Two-time Olympic champion Alexander Kozhevnikov shared his thoughts on the future of goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and forwards Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin. All three players have contracts running through June 30, 2026.
“It’s unlikely they’ll return to the KHL. They have vast experience. Bobrovsky will continue playing in the NHL. I would like to see Ovechkin in Russia, but I think he should stay for another year and break Gretzky’s record. Besides, these are grown men. Even though they are patriots, they have families who have been living there for a long time. Unfortunately, few people consider this factor. Our fans should understand that too. No matter what, they are still our guys,” Kozhevnikov said.
Ovechkin is the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer in the regular season, and including playoffs, he has 1,006 goals—placing him second overall behind Wayne Gretzky’s 1,016.
According to The Athletic, Bobrovsky ranks 5th among potential free agents, Malkin 6th, and Ovechkin 20th, with Reddish at the top of the list.
