Alex Ovechkin is entering the final year of his contract with the Washington Capitals.
It was a big one when he signed it, a five-year, $47.5 million deal.
But heading into the final year, the timeline of the deal has only enhanced retirement rumors surrounding Ovechkin.
He's not thinking like that, though, according to Pro Hockey Rumors, which writes that Ovechkin told Russian media, "A year will pass and then we will think about it."
Ovechkin turns 40 in September, and he's the NHL's all-time leading goalscorer.
Pro Hockey Rumors explains the future like this: "Delaying extension talks also doesn’t have nearly as much bearing on Washington’s team-building process as it did five years ago. Any subsequent contract for Ovechkin would only be for one year, allowing them to load up his deal with performance bonuses to keep his cap hit low if they end up making other moves that take up most of their space."
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Hockey fans obviously want to know what Ovi plans on doing next.
But it seems like that won't be determined for a while.
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