{
  "id": 12193012,
  "title": "NHL legend Ovechkin will retire at end of season",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/nhl-legend-ovechkin-will-retire-at-end-of-season",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-05T17:05:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC Sport",
    "slug": "bbc-sport",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/ice-hockey/articles/cqwyrlr93jyeo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Alex Ovechkin, the all-time leading goalscorer in NHL history, announced he will retire at the end of the 2024-25 season. The 41-year-old Russian, who plays for the Washington Capitals, reached the milestone on April 2025 when he scored his 895th career goal, surpassing Wayne Gretzky's NHL regular season record. Ovechkin expressed his love for the game but acknowledged it was the right decision for him. He thanked everyone who has been important to him and his family during his hockey career. Ovechkin is currently 11 goals away from overtaking Gretzky for the most total goals in NHL history and four assists away from Nicklas Backstrom's franchise career assists record. He will play his first home game of the new season on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.",
  "summary": "National Hockey League all-time leading goalscorer Alex Ovechkin says he will retire at the end of the season.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Alex Ovechkin tells his Washington Capitals teammates this is his final NHL season",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/alex-ovechkin-tells-his-washington-capitals-teammates-this-is-his",
        "published": "2026-10-05T15:09:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBC News",
        "title": "Alex Ovechkin to retire from NHL after this season, star Russian forward tells Capitals teammates",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/alex-ovechkin-to-retire-from-nhl-after-this-season-star-russian",
        "published": "2026-10-05T15:24:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Alex Ovechkin finally makes clear retirement decision amid age-41 season with Capitals",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/alex-ovechkin-finally-makes-clear-retirement-decision-amid-age-41",
        "published": "2026-10-05T15:38:28.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "SB Nation",
        "title": "Alex Ovechkin announces retirement to Capitals teammates to start 22nd season",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/alex-ovechkin-announces-retirement-to-capitals-teammates-to-start",
        "published": "2026-10-05T15:43:27.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Meduza (English)",
        "title": "NHL regular-season goals champion Alexander Ovechkin says this season will be his last",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/nhl-regular-season-goals-champion-alexander-ovechkin-says-this-season",
        "published": "2026-10-05T17:44:36.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}