Alexander Ovechkin

Alexander Ovechkin is a Russian left winger on the Washington Capitals.

Ovechkin is arguably the most talented player in the NHL, and the flashy style and play of him and young phenom Sidney Crosby have helped the NHL recover from the 2004-05 lockout. Ovechkin was drafted first overall in 2004, but due to the lockout, he did not make his debut until 2005-06. He won the Calder trophy as Rookie of the Year, with 52 goals and 106 points. In 2007-08, Ovechkin led the Capitals to the playoffs with 65 goals and 112 points, leading the league in both categories. He won the Art Ross Trophy, the Rocket Richard Trophy and the Hart Memorial as the league MVP, as well as the Lester B. Pearson Award for Most Outstanding Player as voted by the NHLPA. Midway through the season, he signed the largest contract in NHL history with the Capitals. Ovechkin will be paid $124 million over the next 13 years. Ovechkin has already begun to set franchise and league records with his young career, and with the Capitals adding talent to build a team around him, his accolades will only continue to pile up.

Ovechkin has been a staple on the Russian international team for years now, and has played in 12 different international tournaments. He won gold medals at the World Junior Championships in 2002 and 2003, as well as at the 2008 World Championships. He won silver medals at the 2002 U-18 Championships and the 2005 World Junior tournaments. He also won bronze medals at the 2003 U-18 tournament and the 2005 and 2007 World Championships.