Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin says he will wait until after the season to decide whether he wants to continue his NHL career as speculation grows that his recent game in Toronto could be his final visit.
According to Sportsnet, Ovechkin said, “If I was 35 or 25 it’s one thing, but when you’re 40 you have to think about the future.”
The 40-year-old, who is in the final year of his contract, remains productive this season with 31 goals in 78 games and insists he is still enjoying playing.
“Still enjoying it. Still having fun. Still happy to be in the locker room with the guys.”
Ovechkin, who broke Wayne Gretzky’s goal scoring record last year, is also approaching a new milestone.
Gretzky recorded 1,016 combined goals in the regular season and playoffs, while Ovechkin currently has 1,005.
“Well, of course people are talking about it,” Ovechkin said. “But I’m focusing on different things now.”
With the Capitals still in the playoff race, he said discussions about his future will come later.
“We’re still fighting for a playoff spot, so we’ll talk after this year,” Ovechkin said when asked about his impending retirement.
Despite the growing attention, Ovechkin rejected the idea of a farewell tour.
“Well, because I don’t know if this is the end or not, so we’ll figure it out,” he said.
