Alex Ovechkin is now the NHL’s highest-paid player, passing Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in total career salary. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, he had earned over $161.7 million by the end of the 2024-25 season.Alex Ovechkin has made about $6 million more than Crosby, who has earned around $155.8 million over 20 seasons. Malkin is next on the list with total career earnings of $146.8 million.However, this is not going to stay the same after the 2025-26 NHL season. Ovechkin will be playing the final year of his five-year, $47.5 million contract with the Washington Capitals. He signed the contract in July 2021, and the deal carries a cap hit of $9.5 million, so his total earnings will reach $171.22 million.But Crosby could still pass him, thanks to his two-year, $17.4 million extension last September. By the end of that deal, Crosby’s total earnings will be just over $173.29 million.That said, Ovechkin won't lose his crown if he continues in the league. Right now, he is eligible to sign an extension with the Capitals, and if he inks a deal north of $8.7 million per season for at least one more year, he will continue to hold his spot as the league’s top earner.Alex Ovechkin has played his entire NHL career with the Washington Capitals after being drafted first overall in 2004. In the 2024-25 regular season, he scored 44 goals and recorded 29 assists for a total of 73 points. He finished with a +15 rating and tied for third in goals across the league.In the playoffs, he scored five goals and added one assist in 10 games. He had a strong start in the first round against Montreal but didn’t register any points in four out of five games against Carolina in the second round. It was a disappointing end to the Capitals’ Stanley Cup dreams after finishing second in the League with 51 wins.Alex Ovechkin opens up about playing future after 2025-26Alex Ovechkin continues to play an important role for Washington. He led the team in the playoffs with 5 goals, and his average ice time was around 17 minutes. Though some fans are wondering how long he will keep playing, Ovechkin hasn’t given a clear answer yet. In a July interview with rsport.ria.ru, he said there are no current contract talks with the Capitals.“We are not in negotiations yet,” he said. “A year will pass, and we will think about it. "Would you like to stay at the club? A year will pass and we will think about it. We will live and see.”He also addressed reports about his retirement, saying they came from comments his wife made in a May interview. Ovechkin called the speculation “pure nonsense” and made it clear that no decision has been made.“Anything can happen,” he said, while also noting that the media had misrepresented his wife’s comments. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostAlex Ovechkin’s long career includes major achievements, from winning the Stanley Cup in 2018 to leading the NHL in goals.On April 6 this year, he scored his 895th goal against the New York Islanders, passing Wayne Gretzky for the record. Now, along with breaking scoring records, he also leads the league in total career earnings. He has also earned more than players like Anze Kopitar and Jaromir Jagr.