WASHINGTON — The Washington Capitals confirmed on Wednesday that Alex Ovechkin will remain with the franchise in a front-office and ambassadorial role following his retirement announcement this week. The club has scheduled a jersey retirement ceremony for his No. 8 during the 2026-27 regular season.

Ovechkin, 40, finished his 21-season career as the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer after surpassing Wayne Gretzky's mark of 894 goals during the 2024-25 campaign. He also captained the Capitals to the 2018 Stanley Cup.

Team owner Ted Leonsis and general manager Chris Patrick framed the appointment as a continuation of Ovechkin's bond with the city and the Monumental Sports organisation. "This city raised me as a hockey player, and I am not going anywhere," Ovechkin said in the club's statement, thanking Capitals fans and the Leonsis family.

Ovechkin became the face of the Capitals for two decades and one of the league's most marketable stars. League commissioner Gary Bettman has previously described him as a generational figure central to the sport's North American growth.