Alex Ovechkin makes shocking career decision

The 38-year-old veteran has always expressed his desire to finish his career in Russia and it seems like that may be the case once his NHL contract expires - which still has 2 years remaining.

Ovechkin is coming off of one of his more disappointing seasons of his career with just 31 goals and 65 points through 79 games played this year. The sharpshooter was coming off of a season where he scored 42 times in 2022-23, 50 goals in 2021-22, and combined for 172 goals between 2017-18 and 2020-21.

All eyes will be on his chase for Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal record which stands at 894. Ovechkin is just 41 goals away from tying the record and 42 goals away from becoming the greatest goal scorer of all time - if he already doesn't have that moniker. I'll say, though - it will be interesting to see what happens if he's still a couple of goals shy of breaking Gretzky's record at the end of his current contract.

It was a struggle at times this past season as he had just 8 goals to his name in his first 43 games but finished the season with 23 goals in his final 36 games.

Dynamo Moscow assistant coach Vladimir Fedosov spoke to a weekly newspaper in Russia and mentioned that Ovechkin told him he wanted to close out his career overseas.

"He said himself that he would finish his career in Dynamo... the white-and-blue fans can definitely sleep easy. If Alexander's health is good, he will be able to play until the age of 45," Fedosov said, per a DeepL translation.

This should come as no surprise with Ovechkin having talked about his desires in the past along with the fact that he played for Dynamo Moscow before being drafted first overall in 2004 by the Capitals. He spent 4 years with the team between 2001-02 and 2004-05 before returning for a short stint during the lockout-shortened season in 2012-13.

19 years deep into his NHL career, Ovechkin has 853 goals and 1,550 points in 1,426 games played. He has won the Maurice Rocket Richard nine times, won the Art Ross and Pearson once, has three Hart Trophies, has been named to the All-Star team twelve times, and of course has that elusive Stanley Cup ring from 2018 accompanied with the Conn Smythe.

Source: Former Dynamo Coach: Ovechkin Said He Plans To Finish Out Hockey Career In Russia