ARLINGTON, Va. - Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin won his third straight and NHL-record ninth overall Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy. Ovechkin tied Boston's David Pastrnak for the NHL lead with 48 goals during the 2019-20 regular season. No other player has won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy more than twice since its creation in 1998-99. This marks the seventh time Ovechkin has received the trophy in the last eight seasons.

Ovechkin is the third player in NHL history to lead the League in goals at the age of 34 or older, joining Bill Cook (1932-33: 28g in 48 games) and Gordie Howe (1962-63: 38g in 70 games). Additionally, Ovechkin is just the fourth player in NHL history to score 48 or more goals in a season at age 34 or older, joining Jaromir Jagr in 2005-06 (54g; age 34), Johnny Bucyk in 1970-71 (51g; age 35) and Teemu Selanne in 2006-07 (48g, age 36). Of Ovechkin's 48 goals, 35 were scored at even strength, the fourth-highest total of his career. His 48 goals were the second-most Ovechkin has scored in a single season when scoring 13 or fewer power play goals (2009-10: 50G, 37 ESG, 13 PPG).

With 13 games remaining prior to the season suspension, Ovechkin was on pace for 57 goals, which would have been the second-highest total of his career, his highest total since 2007-08 (65g) and the ninth time Ovechkin would have reached the 50-goal mark. Ovechkin was on pace to join Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy as the only players in NHL history with nine 50-goal seasons. He would have also joined Phil Esposito as the only players in NHL history to record at least three 50-goal seasons after their 30th birthday (Esposito: four). Additionally, Ovechkin would have become the second-oldest player in NHL history to record a 50-goal season, only trailing Buyck (35 years, 308 days old at the conclusion of the 1970-71 season).

On Feb. 22 against the New Jersey Devils, Ovechkin became the eighth and the second fastest player in NHL history to reach the 700-career goal mark. Ovechkin reached the milestone in his 1,144th career game, trailing only Wayne Gretzky (886 games). With 706 career goals, Ovechkin is three goals shy of passing Mike Gartner (708) for the seventh most goals in NHL history. During the 2019-20 season, Ovechkin passed Luc Robitaille (668), Selanne (684), Mario Lemieux (690), Steve Yzerman (692) and Mark Messier (694) on the NHL's all-time scoring list.

From Jan. 13 through Feb. 4, Ovechkin scored 14 goals over a span of seven games, a stretch which included three hat tricks. On Feb. 4 against the Los Angeles Kings, Ovechkin recorded his first career natural hat trick with three goals in the final seven minutes of regulation, additionally becoming the first player to score three hat tricks over a span of six games (also Jan. 16 vs. New Jersey and Jan. 18 at New York Islanders) since 1992-93, when Alexander Mogilny (Buffalo) and Selanne (Winnipeg) combined for the feat.

In addition to his nine Maurice "Rocket" Richard trophies, Ovechkin has won a Stanley Cup, a Conn Smythe Trophy, a Calder Trophy, an Art Ross Trophy, three Hart Memorial Trophies and three Ted Lindsay Awards. He is the only player in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup, a Conn Smythe, a Calder, an Art Ross, a Hart, a Ted Lindsay and a Maurice Richard Trophy.