Reader here, and even though I’m a long-established Philadelphia Flyers fan, one player I’ve always enjoyed watching, even when he tortures my club, is Alex Ovechkin.
Over the past couple of years, I think everyone knew he wasn’t going to be taking the ice with his Washington Capitals for much longer, especially after he surpassed Wayne Gretzky to become the NHL’s all-time goal scoring leader, in April of 2025.
But today, “Alexander the Great” made it official, announcing that this season would be his last.
It’s hard to believe this is his 22nd NHL season, but it’s wild to think that he went first overall back in 2004, and has been playing since the 2005-2006 season.
Over the years, his hair has gone as grey and white as mine, and as we all know, Father Time is undefeated. Even the greatest players of all-time can’t do it forever.
He says he’s looking to spend more time with his young family, and plans to move back home to Russia after he retires. Home is always home.
And Ovie has nothing more to prove. About the only think he hasn’t won is Olympic gold. He’s won the World Juniors and the World Championships, and in 2018, he finally led the Caps to the Stanley Cup.
He even won the hardest shot competition at the all-star game!
Ovechkin and Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby had been forever linked, after both megastars entered the NHL in the ’05-’06 season, with both re-writing the record books.
Who knows how long “Sid the Kid” will keep going. (By the way, isn’t he a little old for that? When does he become “Sid the Man?”)
But wouldn’t it be kind of poetic to se both Sid and Ovie hang up the blades and leave the NHL together as well?
I don’t think Crosby is done yet, but Alex Ovechkin’s farewell tour has officially begun, so let’s enjoy the NHL’s greatest goal scorer while we still can!
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