Alex Ovechkin is back for another run in Washington, and the number that hangs over this season is as big as ever: how many goals does he still have left?
The Capitals captain enters 2026-27 at 41 years old, coming off a 32-goal, 64-point season in 82 games. That pushed his career totals to 929 goals and 1,687 points in 1,573 regular-season games. In the playoffs, he has added 77 goals and 147 points in 161 games.
There’s also the larger milestone looming. Ovechkin will set a new NHL record for most goals whenever he scores again in 2026-27, and the chase to 1,000 regular-season goals is still there, even if it would take at least two more seasons to get there.
After plenty of speculation about his future, Ovechkin signed back with Washington for one more year at a $4.25 million cap hit, with up to $4.75 million in achievable performance bonuses. The timing matters, too: the Capitals suddenly look like one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference on paper, which gives Ovechkin another chance to pile up production in a strong setup.
On Monday’s edition of Daily Faceoff Live, Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton broke down the number they expect from him this season.
Yaremchuk pointed to bet365 setting Ovechkin’s over-under at 28.5, then asked Hutton to fill in the blank on where the veteran winger lands.
Hutton didn’t hesitate: “I’m gonna say 30. I just don’t think he stops, I think this team is deeper now, there’s other attractions that are gonna take pressure off of him to score.
I think the way he manages his game … they’ve put him in a situation to win, they’re gonna manage that workload. I still think, him leading the team last year, he played so well over 82 games, he turned 41 this year, I’m gonna go 30.”
Yaremchuk leaned a little higher, settling on 32 again. He noted that Ovechkin scored 32 last season while shooting 13.1 percent, exactly his career average, and said the new additions in Washington could change the way his ice time looks.
“I’m just fascinated to see with all these new pieces they brought in, they brought in a lot of wingers who are objectively better, complete, full, 5-on-5 hockey players than Alex Ovechkin is at this stage in his career, so I’m really curious to see what it does to his minutes - and it’s worth noting that his minutes have decreased in five straight seasons for the Capitals. He’s still going to eat on the power play, he’s Alexander Ovechkin, but my questions for Ovi come at 5-on-5.”
In Other News...
Capitals Just Lost Goalie Depth At The Worst Time
Washingtons goaltending depth took a hit when Clay Stevenson was moved out of the organization after splitting parts of last season between the Capitals and the Hershey Bears. The 25-year-old had been part of the clubs pipeline, working between the NHL and AHL as an option the team could lean on if injuries or workload issues ever forced a shuffle in net.
Now that Stevenson is gone, the Capitals have a little less margin behind their top options at a time when every layer of depth matters. He has one year left on his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent after the 2026-27 season, which means Washington did not just lose a goalie for the moment, it also lost a possible piece of its longer-term picture. [Read more 🡒]
Capitals Opening Night Roster Brings One Early Blue-Line Concern
The Capitals have their 23-man opening night roster set for the 2026-27 season, and the list gives the club its first real bit of blue-line concern before the schedule even starts. Washington will open against the Carolina Hurricanes with captain Alex Ovechkin leading the way, while the roster also includes Tom Wilson in a leadership role and leaves the rest of the alternate captain spots to be filled later.
Rasmus Sandin is the notable absence on defense, with the young blue-liner designated injured non-roster as he continues recovering from ACL surgery in April. For a team trying to settle its defense corps right out of the gate, that leaves an early opening to monitor closely, especially with the regular season arriving before the roster picture has fully stabilized. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Just Addressed A Growing Goalie Problem Behind Hellebuyck
The Capitals expected Clay Stevenson to move on, and it happened quickly when Winnipeg claimed the 27-year-old goalie off waivers to shore up its depth. Stevenson had spent time in Washingtons organization, but the Jets were in a bind with Connor Hellebuyck away from camp, so they moved to secure another experienced option and keep their goaltending pipeline from getting jammed up at the NHL level.
For Washington, the loss is manageable because the club has other netminders in its AHL system who can absorb the workload in Hershey. The bigger ripple effect may be felt on the farm, where the crease picture now shifts again and one veteran option is suddenly in position to take on a much larger role if the organization chooses to give him a full contract. [Read more 🡒]