Ovechkin Wins Best NHL Player at 2019 ESPYs

Washington Capitalscaptain Alex Ovechkin was the recipient of the Best NHL Player award at the 2019 ESPYS last night, defeating Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers.

Ovechkin became a repeat winner after he received the honor last year. During the 2018-19 season, Ovechkin also received the Best Male Athlete award, becoming the first NHL player to win the award since the inaugural ESPYs in 1993.
Following a 51-goal season, Ovechkin won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the NHL's top goal scorer for a NHL-record eighth time. Ovechkin passed Bobby Hull for the most times a single player has led the NHL in goals in a season. It marked Ovechkin's eighth career 50 goal season, and he became the third player in NHL history to record eight or more 50-goal seasons (Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky: 9).

Since entering the NHL at the beginning of the 2005-06 season, Ovechkin leads the NHL in goals (658), power-play goals (247), power play points (464), game-winning goals (107), shots (5,234) and ranks second in points (1,211). Ovechkin leads the NHL in goals since 1994-95 and shots since the 1993-94 season, despite beginning his NHL career in 2005. Additionally, Ovechkin is the franchise leader in goals (658), points (1,211), power play goals (247), game-winning goals (107), overtime goals (22), shots (5,234) and multi-goal games (132).
The ESPYs gather top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. The ESPYs honor ESPN's commitment to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a partnership launched with the late Jim Valvano at the inaugural ESPYs in 1993.