The Washington Capitals have a new player of the game award, and it’s a vintage piece of equipment with special significance.
Future Washington Capitals captain Tom Wilson revealed the special item after the Capitals defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-2 in a Saturday matinee at Capital One Arena.
“I think we’re going with ‘Legend of the Game,'” Wilson said, sliding out an Alex Ovechkin rookie-era helmet from his Bauer bag. “We can only start with one guy. Our leader.”
“Holy s***,” Ovechkin responded.
Wilson then handed Ovechkin his old bucket, which he briefly affixed on his head.
Capitals ‘Legend of the Game’ presentation
“I’m still young, by the way,” Ovechkin said. “All right, guys. I think today, great job [like] Carbs said, ’40 hard minutes.’ LT, great job, but Vincent.” (Ovechkin pronounced Vincent in a heavy French accent.)
Desharnais then threw on the helmet before dropping some of Ovechkin’s rookie vernacular.
“Sick,” he said as the team laughed. “Stay f***ing hot, boys. Let’s f***ing keep going.”
Monumental Sports Network host Tarik El-Bashir reported that the idea was Wilson’s alone.
Ovechkin first wore the mirrored tinted visor, which gave the young Russian superstar a distinctive, RoboCop-like appearance, 21 years ago during his debut season in the NHL, and it caused controversy. Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur complained that it gave Ovechkin an unfair advantage because opponents couldn’t see his eyes.
NHL general managers later voted 29–1 against allowing mirrored visors in 2006, with Washington’s George McPhee as the lone dissenter, though the prohibition was never formally written into the rulebook. Ovechkin reluctantly switched to a smoky-tinted visor, but nearly two decades later, he still considers the original his favorite.
The historic bucket comes as the Capitals have a long and delightfully ridiculous history of handing out player-of-the-game awards, much like many other teams across the NHL.
During the 2024–25 season under Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery, the Capitals introduced a gaudy gold chain as their player-of-the-game award. Ovechkin unveiled the necklace alongside his son Sergei after a victory over the Florida Panthers in November 2024. The younger Ovechkin reportedly selected Jakob Chychrun as its inaugural winner, with the defenseman receiving the chain after recording three points.
The chain produced some memorable moments, including when Charlie Lindgren received the honor despite accidentally scoring on himself against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Chychrun, presenting the award, jokingly congratulated Lindgren on his first NHL goal. The goaltender and his teammates had a good laugh about the mistake after rallying to win the game.
Before Ovechkin introduced the bling, the Capitals spent three seasons under Peter Laviolette handing out awards that ranged from the inspirational to the completely absurd, including a giant yellow rope — a nod to the hockey cliché about everybody pulling on the same rope; an actual Viking axe and shield to the offensive and defensive players of the game; and Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do headbands. TJ Oshie and Brenden Dillon were the first winners, with Ovechkin enthusiastically yelling “Ninja!” as Laviolette tied the headband around Oshie’s head.
Other awards have included a Washington Nationals batting helmet, an LED light-up motorcycle helmet, an orange bicycle helmet, and the “Honest Abe Players’ Player of the Game” award, which required its winner to dress like Abraham Lincoln, complete with a black stovepipe hat and fake beard.
With that kind of history, a replica of Ovechkin’s rookie-era helmet, complete with his infamous tinted mirrored visor, seems like a fitting addition for the Capitals captain’s 22nd and final NHL season.
