| Even before Sidney Crosby was drafted fans and | | | | Hart trophy as the NHL's most valuable player. |
| media around the hockey world were billing him as the | | | | Round three turned out to be more one-sided than |
| next Wayne Gretzky. However, at the same time | | | | anyone would have predicted. Sidney Crosby went |
| Sidney Crosby arrived in the NHL an equally dynamic | | | | down with an injury, leaving the door wide open for |
| player arrived from half way around the world. | | | | Ovechkin. However, competition for both the Art Ross |
| Alexander Ovechkin, a Russian superstar was just as | | | | and Hart trophies came from an unexpected source. |
| skilled and electrifying as Sidney Crosby was carving | | | | With his teammate Sidney Crosby down with an injury, |
| his own name in the sport, and the debate quickly | | | | Evgeni Malkin set the league on fire, dominating the |
| heated up on which one of them would be the greater | | | | second half of the season and nearly catching |
| player. | | | | Ovechkin as the NHL points leader. Ovechkin |
| These two fierce competitors didn't disappoint, each | | | | managed to hang on and claim the Art Ross and Hart |
| eclipsing the 100 point mark in their rookie seasons. | | | | trophies, but by a much slimmer margin than most |
| However, Alexander Ovechkin took round one in the | | | | predicted. |
| battle, narrowly edging out Crosby in points and | | | | This season Evgeni Malkin has served notice that last |
| capturing the Calder trophy as rookie of the year. | | | | year was no fluke and there is a third horse in this |
| The following year was Crosby's turn. Another | | | | race. Just past the quarter mark of the season he has |
| burgeoning superstar from Russia, Evgeni Malkin joined | | | | a healthy lead on both Ovechkin and Crosby, and |
| Crosby on the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the one two | | | | shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. With his |
| punch took a little heat off Crosby, allowing him to beat | | | | hulking size and incredible talent he is a force that few |
| Ovechkin by a healthy margin to capture both the Art | | | | opposing defencemen can stand against. |
| Ross trophy as the league's leading scorer, and the | | | | |