Alex Ovechkin's unexpected Moscow trip sparks speculation about NHL exit

When Alex Ovechkin speaks, the hockey world listens. But when he stays silent, it listens even harder. This time, it's not what Ovi said, but what he didn’t and where he’s heading that has everyone buzzing. At 39, with 21 NHL seasons under his belt and one year left on his five-year deal with the Washington Capitals , the Russian machine is once again the center of controversy. Is the Great 8 preparing for one final hurrah in D.C. or plotting a jaw-dropping return to his roots in Russia?


Alex Ovechkin ’s mysterious silence raises doubts about NHL future

#ALLCAPS Alexander Ovechkin will fly to Moscow at the end of May. This was announced by his agent Gleb Chistyakov.

"There are certain plans, he will tell about them himself if he wants. I would not like to advertise them for now," Chistyakov said.

— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) May 20, 2025

Reports have surfaced that Ovechkin will be flying to Moscow at the end of May. His agent, Gleb Chistyakov, stirred the pot further with a vague remark: “There are certain plans… he will tell about them himself if he wants.” The ambiguity couldn’t have been more deliberate. It wasn’t a denial, it wasn’t confirmation, it was bait. And the hockey world took it.


Moscow isn’t just a vacation spot for Ovi. It’s home. It’s where his hockey journey began with Dynamo Moscow, and where his legacy first sparked to life. His early days in the Russian Superleague weren’t just a warm-up act, they were a warning shot to the NHL. Fast forward to today, and it wouldn’t be out of character for him to close the circle where it all began.


Adding fuel to the speculation, Dynamo Moscow’s president Viktor Voronin isn’t exactly playing coy. “Of course, we are ready to accept him with pleasure,” he said. That’s not diplomacy. That’s a door wide open.


All this comes just weeks after Ovechkin shut down retirement talk following a playoff exit against Carolina. Sure, he’s under contract for one more year, but don’t think for a second that makes his next move predictable. A broken leg didn’t stop him from racking up 44 goals in 65 games, so don’t expect logic to dictate his final chapter either.

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The NHL wants to believe Ovechkin’s farewell tour is still on the books. But what if it never happens? What if he skips the sentimental send-off and bolts for Russia, rewriting his ending on his own terms? Whether this is misdirection or a calculated hint, Alex Ovechkin’s next move isn’t just a career decision. It could shake the very fabric of hockey history.