Alex Ovechkin makes something very clear about pending retirement!

There has been a lot of chatter in the past few days ever since Alex Ovechkin mentioned his desire to finish his career with Dynamo Moscow. On Friday, he cleared things up with Russian Television International when asked about what his pending retirement means for his future with the Washington Capitals. 

Ovi is adamant he won’t play for another NHL team in his career. 

“It’s not a question of money,” he told Russian Television International this week. “It’s a matter of principle: I played for only two teams, Dynamo [Moscow] and Washington.”

Ovechkin is entering the final season of a 13-year, $124 million contract he signed with Washington on Jan. 10, 2008, but he told RTI that he plans to remain with the Capitals for the rest of his NHL career.  The Russian powerhouse is still after many records and does not plan to retire soon as he explained furthermore. 

“There are certain goals that I want to achieve after my career,” he said. “But my career is not over yet. I’m still in my prime. I think I will definitely play for a few more years.”

We are not surprised to hear that the 35-year-old is looking to potentially pull a Jaromir Jagr, or who knows, a Gordie Howe! 

And while Ovi revealed he would like to finish his hockey career with Dynamo, where he played before joining the Capitals and prior to the shortened 2012-13 NHL season, he states he is in no rush to end his time with Washington.

“It is clear, in two, three, four years, maybe five, I will end my career in Washington,” he said. “I want to end on a beautiful note, to play my last match for Dynamo Moscow.”

That means Ovechkin has plenty of time to beat the Great One: he is eighth on the NHL all-time list with 706 goals, 188 behind Wayne Gretzky, who holds the record with 894. Ovechkin has scored at least 50 goals in a season eight times, one behind the NHL record held by Gretzky and Mike Bossy. He’s won the Richard Trophy a League-record nine times and was voted winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2018.

Great career, one that will keep going for a while it seems!