section_path: Playing career/Washington Capitals (2005–present)/Hart Trophy wins, beginning of captaincy (2007–2013)
section_name: Hart Trophy wins, beginning of captaincy (2007–2013)
paragraph_text: Hart Trophy wins, beginning of captaincy (2007–2013)
  
  On 12 October 2007, Ovechkin scored his 100th NHL goal against goaltender Henrik Lundqvist in a 3–2 loss to the New York Rangers. Playing in the final season of his rookie contract, in 2007–08, Ovechkin signed a 13-year contract extension worth $124 million with the Capitals on 10 January 2008. The contract, which averaged $9.5 million per year, was the richest in NHL history. Working without an agent, Ovechkin negotiated with Capitals owner Ted Leonsis and former general manager George McPhee. Later in the season on 3 March against the Boston Bruins, Ovechkin notched his 50th, 51st, and 52nd goals of the campaign for his fourth career NHL hat trick and hit the 50-goal mark for the second time in his career. Later that month, on 21 March, Ovechkin scored his 59th and 60th goals of the season against the Atlanta Thrashers, becoming the first NHL player to score 60 goals in a season since Mario Lemieux and Jaromír Jágr in 1995–96 and 19th player overall. Four days later, on 25 March against the Carolina Hurricanes, Ovechkin scored his 61st goal of the season to break the Washington Capitals' team record for goals in a single season previously held by Dennis Maruk. He also went on to break Luc Robitaille 's record for most goals by a left winger in one season on 3 April, by scoring two goals for his 64th and 65th of the season. He also became the first NHL player to score at least 40 even-strength goals in one season since Pavel Bure in 1999–2000. Leading the league in scoring with 65 goals, 47 assists and 112 points in all 82 games played, Ovechkin captured both the Art Ross Trophy and the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy in 2007–08. It was the first time in 41 seasons that a left-winger led the NHL in points since Bobby Hull led the league with 97 points in 1965–66. Ovechkin helped lead a rejuvenated Capitals team back to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2003 with a stronger supporting cast that included winger and countryman Alexander Semin, rookie center Nicklas Bäckström and defenceman Mike Green as the team finished third in the East. He scored the game-winning goal in his NHL playoff debut with less than five minutes left in game 1 of the first round of the 2008 playoffs on 11 April against the sixth-seeded Philadelphia Flyers. He scored nine points (four goals and five assists) in all seven games against the Flyers as the Capitals were eliminated in the opening round. After the season ended, Ovechkin was awarded the Lester B. Pearson Award as the most outstanding player voted by the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) and the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's MVP, becoming the first player in the history of the NHL to win four major regular season awards, including the Art Ross and Rocket Richard trophies. Ovechkin was also awarded his third consecutive Kharlamov Trophy as the best Russian NHL player.
  
  On 27 October 2008, shortly into the 2008–09 season, Ovechkin returned home to Moscow to visit his ailing grandfather, missing only the second game of his career up to that point, snapping a consecutive streak of 203 games played. On 5 February 2009, Ovechkin scored his 200th goal, against Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings, becoming only the fourth player in the NHL to reach the milestone in four seasons, joining Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy and Mario Lemieux. On 19 March, he scored his 50th goal of the season against the Tampa Bay Lightning, becoming the first Washington Capitals player to reach the 50-goal mark three times. He finished the campaign with 56 goals to capture his second consecutive Rocket Richard Trophy, joining Jarome Iginla and Pavel Bure as the third player to win the award twice and the second player after Bure (2000 and 2001) to win the award in back-to-back seasons. With 110 points (56 goals and 54 assists), he finished as runner-up to countryman Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the Art Ross Trophy. Ovechkin and the Capitals repeated as division champions en route to meeting the New York Rangers in the opening round. After advancing to the second round in seven games and erasing a 3–1 series deficit against the Rangers, Ovechkin notched his first NHL playoff hat trick on 4 May, in game 2 against the Pittsburgh Penguins to help Washington to a 4–3 win. Sidney Crosby also scored a hat trick in game 2. The Capitals were eventually defeated by Pittsburgh in seven games. Ovechkin finished the 2009 playoffs with 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) in Washington's 14 games. He went on to win the Hart and Pearson trophies for the second consecutive year, becoming the seventeenth player in league history to win the Hart multiple times.
  
