Alexander Ovechkin has exploded onto the hockey scene, establishing himself as the most electrifying player and compelling personality in the NHL:-- He made his professional hockey debut as a 16-year-old for Moscow Dynamo in the Russian Super League
-- Drafted first overall by the Washington Capitals in 2004, he won Rookie of the Year in the 2005-06 NHL season
-- In 2007-08, Ovechkin became the first player in NHL history to win four major awards in the same season: the Rocket Richard Trophy (most goals), the Art Ross Trophy (most points), the Lester B. Pearson Award (Most Outstanding Player) and the Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP)
-- In 2009, he received his fourth consecutive Kharlamov Trophy, an award given to the best Russian player in the NHL
-- His mother, Tatyana Ovechkina, was a two-time Olympic gold medalist for the Soviet women's basketball team
-- In 2008, at only 23 years old, Ovechkin negotiated his own contract with the Washington Capitals for $124 million--the most lucrative contract ever signed in the NHL.
And much more...
