Last year at this time, all eyes were on Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin and his chase of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s long-standing goal-scoring record to become the NHL’s most prolific scorer of all time. He ended up surpassing the Great One in April against the New York Islanders on Long Island.
Washington went on to win the Metropolitan Division and advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs before being eliminated by their division rivals, the Carolina Hurricanes, in five games. That loss moved Ovechkin one year closer to retirement. Ryan Dixon of Sportsnet made some bold predictions for 2026, and one of them surrounded Ovechkin, and it is a bold one.
NHL analyst predicts Alex Ovechkin's future with the Capitals
When the puck was dropped on the 2025-26 season, it began the last year for Ovechkin in what is the last year of his five-year contract. What does the future hold for Ovi in Washington after this season ends? According to Dixon, this will not be Ovechkin's final season in the NHL. He predicted a multi-year extension for the all-time leader in goals scored.
"Alex Ovechkin will sign a two-year extension with the Capitals,'' wrote Dixon.
It wouldn't be surprising if Ovechkin signed a new deal and played a couple of more years in Washington. He won't play anywhere else as Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins did after being traded to the Florida Panthers last season and re-signing there over the summer.
One reason why Ovechkin would keep playing is a new chance that he might have in his sights. He currently has 15 goals this season and 912 for his career. Depending on how many he finishes with this season, he could chase 1,000 over the next couple of seasons. Would it shock anyone? It shouldn't.
It is clear that Ovechkin has a lot left in the tank, and playing beyond this year would not be surprising. If the Capitals go out and win the Stanley Cup, then that could change things, but if not, Ovechkin chasing 1,000 goals is not out of the question for the next couple of years.