  Just over a month into the 2009–10 season, Ovechkin suffered an upper-body injury during a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on 1 November 2009, after a collision with opposing forward Raffi Torres. After returning, Ovechkin was suspended by the NHL on 1 December for two games (one for the action, and one for a second game misconduct penalty during the season) for a knee-on-knee hit to Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Tim Gleason during a game the previous day. Both Gleason and Ovechkin had to be helped off the ice, although Gleason later returned during the game, while Ovechkin did not. Ovechkin was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct at the time. Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau commented that Ovechkin's style of play was at times "reckless". The suspension was Ovechkin's first of his career, causing him to forfeit $98,844.16 in salary. On 5 January 2010, Ovechkin was named captain of the Washington Capitals after previous captain Chris Clark was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He became the first European, second-youngest and 14th overall captain in team history. On 5 February, at a game against the New York Rangers, Ovechkin, with his second goal and third point of the game, reached the 500-point milestone of his NHL career. He is the fifth player to achieve the milestone in only five seasons, reaching it in 373 career games. On 14 March, at a game against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center, Ovechkin sent Blackhawks' defenceman Brian Campbell into the boards after Campbell had dumped the puck to the blue line. Ovechkin was called for boarding, receiving a five-minute major and a game misconduct, and was suspended for two games (for a third game misconduct of the season, a two-game suspension is automatic). Campbell suffered a fractured clavicle and fractured rib, and was expected to be out seven-to-eight weeks. After the season, Ovechkin won the Ted Lindsay Award, becoming the third player in NHL history to win the Pearson/Lindsay Award in three consecutive years. He also led the NHL in goals per game and points per game for three straight seasons, from 2008 to 2010. His 50 goals made him the runner up for the Richard Trophy which went to Pittsburgh Penguins forward and captain Sidney Crosby and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos who both had 51 goals for league leader(s) in goals. Ovechkin was also the runner up for the Art Ross Trophy for the second straight season (alongside Crosby with both players having 109 points) only behind Vancouver Canucks forward Henrik Sedin, who ended with 112 points. In 2009–10 Ovechkin surpassed the mark of Hall of Fame goaltender Bill Durnan (first four seasons from 1943–44 through 1946–47) and became the first player in NHL history voted a First Team All-Star in each of his first five seasons. Ovechkin also recorded 10 points (five goals and assists) in the 2010 playoffs as the Capitals would lose the series in seven games to the eighth-seeded Montreal Canadiens, surrendering a 3–1 series lead in the process.
  
  On 1 January 2011, Ovechkin and the Capitals took part in the New Year's Day NHL Winter Classic, facing the Pittsburgh Penguins. While Ovechkin did not score any points in his first career outdoor game, the Capitals won 3–1. On 9 March, in a 5–0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, Ovechkin recorded his 600th career point with an assist on a goal by Eric Fehr. On 5 April against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ovechkin scored his 300th career goal against Maple Leafs goaltender James Reimer, becoming the sixth-youngest and seventh-fastest player to do so. He ended the 2010–11 season with 32 goals and 53 assists for 85 points in 79 contests. In the 2011 playoffs, Ovechkin recorded 10 points (five goals and assists) in all nine games as the top-seeded Capitals defeated the eighth-seeded New York Rangers in five games in the first round, before they were swept in the second round by the fifth-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning.
  
