When will Alex Ovechkin retire from NHL play? Capitals legend drops latest hint amidst Wayne Gretzky pursuit

At 38, Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin has achieved legendary status, but fans wonder how much longer his illustrious NHL career will continue.

Recently, Ovechkin provided the latest hint into his retirement timeline while discussing former teammate Ilya Kovalchuk's return to Russia's KHL at age 40.

The subject came up recently when Ovechkin had an interview in Russian with Sport Express Igor Rabiner.

When asked if he could match Kovalchuk's feat of playing professionally until he was 50, Ovechkin bluntly responded:

"No."

“I check the [KHL scores] periodically,” Ovechkin said. “Ilya is great, we talked to him recently. Getting ready for the playoffs. I think this man, with his health and approach to business, can play until he is 50 years old. The most important thing is that he himself wants it.”

Rabiner directly inquired with the winger about his thoughts on retiring from hockey once his current contract with the Capitals expires.

“I think, yes,” Ovechkin said.

While Ovechkin leaves the door open to finish his playing days in Russia, it seems his current Capitals contract through 2025–2026 will likely be his last.

The pressing question is whether Ovechkin will break Wayne Gretzky's hallowed career goals record before retiring (with just 58 goals separating him from Gretzky's record).

Ovechkin's uncharacteristic struggles this season fueled speculation that he may need to continue playing beyond his current deal to surpass The Great One.

However, when asked about needing extra seasons to claim the spot,

"I don't like the word 'if'," he replied: "We live today, we play, we move on."

So, for now, Ovechkin remains noncommittal about his finale while focused on the present.

Alex Ovechkin shared his recent conversation with Evgeny Kuznetsov

The Washington Capitals have been missing Evgeny Kuznetsov since February 5, when the experienced center entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. Kuznetsov’s status has been kept confidential by the Capitals.

Alex Ovechkin mentioned that they have been communicating with each other.

“We text. Everything will be okay.”

Rabiner asked Ovechkin if he knew about Kuznetsov’s situation:

“No, we didn’t talk about this topic,” Ovechkin said. “Let God grant that everything goes well for him. Kuzya is my good friend, we are family friends. You never want something to happen to your friend that would require this.”

When asked about Kuznetsov’s availability, Alex Ovechkin said:

“No, I don’t know that,” Ovechkin said.

It remains to be seen when Kuznetsov return.