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07/02 13:55 CDT Alex Ovechkin declares 'I'm back!' and re-signs with Capitals
to return for a 22nd NHL season
Alex Ovechkin declares 'I'm back!' and re-signs with Capitals to return for a
22nd NHL season
By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Hockey Writer
Alex Ovechkin is not ready to skate away from the NHL, not yet, and now he gets
a chance to make his career goal-scoring record even more difficult to break.
Ovechkin signed an incentive-laden deal Thursday to return for a 22nd season
while also giving the Washington Capitals a chance to build a Stanley Cup
contender and its longtime captain the opportunity to add to his jaw-dropping
total of 929 goals.
"I'm back!" Ovechkin said.
Ovechkin, who turns 41 on Sept. 17, inked a deal with a $1 million salary and
bonuses worth an additional $8 million. He receives a $3.25 million signing
bonus and makes the additional $4.75 million if he plays 10 games, but the
contract structure allows him to count just $4.25 million against the cap. All
of that will help the Caps put a team together that could send Ovi out on a
high note should this really be it.
After scoring 32 goals at age 40, Ovechkin is 35 clear of now second-place
Wayne Gretzky, whose mark of 894 he passed on April 6, 2025, completing the
so-called "GR8 Chase" that captivated hockey. He had said in recent months he
was waiting until the offseason to decide whether to return or retire from the
only NHL team he's ever played for, and management was working on contingency
plans either way.
"Thank you to everyone for giving me and my family the time to make this
decision," Ovechkin said. "I'm healthy. I love playing hockey and competing to
win. I'm excited to come back and join my teammates so we can fight for a
playoff spot and have a chance to win."
The Capitals missed the playoffs this spring but qualified 16 times in a
stretch of 18 years, which included winning the franchise's only Stanley Cup in
2018 when Ovechkin was playoff MVP.
A teammate for 16-plus seasons, fellow Cup champion John Carlson said he was
not surprised by Ovechkin's decision.
"I knew that he was coming back for a long time," Carlson said on a video call
with reporters after signing with Tampa Bay. "I'm sure that there was
conversations to be had and decisions to be made on his end, too, but it just
was always my gut feeling that he wasn't ready to give it up and good for him.
He's been an amazing player for far too long in this league, and it's just
incredible what he's been able to accomplish. I'm thrilled that he gets to keep
living out that dream."
Ovechkin also holds the NHL records for the most power play goals with 331 and
game-winning goals with 141. He scored 30 in a season 20 times, joining Hall of
Famers Gordie Howe, Johnny Bucyk and Teemu Selanne as the only players to hit
that mark at 40 or older.
Ovechkin has been married to his wife, Nastya, since 2017, and the couple has
two young children, Sergei and Ilya. They spend their summers in Ovechkin's
hometown of Moscow, and the family is expected to settle in Russia once his
playing career is over.
"What is he, 41, 42, and just incredible that this guy's still finding ways to
put up 30-goal seasons," said Brandon Duhaime, who played the past two with
Ovechkin in Washington before joining Toronto in free agency. "As a fan of the
game, just to be able to watch him and over the past two years, to be able to
see him break those records was pretty surreal. Growing up watching him and
then being a part of that was absolutely incredible. Obviously wish him nothing
but the best this season. Just a really incredible story. Really happy for him
and his family."
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL
