Alex Ovechkin will play in his 16th career playoff series when the Caps host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night at Capital One Arena.  Ovechkin currently sits three games shy of 100 career playoff games. In 97 games, Ovechkin has recorded 90 points (46g, 44a).

Ovechkin is coming off a League-high 49 goals in 82 games for his seventh career Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy (2007-08, 2008-09, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16). Since the awards inception in 1998-99, no other player has won the award more than twice. He becomes the second player in NHL history to finish as the League’s top goals scorer seven times, joining Bobby Hull (also 7x, all w/ CHI). At 32 years, 203 days, Ovechkin also becomes the oldest player to win the NHL’s goal-scoring title since Phil Esposito in 1974-75 (33 years, 45 days w/ BOS). Ovechkin recorded his 600th NHL goal on March 12, requiring the fourth-fewest games to reach the milestone (990). His career average of 0.61 goals per game (607 in 1,003 GP) ranks fourth in League history (minimum 400 GP), behind only Mike Bossy (0.76), Mario Lemieux (0.75) and Pavel Bure (0.62).

This season, Ovechkin climbed to 19 ^th on the NHL’s all-time scoring list (607), 10 ^th on the power play goals list (229), eighth on the game-winning goals list (102), first on the overtime goals list (22), ninth in shots (4,896) and 59 ^th on the all-time points list (1,122).

Ovechkin ranks first in franchise history in goals (607), points (1,122), powerplay goals (229), game-winning goals (102), overtime goals (22), shots (4,896) and multi-goal games (120). Additionally, since entering the NHL at the beginning of the 2005-06 season, Ovechkin leads the NHL in goals (607), points (1,122), power-play goals (229), powerplay

points (436), game-winning goals (102) and shots (4,896). Ovechkin leads the NHL in goals since 1998-99 and shots since the 1994-95 season despite beginning his NHL career in 2005.

Media

Barry Trotz: Today, 6:40 a.m., WTOP 103.5 FM

TJ Oshie: Today, April 9, 8:15 a.m., Elliot in the Morning, DC 101

Nicklas Backstrom: Today, April 9, 8:30 a.m., Cooley and Kevin, ESPN 980

Brett Connolly: Today, 12:30 p.m., FOX Sports Richmond

Devante Smith-Pelly: Today, 1:45 p.m., Grant & Danny, FAN 106.7 FM

Jay Beagle: Today, April 9, 7:35 p.m., WTOP, 103.5 FM

Tom Wilson: Tuesday, April 10, 8:10 a.m., WTOP, 103.5 FM

This Day in Capitals History

April 9, 2016: Both Braden Holtby and Alex Ovechkin made NHL history as the Capitals beat the St. Louis Blues  5-1 in the penultimate game of the 2015-16 season. Holtby made 19 saves and tied Martin Brodeur's single-season NHL record with his 48th win of the year. Ovechkin capped off a hat-trick with his 50th goal of the season and joined Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy as the only players with at least seven career 50-goal campaigns.  Additional info on the Caps history and behind-the-scenes stories can be found in '100 Things Capitals Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die'

Must Read/See/Hear Material

Dump ‘n Chase: Capitals Announce 2018 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals Broadcast Information / Alex Ovechkin Captures 2017-18 Rocket Richard Trophy / NHL Announces 2018 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals Schedule / Caps Down Devils, 5-3 / #CapsDevils Skate Shavings: One More Time

Washington Post: Potentially the Capitals’ playoff goaltender, Philipp Grubauer took a patient path here / Capitals-Blue Jackets first-round series to start Thursday / Capitals-Blue Jackets first-round series to start Thursday / Caps close with a victory as Alex Ovechkin falls one goal shy of 50 / For NHL players who played Canada’s junior hockey circuit, Friday’s bus crash ‘hits home’

Washington Times: Capitals face Columbus Blue Jackets in first round Thursday / Capitals close regular season with two Ovechkin goals, a win over Devils / Loverro: Ovechkin knows there’s only one trophy that counts

NBC Sports Washington: NHL Power Rankings: Coming in hot / Stanley Cup Playoffs 2018: Full NHL Playoff Bracket, First-Round Schedule Released  / NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2018: Capitals vs. Blue Jackets schedule, date, time, TV channel, how to watch / MacLellan is hopeful goalie interference reviews will fix bad calls in the playoffs, not cause them / Stanley Cup Playoffs 2018: Caps finally know their opponent / Alex Ovechkin's quest for 50 falls just short, but the Rocket Richard Trophy is a good consolation / Caps to meet Columbus in first round of the playoffs / How the Caps beat the Devils to wrap up the regular season / Tarik's 3 Stars: Caps win again to close out the regular season / Game 82 Capitals vs. Devils Date, Time, How to Watch, Game Thread

NHL.com: Capitals vs. Blue Jackets playoff preview / Capitals will ride Ovechkin, Carlson to Cup victory / Capitals 'a different team right now' entering playoffs / 10 storylines entering Stanley Cup Playoffs / Capitals will play Blue Jackets in first-round Eastern series / Ovechkin leads NHL in goals for seventh time / McDavid, Ovechkin, Quick claim regular-season awards / Devils lose to Capitals, fail to climb standings / Devils at Capitals preview / Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round Schedule Scenarios (Washington Capitals mentioned)

AP: Capitals confident about playoffs with lower expectations / NHL playoff format will knock out top teams early (Washington Capitals mentioned) / Ovechkin locks up scoring title, Capitals beat Devils 5-3

The Athletic: 5 keys to the series: Blue Jackets vs. Washington / Blue Jackets settle into first-round matchup with Washington after regular-season finale loss to Predators

Bleacher Report: Stanley Cup Playoffs 2018: Full Schedule, TV Info and Predictions (Washington Capitals mentioned)

Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets to start ‘real season’ vs. Capitals

ESPN: Alex Ovechkin finishes as NHL's leading goal scorer for seventh time

FOX 43: Washington Capitals to play Columbus Blue Jackets in first round of NHL Playoffs

The Hockey News: The Odds: Favorites And Long Shots For The Stanley Cup And NHL Awards (John Carlson, Washington Capitals mentioned)

NBC Sports: Alex Ovechkin scores 49th goal, claims another Rocket Richard Trophy

NHLPA: My Top 5 | GAA Leaders (Philipp Grubauer mentioned)

NJ.com: Devils fall to Capitals, earn 2nd wild card in playoffs | Rapid reaction

Reuters: Ovechkin scores twice as Caps top Devils

Sporting News: Alex Ovechkin tried really, really hard to score 50th goal in Capitals finale

Sports Capitol: With one game to play, NHL releases two playoff schedules / A tragedy hits home for Capitals / Hat Trick: Playoff series set, Ovechkin tries for 50, Remaining questions

Sports Illustrated: Alex Ovechkin Comes Up Just Short in Valiant Effort for Another 50-Goal Season

SportsNet: 2018 Stanley Cup Playoff Preview: Washington Capitals vs. Columbus Blue Jackets / 6 things we learned in the 2017-18 NHL regular season (Alex Ovechkin, Braden Holtby, Philipp Grubauer mentioned)

TSN: Ovechkin bluntly responded to a question about barely missing the 50-goal plateau

WNST: Ovechkin Scores Twice But Can’t Get To 50 In A Caps Win

WTOP: Capitals to face Columbus Blue Jackets in First Round of Stanley Cup Playoffs / Washington will face Blue Jackets in 1st round of NHL playoffs

TV/Audio Clips:

Washington Capitals: Capital One Arena Playoff Logos / Postgame Locker Room | April 7 / Barry Trotz Postgame | April 7 / 2017-18 Three Stars Award Winner / Trotz on Humboldt Broncos

NBC Sports Washington: Ovechkin and the Capitals react to his 49-goal season / Capitals Extra Podcast: Game 82: Caps Close out Regular Season in Style

NHL Network: NHL Tonight: WSH vs. CBJ preview

WRC-TV NBC 4: On the Capitals Playoffs Initiatives (6 a.m.) / On the Capitals Playoffs Initiatives – Live Hit with In-Game Host Adam Kelsey (5 a.m.) / Interview with Barry Trotz (6 a.m.)