Settled
Gretzky says Ovechkin’s final NHL season will be great for league
In short
Gretzky said Ovechkin’s last season will be great for the NHL, according to RIA Novosti and TASS. TASS reported that Ovechkin announced the current season will be his last in the NHL. The reports gave no further details on the announcement or reactions.
Why it matters
The reports mark the planned end of Ovechkin’s NHL career as a hockey storyline, with Gretzky’s comment adding prominence. As official Russian outlets, RIA Novosti and TASS treated the remarks as news for Russian readers. The documents give no further basis to assess consequences for the league or the player.
Key facts
- Gretzky said Ovechkin’s last season will be great for the NHL. [ 1 , 2 ]
- TASS reported that Ovechkin announced the current season will be his last in the NHL. [ 2 ]
- RIA Novosti and TASS published their reports on October 5, 2026. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The reports did not give details of how or when Ovechkin made the announcement. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The reports included no immediate reaction from the NHL, teams or Ovechkin. [ 1 , 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- When and how Ovechkin made the announcement, and what he said. The documents do not say when or how the announcement was made.
- Whether RIA Novosti independently confirmed Ovechkin’s announcement. Only the TASS summary states that Ovechkin announced it; RIA Novosti’s provided title refers to the last season but does not say he announced it.
- Reaction from the NHL, teams or Ovechkin to the announcement. The documents include no such reactions.
What local media are saying
Official sourcesBoth official Russian news agencies led with Gretzky’s comment that Ovechkin’s final NHL season will be great for the league. TASS added that Ovechkin has announced the current season will be his last in the NHL, while RIA Novosti did not provide that detail in its headline.
[
1
,
2
]