Ovechkin Captures Art Ross, Rocket Richard Trophies

[VodkaFish]

ARLINGTON, VA – Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin led the NHL in points and goals in the 2007-08 regular season, which completed tonight, earning him the Art Ross Trophy and the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy.

Ovechkin is the first Capitals player to win the Art Ross Trophy, presented annually to the league’s leading scorer. The 22-year-old native of Moscow is also the first Russian-born player to win the Art Ross. Ovechkin finished the season with 112 points (65 goals, 47 assists) while playing all 82 games, leading the Capitals to their first playoff appearance since 2003.

Ovechkin’s 65 goals led the NHL by 13 goals, making him the first Capital to win the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy since the award was established in 1999. Ovechkin is the second Capital to lead the league in goals, joining Peter Bondra (1994-95 and shared the lead in 1997-98). Ovechkin set the single-season record for goals by a left wing and became the first player since 1996 to score more than 60 goals in a season. He is just the 12th player in history to score at least 65 goals. Ovechkin scored 13 more goals than runner-up Ilya Kovalchuk of the Atlanta Thrashers; only Pavel Bure (14 goals in 1999-00) has led the league by that many goals in the past 15 years.

Ovechkin becomes just the sixth player in the last 35 seasons to lead the league in both points and goals, the first since Jarome Iginla in 2001-02. Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Phil Esposito, Guy Lafleur and Iginla combined to lead the league in both points and goals 11 times in the last 35 seasons; nine of those 11 years that player also won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player.

The NHL formally presents the Art Ross and Maurice “Rocket” Richard trophies during the Stanley Cup final.

[Killah_punk]

You might as well add the Hart and Lester B too, what a awesome season for Ovechkin, hes so exciting to watch, hes going to be a dominate player for years. Looking forward to seeing how he makes out on the big stage during the playoffs.

[Isles4life]

Congrats to Ovie on a ridiculous season. One of the most dominant players we've seen in a long time. It was great to see the Caps sneak in, and you are right that he is now a lock for the Hart trophy.

[marc123]

Congratulation Ovechkin!

[jamesshinobi]

wow ovie is awsome i was routing for the caps to make it to the play offs unfortunatly the fly uys have to play them first, it will be a good series i hope flyers in 7 by one goal 4th overtime

[vic714]

he is a better version of petr klima,any player with more goals than assists is a selfish player and of his 47 or so assists i wonder how many of them were shots on goal where someone put in the rebound for which an assist should not be given but is.

[Isles4life]

Originally Posted by vic714

he is a better version of petr klima,any player with more goals than assists is a selfish player and of his 47 or so assists i wonder how many of them were shots on goal where someone put in the rebound for which an assist should not be given but is.

Wow. Just wow. When you are the best goalscorer in the league, your teammates constantly are feeding you the puck because you have the best chance of scoring. That's why he shoots so much. To score goals so his team can win games. Who else on his team has the same kind of finishing ability for Ovechkin to rack up assists on? By your logic, players should never shoot the puck, they should just keep passing it around because that's the unselfish thing to do. Incredibly stupid post. And of course, only 28 players in the league had more than 47 assists. You don't just stumble into those kind of stats by getting lucky. Your presence on the ice leads to goal scoring opportunities, whether they be set-up passes or rebounds. A goal is a goal. Really dumb logic pal.

[FurnaceFace]

that last player to hit 60 since Bure . Who in fact is his childhood idol. Bure helped lead his team to the stanley cup finals ... Could Ovechkin do the same?? Gretzky even once said about him "he could probably meet or beat the NHL total for goals someday"

[Isles4life]

Originally Posted by FurnaceFace

that last player to hit 60 since Bure . Who in fact is his childhood idol. Bure helped lead his team to the stanley cup finals ... Could Ovechkin do the same?? Gretzky even once said about him "he could probably meet or beat the NHL total for goals someday"

He's actually the last to hit 60 since Lemieux and I believe Jagr in 95-96. As for breaking Gretzky's record, that was a very different, more wide open game. With a shot like Ovechkin has though, he could have probably scored 100 if he wanted to back then.

[boogaard13]

congrats ovechkin!