Alex Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky’s record — Is retirement coming or will he chase 1,000 goals?

On a February night in 2025 at UBS Arena in New York, the hockey world stopped to watch Alex Ovechkin do what many thought was impossible. At 39 years old, the Washington Capitals captain unleashed a trademark one-timer from his “office” on the power play, beating Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin.

It wasn’t just his 44th goal of the season — it was the one that pushed him past Wayne Gretzky as the NHL’s all-time leader in goals.That moment became the defining highlight of Ovechkin’s 2024–25 campaign, a season where he tallied 73 points (44 goals, 29 assists) in just 65 games. It also cemented his legacy as the league’s greatest scorer. But now, with the record secure and his five-year, $47.5 million contract extension set to expire at the end of the 2025–26 season, the question lingers: what comes next?

Alex Ovechkin shuts down retirement speculation in new interview

Retirement chatter has naturally followed Alex Ovechkin since breaking Gretzky’s record, but he isn’t ready to put down the stick.

Speaking to Russian outlet Peterburg2, Ovechkin acknowledged that the end of his career will come one day but stressed that it isn’t something on his mind right now.

“I understand that hockey is not forever, but I am not thinking about it now. According to my contract, I am prohibited from doing extreme sports, such as alpine skiing or snowboarding,” Ovechkin said.The comment revealed two things: he’s aware of the inevitable passage of time, but he remains locked in on hockey, not distractions or post-retirement hobbies.

Alex Ovechkin’s next chase: The road to 1,000 career goals

While Alex Ovechkin didn’t mention it himself, the hockey world is already buzzing about a new chase that could capture imaginations again — the march to 1,000 goals. Currently sitting at 897, he would need 103 more to become the first player in NHL history to hit the four-digit milestone.On paper, it doesn’t sound unreachable. Over 20 seasons, Ovechkin has averaged just over 49 goals per year. If he were to extend his career by another two seasons after 2025–26, the math makes the impossible sound plausible.

Even factoring in a natural decline as he moves into his forties, the possibility remains alive.Alex Ovechkin’s record-breaking season will be remembered as the year hockey history changed forever, but it might not be the end of his story. When he fired that puck past Sorokin in February 2025, he didn’t just dethrone Gretzky — he opened the door to a new “what if.” Could the Great 8 be the first to 1,000?For now, Ovechkin is focused on finishing his contract in Washington. But as long as he keeps skating, shooting, and scoring, the hockey world will be watching — and wondering.Also Read: Quinn Hughes’ future in question while Vancouver Canucks takes another look at Vitali Kravtsov