Calgary Flames right winger Jarome Iginla, center, has been named as a Hart Trophy finalist for the third time in his career. (Gregory Smith/Associated Press) Calgary Flames right winger Jarome Iginla, center, has been named as a Hart Trophy finalist for the third time in his career. (Gregory Smith/Associated Press)

Calgary Flames winger Jarome Iginla, Pittsburgh Penguins centre Evgeni Malkin and Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin were named as the three finalists for the Hart Trophy on Tuesday.

It's Iginla's third nomination for the award, given to the player judged to be the most valuable to his team.

The veteran captain had the second 50-goal season of his career in 2007-08 and also had a career-best 98 points in 82 games.

The native of Edmonton led the Flames in goals, points, plus minus (+27), power-play goals (15), game-winning goals (nine) and shots (338).

Iginla, 30, has never won the award — finishing as the runner-up in 2002 and 2004.

Ovechkin, 22, has earned his first Hart Trophy nomination in his third season in the league.

The native of Moscow played in all 82 games this season and won the Art Ross trophy as the NHL's scoring leader (112 points) as well as the Maurice Richard Trophy as the league's top goal scorer (65 goals).

That goal total was the most by an NHL player since Mario Lemieux scored 69 times during the 1995-96 campaign. It also set a league record for goals by a left-winger, surpassing Luc Robitaille's 63 with the Los Angeles Kings in 1992-93.

Ovechkin also led the league in power-play goals (22) and game-winning goals (11), to help the Capitals capture the Southeast Division for the first time since 2001.

Malkin is also a first-time nominee for the award.

The 21-year-old from Magnitogorsk, Russia, blossomed in his second full season — finishing second to only Ovechkin in scoring (106 points) in 82 regular-season games.

Malkin dominated the second half of the season after his Penguins teammate Sidney Crosby went down with a high ankle sprain on Jan. 18. Malkin was the league's top scorer after Dec. 31, tallying 65 points (32 goals, 33 assists) in 44 games.

Members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association submitted ballots for the Hart Trophy at the end of the regular season.

The winner will be announced June 12 at the NHL Awards in Toronto.

With files from the Canadian Press