Ovechkin recorded 22 points (13g, 9a) in 15 games, which led the Capitals and ranked tied for second in the NHL. Ovechkin recorded a point in 11 of Washington's 15 games, as the Capitals finished the month with a record of 11-2-2 and the second-most points (24 points) in the League.
Ovechkin notched four multi-goal games in December, which led all players, including two hat tricks. Ovechkin scored two goals on Dec. 23 versus the Winnipeg Jets to tie and pass Gordie Howe (801) for second place on the NHL's all-time goals list. Ten days prior, Ovechkin recorded his 29th career hat trick against the Chicago Blackhawks to become the third player in NHL history to reach the 800-goal mark, joining Howe and Wayne Gretzky. With his three-goal performance against Chicago, Ovechkin also passed Marcel Dionne and Bobby Hull (28) for the sixth-most hat tricks in NHL history. Ovechkin added to his career hat trick total on Dec. 31 when he closed out the month with his 30th hat trick versus the Montreal Canadiens at home.
Ovechkin's 13 goals in December are tied for the second-most goals he has scored in a single calendar month and it marks the sixth time in his career that he has scored 13 or more goals in one month (April 2013: 14g in 13 GP; Oct. 2009: 14g in 13 GP; March 2008: 14g in 14 GP; Jan. 2020: 13g, in 10 GP; Jan. 2008: 13g in 13 GP).
In addition to scoring his 800th career goal and continuing his climb up the NHL's all-time goals list, Ovechkin also passed Ray Bourque (6,209) for the most shots in NHL history (Dec. 22 at Ottawa), passed Sergei Gonchar (1,301) for the second-most games played by a Russia-born player in NHL history (Dec. 7 at Philadelphia) and played in his 1,300th career game (Dec. 3 at Calgary).
It marks the 10th time in Ovechkin's career that he has earned First Star/Player of the Month honors. Ovechkin most recently earned the honor for the month of Oct. 2021. Ovechkin was twice named First Star of the Week in December (for the week ending Dec. 18 and the week ending Dec. 25), the 20th and 21st time he was named the NHL's First Star of the Week.
This season, Ovechkin has recorded a team-leading 45 points (26g, 19a) in 39 games. Ovechkin, 37, ranks tied for third in the NHL in goals and tied for eighth in points. Ovechkin is on pace to score 54 goals this season. Should Ovechkin reach the 50-goal mark, it would mark his 10th career 50-goal season, passing Gretzky and Mike Bossy (9) for the most in NHL history. In addition, Ovechkin would pass Gretzky (12) for the most 40-goal seasons in NHL history and tie Mike Gartner (17) for the most 30-goal seasons in NHL history.