  On 3 December 2011, Ovechkin played in his 500th NHL game in a 3–2 OT win over the Ottawa Senators and ended the game with an assist recorded on a goal by Troy Brouwer. On 23 January 2012, Ovechkin received a three-game suspension for a hit on Zbyněk Michálek of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The following day, Ovechkin announced he would not attend the 2012 NHL All-Star Game due to the suspension. Ovechkin ended the 2011–12 season with 38 goals and 27 assists for 65 points in 78 games as the Capitals as a team finished as the seventh seed in the East. In the 2012 playoffs, Ovechkin and the Capitals would upset the defending Stanley Cup champion and second-seeded Boston Bruins in seven games, before falling in the second round by the top-seeded New York Rangers in seven games. He would end the playoffs with five goals and four assists for nine points in all 14 games.
  
  During the lockout in the first half of the shortened 2012–13 season, Ovechkin went to play in the KHL and re-joined Dynamo Moscow with his teammate Nicklas Bäckström. In 31 games for the team, Ovechkin scored 19 goals, 21 assists and 40 points. At the end of the season, the Dynamo would go on to win the Gagarin Cup, albeit after the NHL lockout concluded and Ovechkin and Bäckström returned to North America in January 2013. However, Ovechkin and Bäckström still received championship rings from the team. In the abbreviated 2012–13 season, Ovechkin led the NHL in goal scoring with 32, earning him his third Rocket Richard Trophy. He also added 24 assists to give him 56 total points in all 48 games played of the season, good for third-most points in the NHL with only Tampa Bay Lightning stars Steven Stamkos and league leader Martin St. Louis ahead. In the 2013 playoffs, Ovechkin was limited to a goal and an assist for two points in all seven games as the third-seeded Capitals would lose in the first round in seven games by the sixth-seeded New York Rangers and giving up a 3–2 series lead during the series. After the season ended, he was also awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy for the third time in his career. Ovechkin was also a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award for the fifth time in his career, which was eventually given to Pittsburgh Penguins captain and center Sidney Crosby. After the season, Ovechkin made history by being named to both the first and second NHL All-Star teams. He had switched to playing right wing that entire season and thus was voted the first All-Star team's right wing, but because some voters were not aware of the change, they voted for him at his traditional left wing position, thereby also landing him at left wing on the second All-Star team.
  
  On 12 October 2007, Ovechkin scored his 100th NHL goal against goaltender Henrik Lundqvist in a 3–2 loss to the New York Rangers. Playing in the final season of his rookie contract, in 2007–08, Ovechkin signed a 13-year contract extension worth $124 million with the Capitals on 10 January 2008. The contract, which averaged $9.5 million per year, was the richest in NHL history. Working without an agent, Ovechkin negotiated with Capitals owner Ted Leonsis and former general manager George McPhee. Later in the season on 3 March against the Boston Bruins, Ovechkin notched his 50th, 51st, and 52nd goals of the campaign for his fourth career NHL hat trick and hit the 50-goal mark for the second time in his career. Later that month, on 21 March, Ovechkin scored his 59th and 60th goals of the season against the Atlanta Thrashers, becoming the first NHL player to score 60 goals in a season since Mario Lemieux and Jaromír Jágr in 1995–96 and 19th player overall. Four days later, on 25 March against the Carolina Hurricanes, Ovechkin scored his 61st goal of the season to break the Washington Capitals' team record for goals in a single season previously held by Dennis Maruk. He also went on to break Luc Robitaille 's record for most goals by a left winger in one season on 3 April, by scoring two goals for his 64th and 65th of the season. He also became the first NHL player to score at least 40 even-strength goals in one season since Pavel Bure in 1999–2000. Leading the league in scoring with 65 goals, 47 assists and 112 points in all 82 games played, Ovechkin captured both the Art Ross Trophy and the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy in 2007–08. It was the first time in 41 seasons that a left-winger led the NHL in points since Bobby Hull led the league with 97 points in 1965–66. Ovechkin helped lead a rejuvenated Capitals team back to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2003 with a stronger supporting cast that included winger and countryman Alexander Semin, rookie center Nicklas Bäckström and defenceman Mike Green as the team finished third in the East. He scored the game-winning goal in his NHL playoff debut with less than five minutes left in game 1 of the first round of the 2008 playoffs on 11 April against the sixth-seeded Philadelphia Flyers. He scored nine points (four goals and five assists) in all seven games against the Flyers as the Capitals were eliminated in the opening round. After the season ended, Ovechkin was awarded the Lester B. Pearson Award as the most outstanding player voted by the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) and the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's MVP, becoming the first player in the history of the NHL to win four major regular season awards, including the Art Ross and Rocket Richard trophies. Ovechkin was also awarded his third consecutive Kharlamov Trophy as the best Russian NHL player.
  
