The Great Eight isn't done just yet.
The Washington Capitals re-signed captain Alex Ovechkin to a one-year contract, the team announced Thursday.
"I'm back!" Ovechkin said in a statement. "Thank you to everyone for giving me and my family the time to make this decision. I'm healthy. I love playing hockey and competing to win. I'm excited to come back and join my teammates so we can fight for a playoff spot and have a chance to win. See you in September, DC!"
The contract includes $1 million in base salary and a $3.25-million signing bonus, bringing the cap hit to $4.25 million. The deal also contains a $4.75-million games-played bonus (10 games), which, if earned, would count against the cap in 2027-28.
The 40-year-old said after the conclusion of last season that he needed time to mull his NHL future.
"I'm going to be 41 years old in September. You just have to be smart about it," Ovechkin said in April.
Ovechkin remained highly productive in 2025-26, leading the Capitals with 32 goals and 64 points while playing a full 82 games.
He returns to a Capitals squad that has loaded up this offseason after missing the playoffs. Washington has drastically improved its forward group by adding Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou, and Boone Jenner. The club also signed defenseman Vincent Desharnais on Wednesday.
Ovechkin broke the NHL's all-time goals record April 6, 2025. He's now up to 929 goals in his illustrious career. Ovi also ranks 10th on the all-time points list with 1,687. He needs 37 more to pass Mario Lemieux for ninth place and 69 to pass Steve Yzerman for eighth.
