Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin spent some time in DC after the season ended. However, the 40-year-old is officially heading back to his native Russia for the summer.
Ovechkin recently completed his 21st season with the Capitals. Now, he will look to make a decision on his future as he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
According to Russian news outlet TASS, Ovechkin and his family are scheduled to arrive in Moscow, Russia on Wednesday. The 40-year-old’s wife, Nastya Ovechkina, posted a photo on Instagram of their two sons sitting on top of the luggage.
At media breakdown day, Ovechkin said he was “pretty sure” he had not played his final NHL game. However, their decision will depend on health and family circumstances. The Great 8’s sons, Sergei and Ilya, want him to play another year.
“I tell them, ‘We’ll see.’ They’re excited,” Ovechkin said. “They want me to come back because they love the city, and they love the team, and they love the guys.”
More importantly, Ovechkin hopes the Capitals will compete for another Stanley Cup by his return.
“That’s probably the biggest thing,” Ovechkin said. “Otherwise, if you take different scenarios, like family-wise, health-wise, but also team-wise, that’s the most important thing for me.”
Ovechkin finished the 2025–26 season with 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) while appearing in all 82 games for the Capitals. Meanwhile, the team missed the playoffs for just the fifth time during The Great 8’s tenure in DC.
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