  On 27 October 2008, shortly into the 2008–09 season, Ovechkin returned home to Moscow to visit his ailing grandfather, missing only the second game of his career up to that point, snapping a consecutive streak of 203 games played. On 5 February 2009, Ovechkin scored his 200th goal, against Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings, becoming only the fourth player in the NHL to reach the milestone in four seasons, joining Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy and Mario Lemieux. On 19 March, he scored his 50th goal of the season against the Tampa Bay Lightning, becoming the first Washington Capitals player to reach the 50-goal mark three times. He finished the campaign with 56 goals to capture his second consecutive Rocket Richard Trophy, joining Jarome Iginla and Pavel Bure as the third player to win the award twice and the second player after Bure (2000 and 2001) to win the award in back-to-back seasons. With 110 points (56 goals and 54 assists), he finished as runner-up to countryman Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the Art Ross Trophy. Ovechkin and the Capitals repeated as division champions en route to meeting the New York Rangers in the opening round. After advancing to the second round in seven games and erasing a 3–1 series deficit against the Rangers, Ovechkin notched his first NHL playoff hat trick on 4 May, in game 2 against the Pittsburgh Penguins to help Washington to a 4–3 win. Sidney Crosby also scored a hat trick in game 2. The Capitals were eventually defeated by Pittsburgh in seven games. Ovechkin finished the 2009 playoffs with 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) in Washington's 14 games. He went on to win the Hart and Pearson trophies for the second consecutive year, becoming the seventeenth player in league history to win the Hart multiple times.
  
  Just over a month into the 2009–10 season, Ovechkin suffered an upper-body injury during a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on 1 November 2009, after a collision with opposing forward Raffi Torres. After returning, Ovechkin was suspended by the NHL on 1 December for two games (one for the action, and one for a second game misconduct penalty during the season) for a knee-on-knee hit to Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Tim Gleason during a game the previous day. Both Gleason and Ovechkin had to be helped off the ice, although Gleason later returned during the game, while Ovechkin did not. Ovechkin was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct at the time. Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau commented that Ovechkin's style of play was at times "reckless". The suspension was Ovechkin's first of his career, causing him to forfeit $98,844.16 in salary. On 5 January 2010, Ovechkin was named captain of the Washington Capitals after previous captain Chris Clark was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He became the first European, second-youngest and 14th overall captain in team history. On 5 February, at a game against the New York Rangers, Ovechkin, with his second goal and third point of the game, reached the 500-point milestone of his NHL career. He is the fifth player to achieve the milestone in only five seasons, reaching it in 373 career games. On 14 March, at a game against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center, Ovechkin sent Blackhawks' defenceman Brian Campbell into the boards after Campbell had dumped the puck to the blue line. Ovechkin was called for boarding, receiving a five-minute major and a game misconduct, and was suspended for two games (for a third game misconduct of the season, a two-game suspension is automatic). Campbell suffered a fractured clavicle and fractured rib, and was expected to be out seven-to-eight weeks. After the season, Ovechkin won the Ted Lindsay Award, becoming the third player in NHL history to win the Pearson/Lindsay Award in three consecutive years. He also led the NHL in goals per game and points per game for three straight seasons, from 2008 to 2010. His 50 goals made him the runner up for the Richard Trophy which went to Pittsburgh Penguins forward and captain Sidney Crosby and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos who both had 51 goals for league leader(s) in goals. Ovechkin was also the runner up for the Art Ross Trophy for the second straight season (alongside Crosby with both players having 109 points) only behind Vancouver Canucks forward Henrik Sedin, who ended with 112 points. In 2009–10 Ovechkin surpassed the mark of Hall of Fame goaltender Bill Durnan (first four seasons from 1943–44 through 1946–47) and became the first player in NHL history voted a First Team All-Star in each of his first five seasons. Ovechkin also recorded 10 points (five goals and assists) in the 2010 playoffs as the Capitals would lose the series in seven games to the eighth-seeded Montreal Canadiens, surrendering a 3–1 series lead in the process.
  
