Put the tissues away.
Alex Ovechkin announced his retirement on Monday, confirming his 22nd NHL season will be his last lap. Naturally, every casual player in your private prediction league is rushing to back Washington for Wednesday's home opener against Pittsburgh. Do not fall for it. While D.C. prepares an emotional coronation, Sidney Crosby has spent two decades crashing Capitals parties.
How we got here: the Alex Ovechkin retirement timeline
Washington knew this day was coming, but the formal decision arrived swiftly ahead of Monday practice.
- 2 July 2026 — Ovechkin signed a one-year contract extension with Washington to return for his 22nd NHL season, as detailed by Daily Faceoff.
- 2 October 2026 — Washington opened the regular season on the road, grinding out a 5-2 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes.
- 5 October 2026 — Ovechkin informed teammates in the dressing room that his time was winding down, as reported on NHL.com. He told his squad, "This is going to be my last year, I'm pretty sure. It's for me, for my family, it's way important for you guys to know first."
- 5 October 2026 — Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin addressed reporters in Cranberry, with Malkin admitting to The Hockey News that this could be his own final campaign as well.
- 5 October 2026 — Secondary ticket prices for Washington's regular-season home finale on 4 April 2027 soared past $2,600, according to the Associated Press.
Why Crosby ruins Washington's milestone party: the numbers
Sidney Crosby relishes playing the spoiler whenever Capital One Arena rolls out a red carpet.
The public assumption heading into Wednesday is straightforward. Ovechkin rides a wave of adrenaline, Washington swarms the ice, and the Penguins roll over. That is pure fantasy. Crosby's Penguins hold a 40-29 regular-season record against Ovechkin's Capitals. When the lights shine brightest and pregame ceremonies drag on, Washington often starts flat. Crosby punishes those sluggish starts every time.
| Head-to-Head Metric | Alex Ovechkin | Sidney Crosby |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Season Head-to-Head Wins | 29 | 40 |
| Career Meetings Head-to-Head | 83 Games | 83 Games |
| Total Points in Series | 80 Points (44 Goals) | Significant advantage |
| Current Age | 41 | 39 |
| NHL Seasons with Single Franchise | 22 | 22 |
Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky's scoring record on 6 April 2025 and sits on 929 career goals. He has nothing left to prove to anyone. Yet through Washington's first two road contests this season, the Great Eight managed just one assist and zero goals. He will not magically overpower a rested Crosby line just because the building is loud.
What it means for your picks: fading the home opener
Backing Pittsburgh on Wednesday night gives you the ultimate contrarian position against public sentiment.
If you want to bet against friends this week, this is the spot to pull the trigger. Everyone in your group will treat Washington as an untouchable home pick. We think that sentiment is completely backwards. On pickplay.bet, herd mentality is where pool leaders pull away. Thanks to odds-weighted scoring, picking the Penguins as road underdogs yields a much higher return when Crosby grinds out a 3-2 victory.
Washington faces a demanding schedule right after the Pittsburgh showdown:
- Wednesday, 7 October 2026: Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals
- Friday, 9 October 2026: New York Rangers at Washington Capitals
- Sunday, 11 October 2026: Seattle Kraken at Washington Capitals
- Tuesday, 13 October 2026: Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes
Save your Washington picks for Friday night against the Rangers, who are dealing with forward depth issues detailed in our look at New York's roster crisis. Do not burn your Lock of the Week on Wednesday's emotional circus.
The rest of the week in ice hockey
- Edmonton Oilers vs Vancouver Canucks, 1 October 2026: Edmonton outlasted Vancouver 9-7 in a 16-goal opening week shootout logged by NHL.com — just weeks after Edmonton committed long term to the Leon Draisaitl extension, defense was entirely optional.
- Frölunda HC, 3 October 2026: Frölunda handled Djurgårdens IF 4-2 to push their unbeaten run to six straight games in Sweden's SHL, according to SHL.se — the Gothenburg powerhouse looks unstoppable.
- Helsinki Derby, 7 October 2026: Jokerit takes on HIFK in regular-season Liiga play — Finnish bragging rights are on the line.
Bottom line
The Alex Ovechkin retirement tour will deliver plenty of emotional standing ovations, but sentiment does not kill penalties. Sidney Crosby has spent two decades spoiling Washington celebrations, and Wednesday night will be no different. Back Pittsburgh to silence the arena, bank the virtual points, and challenge your pool to bet with friends against the public crowd.
