Ovechkin retires: The NHL record-breaker who never turned his back on Russia (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)

The legendary NHL superstar is calling time on a career that made him one of the world’s most recognizable athletes One of the world’s most recognizable and beloved athletes, Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin, has announced he will retire at the end of the current NHL season, closing out a record-breaking career spanning more than two decades. The 41-year-old Russian legend, who is entering his 22nd and final NHL season, broke the news to his teammates on Monday, saying it was hard to tell them he would leaving after this season, but “it is what it is.” He urged the team to “enjoy the moment” and “do some special things this year.” The timing was poignant: Monday marked exactly 21 years since Ovechkin made his NHL debut with the Capitals. For more than two decades, the man known as ‘t he Great Eight’ (he has worn the number 8 throughout his NHL career) has been far more than a celebrated athlete. Known affectionately as Ovi, he became the face of a franchise, an icon in both Russia and the US, and the most prolific goalscorer in NHL history. Through it all, he remained proudly Russian, even as political pressure on Russian athletes reached a boiling point. So who is the man behind the records? How Ovi came to hockey Ovechkin was born into a sports family in Moscow. His mother, Tatyana, was a two-time Olympic basketball champion, and his father, Mikhail, played professional football. But it was hockey that captured their son’s imagination. Alexander Ovechkin poses for a portrait at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC, September 14, 2006. © Getty Images / Albert Dickson/Sporting News He came through the famed Dynamo Moscow system and made his professional debut in the Russian Superleague at just 16. Powerful, fast, and relentlessly physical, Ovechkin combined brute force with a devastating shot – qualities that quickly made him one of the game’s most exciting young talents.

Read more Too Russian for the NHL? The tensions behind Ovechkin’s farewell The Washington Capitals selected him first overall in the 2004 NHL Draft, although the 2004-2005 lockout delayed his arrival in North America by a year. When he finally stepped onto NHL ice in October 2005, he scored twice on his debut and went on to win the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie. Ovechkin’s spectacular goals and bruising style soon helped turn the Capitals into one of the NHL’s biggest attractions. In January 2010, he became the 14th captain in franchise history – a role he has held ever since, making him the Capitals’ longest-serving captain. Trophies and records Ovechkin’s trophy cabinet is difficult to match. He is a three-time world champion with Russia, a three-time Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP, and an eight-time First All-Star Team selection. In 2007-08, he won the Art Ross Trophy after recording 112 points, including 65 goals. Alex Ovechkin celebrates a Washington Capitals goal against the Utah Mammoth in Salt Lake City, Utah, March 26, 2026. © Getty Images / Chris Gardner Washington reached the playoffs in 16 of Ovechkin’s 21 seasons and won three Presidents’ Trophies (given to the team with the best overall record). But the big prize that had eluded him for many years finally came in 2018, when he captained the Capitals to their first and only Stanley Cup, scoring a league-leading 15 playoff goals. Then came the record once thought untouchable. On April 6, 2025, Ovechkin scored his 895th regular-season goal, passing Wayne Gretzky’s 894 to become the NHL’s all-time leading regular-season goalscorer. ALEX OVECHKIN. FROM HIS OFFICE. BECAUSE OF COURSE. #ALLCAPS https://t.co/SMWk89x5Ys — NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) April 6, 2025 He went on to become the first player to reach 900, p