  On 1 January 2011, Ovechkin and the Capitals took part in the New Year's Day NHL Winter Classic, facing the Pittsburgh Penguins. While Ovechkin did not score any points in his first career outdoor game, the Capitals won 3–1. On 9 March, in a 5–0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, Ovechkin recorded his 600th career point with an assist on a goal by Eric Fehr. On 5 April against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ovechkin scored his 300th career goal against Maple Leafs goaltender James Reimer, becoming the sixth-youngest and seventh-fastest player to do so. He ended the 2010–11 season with 32 goals and 53 assists for 85 points in 79 contests. In the 2011 playoffs, Ovechkin recorded 10 points (five goals and assists) in all nine games as the top-seeded Capitals defeated the eighth-seeded New York Rangers in five games in the first round, before they were swept in the second round by the fifth-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning.
  
  On 3 December 2011, Ovechkin played in his 500th NHL game in a 3–2 OT win over the Ottawa Senators and ended the game with an assist recorded on a goal by Troy Brouwer. On 23 January 2012, Ovechkin received a three-game suspension for a hit on Zbyněk Michálek of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The following day, Ovechkin announced he would not attend the 2012 NHL All-Star Game due to the suspension. Ovechkin ended the 2011–12 season with 38 goals and 27 assists for 65 points in 78 games as the Capitals as a team finished as the seventh seed in the East. In the 2012 playoffs, Ovechkin and the Capitals would upset the defending Stanley Cup champion and second-seeded Boston Bruins in seven games, before falling in the second round by the top-seeded New York Rangers in seven games. He would end the playoffs with five goals and four assists for nine points in all 14 games.
  
  During the lockout in the first half of the shortened 2012–13 season, Ovechkin went to play in the KHL and re-joined Dynamo Moscow with his teammate Nicklas Bäckström. In 31 games for the team, Ovechkin scored 19 goals, 21 assists and 40 points. At the end of the season, the Dynamo would go on to win the Gagarin Cup, albeit after the NHL lockout concluded and Ovechkin and Bäckström returned to North America in January 2013. However, Ovechkin and Bäckström still received championship rings from the team. In the abbreviated 2012–13 season, Ovechkin led the NHL in goal scoring with 32, earning him his third Rocket Richard Trophy. He also added 24 assists to give him 56 total points in all 48 games played of the season, good for third-most points in the NHL with only Tampa Bay Lightning stars Steven Stamkos and league leader Martin St. Louis ahead. In the 2013 playoffs, Ovechkin was limited to a goal and an assist for two points in all seven games as the third-seeded Capitals would lose in the first round in seven games by the sixth-seeded New York Rangers and giving up a 3–2 series lead during the series. After the season ended, he was also awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy for the third time in his career. Ovechkin was also a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award for the fifth time in his career, which was eventually given to Pittsburgh Penguins captain and center Sidney Crosby. After the season, Ovechkin made history by being named to both the first and second NHL All-Star teams. He had switched to playing right wing that entire season and thus was voted the first All-Star team's right wing, but because some voters were not aware of the change, they voted for him at his traditional left wing position, thereby also landing him at left wing on the second All-Star team.