Alex Ovechkin’s farewell lap reached Raleigh on Oct. 13, with Carolina Hurricanes fans rising during the first period to salute the Washington Capitals captain at Lenovo Center.
- Ovechkin has announced that the 2026-27 season will be his last after 22 NHL campaigns.
- The Capitals captain enters his final season stretch as the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer.
- Carolina paused its usual rivalry business to recognize Ovechkin during a first-period stoppage.
- The crowd gave the 40-year-old winger a standing ovation.
- Ovechkin rose from the Washington bench and waved back to the fans.
- NHL clubs have been staging tributes for the “Great Eight” during his final tour of league arenas.
Raleigh gets its final Ovechkin moment
The Hurricanes crowd made sure Ovechkin’s last scheduled visit to Raleigh did not pass quietly. During the stoppage, fans at Lenovo Center stood and applauded the longtime Capitals star, who acknowledged them from the bench.
For Washington, it was another stop on a season-long goodbye for one of hockey’s defining scorers. Ovechkin’s retirement plan puts an endpoint on a 22-season NHL career that has carried him past every other player in league history in goals.
