Alex Ovechkin will play his final regular-season game at Lenovo Center against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night, kicking off his farewell tour at the place that started his NHL journey.
The Washington Capitals captain was drafted first overall by the Capitals in 2004 at what was then the RBC Center in Raleigh.
Now, 22 years later, Ovechkin is back in Carolina for what could be the final time after announcing that the 2026-27 season will be his last.
After Washington’s morning skate, reporters asked Ovechkin whether the game would hold any extra special meaning for him as the first stop on what will be a lengthy farewell tour this season.
“Yeah, obviously I get drafted here,” Ovechkin said. “This is the first road game after I announced it’s going to be my last year. I have such great memories here, drafted first overall. And it’s a special place for me.”
Although the building has a new name, Ovechkin still has fond memories of June 26, 2004, when the Capitals officially added him to their organization inside it.
“Obviously, lots of things changed, but I remember those days,” Ovechkin said. “It was a pretty cool days for me, you know. I was nervous because you don’t know, like, you’re going to go first or who’s going to be first, and we have a nice time with the family. Yeah, those days you can’t go back, but the memory is still there.”
Ovechkin’s NHL history in Carolina began almost immediately after he debuted during the 2005-06 campaign. On October 12, 2005, he scored his first career road goal against the Hurricanes in what would become a 7-2 loss for the Caps.
When asked what he remembered about that first game in Raleigh, Ovechkin admitted the details had become a little hazy.
“Yeah, I don’t remember much,” Ovechkin said. “I think it was Andrew Cassels who passed it to me.”
But Tuesday’s game matters beyond Ovechkin’s personal milestones. Over more than two decades in the NHL, Ovechkin has become one of the league’s most recognizable players, building a legacy that reaches well beyond Washington.
With the game possibly being the last chance some Carolina fans have to see him, Ovechkin pointed to the responsibility that comes with being a star player and the importance of growing the game.
“I think, when you go to the league, or you came to the league, like everybody expecting you to be good and grow as a person, as a player, and then bring fans to the stands,” Ovechkin said. “It’s a very important thing for us as well. So, yeah, if you look like how the DC area became a hockey town, it’s pretty special, and it’s nice to be part of it.”
Ovechkin will continue to reflect on that legacy as he makes his final regular-season appearances in NHL cities across the league. During those trips, he’ll likely receive love from fans in road buildings, as well as poignant moments of recognition from rival players he’s battled for countless years.
The legendary winger says he is ready for the postgame farewell handshake lines if they come, especially after participating in a couple himself for other retiring stars in recent seasons.
“Last year, we did with Kopitar, two years ago was Fleury,” Ovechkin said. “Yeah, we have a battle; we have some rivalries, but respect for each other. It’s a very important thing, and I don’t know how emotional I’m gonna be, but we’ll see.”
Beyond potential farewell-tour moments, Ovechkin and the Capitals will also simply want to get back on track after losing to the Seattle Kraken on Sunday evening. Ovechkin could be a good outlet for a response game, as he has not recorded more points against any other NHL franchise than his 111 points (53g, 58a) in 97 games against Carolina.
Puck drop for Ovechkin’s potential final-ever visit to Raleigh is set for 6:45 pm.
