It only took the Capitals 10 minutes to re-sign Alex Ovechkin once the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer confirmed he’d return for a 22nd NHL season, the Russian said on Monday. He’s the capstone for the Capitals’ busiest offseason in years.
The fanfare for Ovechkin’s return to the District continued Monday with a television broadcast and press conference titled “The Gr8ness Continues.”
“Alex is hands down the most important, most significant, greatest athlete, certainly, in Washington, D.C.,” said Ted Leonsis, who owns the Capitals through his company, Monumental Sports and Entertainment. “He has the most meaning and the most resonance to our fans. The excitement is palpable with our fanbase.”
The decision to shrug off retirement for at least one more year was a relatively easy one for Ovechkin, who said he waited on clearance from his wife before committing to the Capitals. But his teammates, mother, wife, sons and in-laws were all eagerly pushing for a return.
But the 2025-26 season took a toll on Ovechkin. He was notably affected when the Capitals missed the postseason and traded longtime teammates Nic Dowd and John Carlson at the trade deadline.
“Last season was hard emotionally with all the trades and all those situations,” Ovechkin said. “And then I was talking to my wife and she’s like, ‘Okay, let’s go. One more year!’”
That doesn’t mean the upcoming campaign is a retirement tour for Ovechkin, who turns 41 in September.
“I was talking to my family and [my wife]’s like, ‘Okay, let’s play one more year. Or maybe two years, I don’t know,” Ovechkin said. “I can still play and bring energy to the locker room, energy on the ice. … Right now, I’m focusing to come back to D.C. and show that I’m still a good player and still can help the team win.”
The franchise announced the contract on Thursday after a flurry of other trades and signings to start the offseason. Ovechkin’s deal features a $1 million salary with a $3.25 million signing bonus and a $4.75 million performance bonus if he plays in at least 10 games.
The incentive-based setup allows the Capitals to disperse Ovechkin’s cap hit over two years to sneak under the salary cap for the upcoming campaign.
The Capitals opened the offseason with a bevy of moves that would likely increase their Stanley Cup odds for next season.
Washington traded for forwards Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou last week in deals with the Buffalo Sabres and St. Louis Blues, respectively. Washington continued its roster refresh on Wednesday by signing former Columbus Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner and ex-San Jose Sharks defenseman Vincent Desharnais.
The Capitals’ roster now features 11 players — including Ovechkin — who have recorded 20-goal seasons in their careers. The District has become a destination for free agents and players seeking trades, which Leonsis attributed to Ovechkin’s gravity.
“He gave people permission to fall in love with hockey and fall in love with this team. … ” the owner of the Capitals and Wizards said. “We wanted to build Washington as a destination, and I think you’re seeing that.”
Ovechkin’s teammates, including the new additions, were among the first to learn that he’d return through a text in the Capitals’ group chat. The three-time MVP, even this summer, has kept up with his captain responsibilities.
“When a guy gets that first text from Alex saying, ‘Hey, welcome to the Caps.’ It’s a surreal moment for them. It’s a ‘pinch me’ moment,” Capitals General Manager Chris Patrick said. “It’s just the example he sets; it resonates through the team.”
Next season, Ovechkin will become the longest-tenured athlete in the District’s history. His 22nd season in Washington will surpass a mark set by former Washington Senators pitcher Walter Johnson 99 years ago.
The Capitals’ legend was still reticent to embrace any kind of retirement tour on Monday, though. His eyes were on a second Stanley Cup title with the reloaded roster.
“When you look at our roster, it’s a Stanley Cup contender,” Ovechkin said.
He noted that the negotiations, once he knew he wanted to return, were incredibly brief.
“I think it took us maybe 10 minutes,” said Ovechkin. “I told [Patrick,] ‘Let’s make a deal.’ And he said what was going to happen with the signing bonus and all the bonuses and I said, ‘Okay. Let’s go.’”
Ovechkin, who spoke with the media from a vacation in Turkey, said he’ll head to Russia later this week to continue his offseason training on the ice.
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