Ovechkin's Farewell Season Opens 10 Goals From Tying Gretzky
Alex Ovechkin says 2026-27 will be his last NHL season, and he starts it with 1,006 combined goals: 10 from tying Wayne Gretzky's 1,016 and 11 from passing it.
Alex Ovechkin told the Washington Capitals on Monday, October 5 that 2026-27 will be his final NHL season, per NHL.com. At 41, per ESPN, he carries 1,006 combined regular-season and playoff goals, 10 short of tying Wayne Gretzky's all-time combined record of 1,016, per NHL.com. His farewell season reaches home ice on Wednesday.
The Announcement
Ovechkin made the announcement to his teammates via video, per NHL.com, saying: "This is going to be my last year, I'm pretty sure. It's for me, for my family, it's way important for you guys to know first." The timing carried weight: the declaration fell on the anniversary of his NHL debut on October 5, 2005, per ESPN.
For the Capitals, the announcement frames everything that follows. Coach Spencer Carbery, per NHL.com, described what it was like to hear it: "The feelings that you get inside of hearing the finality of him saying this is going to be my last year, there's like a lot of mixed emotions."
Chasing Gretzky in His Farewell Year
Ovechkin arrives at the Capitals' home opener with 929 regular-season goals and 77 playoff goals, 1,006 combined, per NHL.com. Gretzky's combined total stands at 1,016, so Ovechkin needs 10 goals to tie and 11 to pass him.
The pursuit has already reshaped the record book. On April 6, 2025, Ovechkin scored his 895th regular-season goal against the New York Islanders, passing Gretzky's regular-season record of 894, per NHL.com. Then on March 22, 2026, he reached 1,000 combined goals against the Colorado Avalanche, becoming only the second player in NHL history to reach that mark after Gretzky himself, per NHL.com.
Last season, at 40, Ovechkin scored 32 goals and recorded 64 points in 82 games, per NHL.com. At that rate, 11 goals would take him roughly a third of a season, which is why the combined record is a live target in his final year rather than a sentimental footnote.
| Milestone | Date | Opponent | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passed Gretzky's regular-season record (895th) | April 6, 2025 | NY Islanders | 895 |
| 1,000 combined goals (2nd all-time) | March 22, 2026 | Colorado | 1,000 |
| Current combined total | October 6, 2026 | - | 1,006 |
The Road to Wednesday
The Capitals opened their season with a 5-2 win at Carolina on October 2, with goals from Alex Tuch (two), Ryan Leonard, Jakob Chychrun and Cole Hutson, while Ovechkin picked up an assist on Tuch's first goal. A night later they fell 3-1 at Tampa Bay, with Justin Sourdif scoring Washington's only goal and Jake Guentzel collecting a goal and two assists for the Lightning.
Ovechkin left both road games without a goal. On Wednesday, October 7, the Capitals host the Pittsburgh Penguins at Capital One Arena at 7:30 p.m. ET, per NHL.com, the first home game of his farewell season.
A Final Mission
His teammates have framed the season around him. Forward Dylan Strome, per NHL.com, set out the goal: "Our goal is to obviously compete for a Stanley Cup and give Ovi the best chance to have one more."
Tom Wilson, per NHL.com, suggested Ovechkin had hinted at the decision before, though never in a way anyone could be sure of: "You never know after a couple beers if it's like full-truth or half-truth or what." Monday's video message to the locker room removed any doubt.
What follows is no longer simply a season but a farewell tour with a record attached. It begins at home on Wednesday.