via Latest & Breaking News on Fox News <p>One of the biggest stories at the tail end of the <a href="https://foxnews.com/category/sports/nhl" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NHL</a> regular season had to do with whether or not we were witnessing the end of Alexander Ovechkin's legendary career.</p><p>Well, taking some time to think it over, it appears that the Great 8, the league's all-time leading goal-scorer, is coming back for at least one more season.</p><p>The team announced on Thursday that Ovechkin had re-upped with the team on a one-year deal, with a wildly team-friendly $1 million in salary plus a $4.75 million games-played bonus (set at 10 games) and a $3.25 million signing bonus. According to Puckpedia, that equates to a $4,250,000 cap hit.</p><p><a href="https://foxnews.com/sports/penguins-captain-sidney-crosby-makes-clear-he-has-no-plans-retire-anytime-soon" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>PENGUINS CAPTAIN SIDNEY CROSBY MAKES IT CLEAR THAT HE HAS NO PLANS TO RETIRE ANYTIME SOON</strong></a></p><p>Not bad for a player of Ovechkin's caliber.</p><p>"I’m back!" said Ovechkin in a press release. "Thank you to everyone for giving me and my family the time to make this decision. I’m healthy. I love playing hockey and competing to win. I’m excited to come back and join my teammates so we can <a href="https://foxnews.com/category/sports/stanley-cup-playoffs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">fight for a playoff</a> spot and have a chance to win. See you in September, DC!"</p><p>We all kind of saw this coming, right?</p><p><a href="https://foxnews.com/sports/nhl-star-jonathan-toews-announces-retirement-16-year-career-three-stanley-cups" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>NHL STAR JONATHAN TOEWS ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT AFTER 16-YEAR CAREER AND THREE STANLEY CUPS</strong></a></p><p>I mean, I think the moment Ovie <a href="https://x.com/Sportsnet/status/2043448905837248608?s=20" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">waved off the Pittsburgh Penguins</a> when they wanted to shake his hand after potentially his last game against them was a clue that he wasn't ready to hang up his smoked visor and yellow laces.</p><p>Another clue is the numbers. They don't lie.</p><p>Granted, no one but Ovechkin himself knows how his almost 41-year-old body is holding up, but he's still producing at an impressive level.</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/newsletters?cmpid=fnfirstnl" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS</strong></a></p><p>While last year was a down year compared to the year before, Ovechkin still appeared in all 82 games and potted 64 points, with 32 goals and 32 assists.</p><p>He can still play, which is wild when you consider <em>how </em>he plays. It's not like he takes it easy or shies away from physicality.</p><p>One last detail about <a href="https://foxnews.com/sports/nhl-star-jonathan-toews-announces-retirement-16-year-career-three-stanley-cups" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">this deal</a> is that it sees Ovechkin taking a 50% pay cut. That's big, as it gives the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/sports/nhl/washington-capitals" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Caps</a> more wiggle room to make some of the moves they have this summer, including bringing in the likes of Boone Jenner and Alex Tuch.</p>https://ift.tt/upODzPq