As the Olympic break wraps up, the Washington Capitals find themselves with 23 games left in the regular season and a steep climb to make the playoffs. Leading the charge is none other than Alex Ovechkin, who, despite facing questions about his future and potential retirement, remains laser-focused on the present task: pushing the Caps into the postseason.
“We’re going to have to win almost every game to make the playoffs,” Ovechkin candidly shared. And while this might seem like a tall order, if anyone can rally the team, it’s Ovi.
Currently in the final year of his contract with Washington-the only NHL team he's ever suited up for-Ovechkin is still a force to be reckoned with. He enters this stretch with 919 career regular-season goals, holding the all-time record.
Yet, when asked if this season might be his swan song, Ovechkin remains noncommittal. “No, I don’t know yet,” he said.
“We have to make a decision. We have to talk with the family, with [owner] Ted Leonsis, [GM] Chris Patrick, and then we'll see.”
This season, Ovechkin has tallied 22 goals and 26 assists over 59 games. However, he hit a dry spell just before the break, going five games without finding the back of the net.
Reflecting on this, he noted, “It’s how I said, we have ups and downs. It’s not about me.
You can see everybody was maybe a little struggling because last year, we scored like five, six goals in a game and it was easy. Right now, it’s a kind of a struggle to find a way to find the net, and I hope this break is going to help us, and now we’re going to play much better.”
At 40, Ovechkin is still a formidable offensive threat, and his impact on the Capitals is undeniable. Should he choose to continue beyond this season, it’s hard to imagine Washington not welcoming him back with open arms. A franchise legend, Ovi’s decision will likely come after the season wraps up.
For now, though, Ovechkin’s sights are set on the immediate challenge: winning games and making a playoff push. With 23 games left, that's the only thing within his control, and he’s ready to give it everything he’s got.