Alex Ovechkin signed a five-year, $47.5 million extension with the Washington Capitals in July, but hedged in a recent interview that he may have some hockey left after his age-40 season in the NHL.

While speaking to Sergei Fadeichev of TASS, Ovechkin left the door open that he would still finish his career with Dynamo Moscow, the team that gave him his start in professional hockey.

“There is a chance to win the Stanley Cup, we will work hard for it. Does it mean I will end my career with the Capitals? Let’s talk in five years,” Ovechkin said to TASS as translated by Elizabeth Winters. “I would like to play for Dynamo, but let’s talk in five years.”

The comment follows a pre-contract-extension interview Ovechkin gave in November 2020 to Russian Television International where he was even more concrete with the idea.

“It is not a question of money. It is just a matter of principle,” he said. “I have only played for two teams, Dynamo and Washington. Obviously, I will stay with Washington for another two… three… four… five years. And then I would like to finish on a high note, to play my final game with Dynamo.”

Ending his playing career where it started is the same hope that Ovechkin’s longtime teammate Nicklas Backstrom has too if he can remain healthy. Backstrom would like to return to Brynäs IF of the SHL before hanging up his skates for good.

“I’ve always dreamt about finishing my career in Brynäs,” Backstrom said over the summer. “That being said, I can’t just fly over here and sign a contract. I want to compete and be able to play. But at some point we’re coming home.”

Just like Ovechkin, Backstrom was realistic however that “my body has to be able to do it.”

Ovechkin, as a teenager, starred on Dynamo for five seasons, where he won the Russian Super League championship in 2005 before making the jump to North America. In 2013, he returned and was a member of Dynamo’s Gagarin Cup championship team, along with Backstrom, during the NHL lockout. Since then, Ovechkin has continued his relationship as an advisor to the team and held part of his Stanley Cup day at the team’s facility in Moscow.

During the interview with TASS, Ovechkin was also asked if he he believes he can overtake Wayne Gretzky and end his NHL career with the most career goals in NHL history. Gretzky retired with 894. Ovechkin sits sixth and trails Wayne by 164.

“I’ll try,” Ovechkin said.