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Capitals Star Could Surprise as Richard Trophy Dark Horse

Each season is a clean slate for a new top dog to emerge and lead the league in goals, could this Washington Capitals star do it again?

Tyler Major-Mcnicol

Oct 4, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) during warmups prior to the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Oct 4, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) during warmups prior to the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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While it's the most difficult thing to do, predicting what the season will look like is a fun way to get the ideas pumping and get conversations flowing. The 2025-26 season will be full of its interesting storylines, perhaps the most intriguing is who will lead the league in goals.

The Maurice Richard Trophy is what awaits, of course. The annual award is presented to the player finishing the regular season as the League's goal-scoring leader.

Could it be Leon Draisaitl, who scored 52 last year and won it? He has also scored 50 or more goals in four of his last seven seasons. And with his best bud and captain, Connor McDavid, sticking around Edmonton, they could be a fair bet to terrorize the league and each produce a 100-plus point season, which seems indicative of a 50-plus goal season for Leon.

Auston Matthews has also won the award three times over the last five seasons, including with a massive outburst for 69 goals in 2023-24, besting his previous single season Leafs goals record of 60. Matthews patented curl-and-drag wrist shot has devastated goaltenders, revolutionizing a new way to fire the puck, that many newcomers are trying to mirror.

Auston Matthews reputation and the fact that he only scored 33 in his first year as captain feel indicative of something big
May 18, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola (77) and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) battle for the puck during the third period of game seven of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

David Pastrnak is also always a safe bet to put the puck in the net with the best of them, and while he hasn't scored at the crazy 61-goal pace he had in 2022-23, his back-to-back 40-plus goal seasons show that he can get back there without question.

Those seem like the three obvious choices, unless Brayden Point, who scored 42 last season, or perhaps even Nathan MacKinnon. who scored 52 in 2023-24, could have a stellar season, which could change the fortunes of the race. But having a player that hasn't been in the conversation for a while and could get back to it sounds like an intriguing scenario.

Why Not Ovechkin?

Alexander Ovechkin established himself as the best goal scorer the league has ever seen last year, scoring his 895th goal against the New York Islanders, causing the bench to erupt and an emotional Ovechkin to slide on his chest across the ice.

“This is something crazy,” Ovechkin told NHL.com. “I'm probably going to need a couple more days or maybe a couple weeks to realize what does it mean to be No. 1. But I can say I'm very proud. I'm really proud for myself. I'm really proud for my family, for all my teammates that help me to reach that milestone and for all my coaches."

The 40-year-old hasn't scored 50 goals since the 2021-22 season; however, last year he scored 44, and that was after missing six weeks of action with a broken leg. To say it would be a surprise for Ovechkin to get back in the conversation would be an understatement.

But, then again, Ovechkin could be playing in his final year, and the one way to cement his legendary career is with his 10th trophy. No player in league history has won it more than Ovechkin, with Matthews in second with three.

Ovechkin will win the award with a 60-season and go out with the all-time record, and more Richard Trophies than anybody else could ever try to match.

Alex Ovechkin will finish his career the way he started it, scoring goals that nobody can stop. One last hurrah
May 12, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) scores a goal on his shot against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period in game four of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images / James Guillory-Imagn Images

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Tyler Major-Mcnicol
TYLER MAJOR-MCNICOL

Tyler is a former Algonquin College journalism graduate, and passionate hockey fan. His love for the Montreal Canadiens comes second to his love of hockey. With two daughter’s under four years old, hockey is always a topic of conversation. Nothing gets me quite excited like an empty canvas waiting to have a story written on it, and the smell of fresh ice in the air.

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