last week, intends to return to North America in the fall for his 21st NHL season. "I'm looking forward for next year," Ovechkin said on media breakdown day. "I'm going to try to do my best to play, and my team is going to help me too. ... I just want to come back next year and see the team who's capable of winning the Stanley Cup." He also quipped that he will first have to make the roster at 40 years old, and that's the main focus as he enters what will be a pivotal season. The front office also said it isn't ruling anything out when it comes to what Ovechkin's role will be with the team after his contract ends, or if he'd be interested in returning. “I think we’ve learned with him to leave possibilities open all the time,” president of hockey operations Brian MacLellan said with a laugh, adding, “I think he’ll come back and we’ll see where it goes from there.”
