The Washington Capitals closed the 2025-26 season with a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 14. Despite an 11-3-2 record in the final month, the Capitals missed the playoffs for the first time since 2023.
Despite the season’s disappointing result, an incredible record was established. Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin became the only player in NHL history to score 900 career goals, notching his 900th goal in an early-season rout of the St. Louis Blues.
Ovechkin said it was a special moment for him and he was thankful it came on home ice.
“It’s a huge number,” Ovechkin said in a post-game press conference. “No one ever did it in NHL history and to be the first player ever to do it, it’s a special moment. So yeah, it’s nice it’s over and it’s nice to get it at home, so the fans and family can be here.”
The goal came early in the second period. Ovechkin batted a pass out of the air and passed it to Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun, who shot wide of the net. The puck rebounded right to Ovechkin, who spun around and backhanded it into the net. It was a rather unorthodox goal for Ovechkin, who is known for his one-timers from the top of the left circle, aptly named his “office.”
Capitals head coach Spencer Carberry — the 2025 Jack Adams Award recipient, an award given to the league’s best coach — said goal 900 proves how uniquely talented Ovechkin is.
“It finds a way in, in true ‘O’ fashion,” Carberry said in a post-game press conference. “I think that’s among many qualities that he’s demonstrated over his career as a goal scorer, the different ways that he’s scored.”
“Next thing you know, it’s in the back of the net and he’s got 900 goals in the NHL, which you just can’t wrap your head around that,” Carberry added.
The Capitals started the season strong, posting a 15-9-2 record through the first two months. A lackluster December and January left the Caps with a slightly above-average 29-23-7 record heading into the Olympic break.
Three Capitals players were selected for the Olympics — forward Tom Wilson and goaltender Logan Thompson made Team Canada while defenseman Martin Fehérváry represented Team Slovakia. Wilson and Thompson earned silver medals after Canada’s 2-1 overtime loss to the United States.
While the Capitals’ 95 points would normally have been good enough for the third spot in the Metro Division, this year they fell short. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers both finished ahead of the Caps with 98 points, capturing the 2nd and 3rd spots in the division, respectively. The Eastern Conference playoff race was much more competitive this year, with many teams recording a higher point total than usual, in part due to an increase in overtime losses (teams are awarded 1 “loser point” in an overtime loss) and a weak Western Conference.
The Capitals hosted the Penguins for their final home game of the season, shutting them out 3-0 in front of a sold-out crowd April 12. This was potentially the last matchup in a storied rivalry between Penguins forward Sidney Crosby and Ovechkin, dating back to their memorable race for the 2005-2006 Calder Trophy, the NHL’s rookie of the year award. It also may have been Ovechkin’s final game in Washington.
Crosby and Ovechkin have played each other 100 times in the regular season and playoffs. The most recent Caps-Pens playoff matchup came during the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs second round, where the Capitals beat Pittsburgh in six games. The Capitals won their first Stanley Cup that season after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Finals. That year, Ovechkin won the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s playoff MVP.
Now that the season is over, speculation remains on whether it was Ovechkin’s last or if he will sign another deal with the Capitals. After the season finale against the Blue Jackets, Ovechkin hinted that he would play again next year.
“To be honest with you, I’m pretty sure it’s not my last game,” Ovechkin said in a post-game press conference. “I hope it’s not my last game, against Columbus. The kids are already asking me, ‘Dad, are you staying or no?’ And I tell them, ‘We’ll see.’ They want me to come back. They love the city, they love the team, they love the boys.”
Whether or not this was Alexander Ovechkin’s last season in the NHL, the Capitals have been blessed with the greatest goal-scorer in NHL history and have a Stanley Cup to show for it.
