Alex Ovechkin Says He & Capitals Will 'Wait & See' When It Comes To Potential Extension

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is entering the final year of his contract and hasn't ruled out playing past this season.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin isn’t rushing to make any decisions when it comes to what’s next in his career, and instead, is trying to remain in the present.

That being the case, he said he and Washington are in a “wait and see” approach when it comes to the possibility of signing an extension beyond this season.

"We’re not negotiating yet,” Ovechkin told RIA Novosti of where things stand when it comes to his NHL future. “Would I like to stay with Washington? A year will pass, we’ll think, we’ll wait, we’ll see.”

Ovechkin is entering his 21st NHL season and is coming off a historic year where he scored 44 goals — the third-most in the league — in 65 games to overtake Wayne Gretzky as the NHL’s new all-time goals leader.

He’s set to turn 40 ahead of training camp and is in the final year of the five-year extension he signed with the Capitals back in 2021.

Despite speculation surrounding his future, including a marketing email from the Capitals sent in error that alluded to next season being his last and misinterpreted quotes from his wife, Nastya, he hasn’t made any decisions regarding what’s next and called the speculation regarding retiring from the NHL and going back to play in Russia “pure nonsense.”

For the Russian, age is just a number, and he’s said on multiple occasions that as long as he still loves the game, he’ll stick around. He said he only has “one love” in the NHL — that being Washington — and wouldn’t explore other options, though he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Ovechkin sits three goals away from 900, which would make him the first player in NHL history to hit that mark.