NHL players know full well that nothing lasts forever.
Even the best of the best will eventually have to hang up their skates and look back on the old memories of their careers.
Speculation about retirement intensifies when older NHL veterans reach the end of their contracts, suggesting it may be an appropriate time to retire. However, that isn’t the case for every player, with the rare exception of some playing into their 40s.
Here are six NHL players who are at least 38 years old and going into the final year of their contracts.
Alex Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals
Alex Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time regular-season goals leader, is entering the final year of his five-year, $9.5-million contract. Ovechkin is one of the game's greatest players and is still performing at 39, turning 40 on Sept. 17.
Last season, the Washington Capitals captain scored 44 goals and 73 points in 65 games, his best goals-per-game average since the 2019-20 season when he recorded 48 tallies and 67 points in 68 appearances.
In late May, the Capitals corporate sales department made an error in an email to season ticket holders. The promotional email said the 2025-26 season would be Ovechkin’s “final NHL season.” However, Washington’s PR team quickly stepped in to say that it was a mistake and that no decision had been made.
All eyes will be on Ovechkin next season to see what he decides to do at the end of his current contract. He remains an essential part of the Capitals as they try to win the Cup, although Ovechkin's odds of winning the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP make him a long shot at 501.00 (+50,000), according to BetMGM. The next two players on this list have the same odds.
Can Ovechkin Break Gordie Howe's Single-Season, Age-40 NHL Record?Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals’ ageless wonder, seems to set a different scoring record every year.
Evgeni Malkin, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
While he's spent his career with franchise legend Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin will go down as one of the best Pittsburgh Penguins and Russian-born players to play in the NHL. The 39-year-old is entering the fourth and final year of his contract at a $6.1-million cap hit.
Malkin dealt with upper- and lower-body injuries last season, forcing him to play in only 68 games for the Penguins. He recorded 16 goals and 34 assists for 50 points, finishing fifth on the team in scoring.
"He's probably the most underrated player, maybe, to ever play," Penguins GM Kyle Dubas said earlier in August on the Cam & Strick Podcast. "I think just because of the fact that he has always kind of been a little bit in the shadow of Sid, but – at his best – one of, if not the best, player in the league."
In 19 years with Pittsburgh, Malkin has won three Stanley Cup championships, the Conn Smythe Trophy, Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy twice, Calder Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award. It’s safe to say he’ll earn a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame when his time comes around.
Dubas told NHL.com the Penguins' focus is on treating Malkin right and continuing to communicate with him on where he stands with the squad in the future. He also said at some point, the team must usher in the youth movement.
This could be Malkin's last year with the Penguins, but whether he signs elsewhere or retires remains an uncertainty.
Anze Kopitar, C, Los Angeles Kings
Anze Kopitar is one of the longest-tenured captains among active NHL players. He’s worn the “C” for the Los Angeles Kings for the last nine seasons. However, Kopitar is entering the last season of a two-year contract worth $7 million annually.
Kopitar has long been one of the best two-way centers in the NHL. On top of his two Stanley Cup championships, he’s won the Selke Trophy twice as the best defensive forward in the NHL.
With that, the 38-year-old has been consistent throughout his 19-year career. Aside from the COVID-19 shortened season in 2020-21, he’s scored at least 60 points in the last eight campaigns. He’s only missed four games across those eight seasons, showing no signs of slowing down.
Kopitar's average ice time dropped to 18:57 from 19:39 and 20:18 in the two years beforehand, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him stay with the Kings past the end of 2025-26.
Kopitar has the third-best odds of winning the Lady Byng Trophy at 8.00 (+700) and the ninth-best odds of winning the Selke again this upcoming season, at 29.00 odds (+2800), according to BetMGM.
Corey Perry, RW, Los Angeles Kings
Corey Perry has had an impressive career, and he is not done yet. Perry has played in six different Stanley Cup finals, winning the Cup in his first appearance with the Anaheim Ducks in 2006-07.
The rest of his Stanley Cup final appearances came after he turned 35. His latest attempts at the Cup were with the Edmonton Oilers in the last two seasons. This past spring, he scored 10 goals and 14 points in 22 playoff games.
Now, at 40, he signed his sixth-career one-year deal at $2 million. Perry will be looking to guide the Kings to yet another Stanley Cup final appearance in what could be his final opportunity.
Jonathan Quick, G, New York Rangers
Jonathan Quick is gearing up for a third season with the New York Rangers after signing another one-year extension on March 12. He’ll earn $1.55 million as the Rangers’ backup to Igor Shesterkin.
Quick is the winningest American goaltender in NHL history with 404 victories. He has 13 more wins than Ryan Miller, who sits behind him on that list.
Quick, 39, is also 13th on the NHL’s all-time wins list. With 20 more wins, Quick would sit alone in 11th in the rankings, surpassing Glenn Hall and Tony Esposito. Considering his last 20-plus-win campaign was in 2021-22, he may need to stick around for an extra season if he wants to earn that accomplishment.
That said, Quick had a 3.17 goals-against average and .893 save percentage with three shutouts last season. He'll need to improve a bit to remain an effective backup goalie.
Brent Burns, D, Colorado Avalanche
The final name on this list is the only player who hasn’t already won a Stanley Cup.
This off-season, the 40-year-old Burns signed a one-year, $1-million contract with the Colorado Avalanche in an effort to finally win a Stanley Cup to sign off on a storied career.
Burns has played 1,497 games across 21 seasons for the Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks and Carolina Hurricanes. Burns has come close to a Stanley Cup, including one final appearance and three conference finals appearances.
Who knows how much Burns has left in the tank, but joining the Avalanche puts him in a great spot to potentially hoist the Cup before he hits the end of the road. The Avalanche have the second-best odds of winning the Cup in 2025-26, at 9.00 (+800), per BetMGM.
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