Washington Capitals

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{{NHL Team Infobox |team_name = Washington Capitals |bg_color = #221F20 |text_color = #BA8545 |logo = Washington Capitals.gif |alternate_logo = Washington-alternate.gif |founded = 1974 |home_arena = Verizon Center |hometown = Washington, D.C. |team_colors = Blue, black, bronze |head_coach = Glen Hanlon |captain = Jeff Halpern |alternate_captains = Brian Sutherby
Dainius Zubrus |general_manager = George McPhee |owner = Ted Leonsis |minor_league = Hershey Bears (AHL)
South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) |division_championships = 1989, 2000, 2001 }}

The Washington Capitals are a National Hockey League (NHL) team based in Washington, D.C.

1 Facts
2 Franchise history
3 Season-by-season record
4 Notable players
5 See also
6 External links

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Facts

Founded: 1974

Arena: Verizon Center (formerly known as MCI Center)

Former Arena: US Airways Arena (previously known as Capital Centre, US Air Arena)

Uniform colors: Blue, black, and bronze

Logo design: Two logos: 1) The United States Capitol dome, crossed hockey sticks, a puck, and the words "WASHINGTON CAPITALS", and 2) A stylized eagle's body with bronze stars and the word "CAPITALS" underneath

Former colors (1974-95): Red, white and blue

Former logo design (1974-95): The word "capitals" in reverse italic lower case letters with the "t" forming a hockey stick

Mascot: Slapshot

Division Championships: 3 - 1989, 2000, 2001

Conference Championships: 1 - 1998

Stanley Cup Championships: 0

President's Trophy: 0

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Franchise history

Image:WSH 284.gif

Along with the Kansas City Scouts, the Capitals joined the NHL as an expansion team for the 1974-75 season. With a combined 30 teams between the NHL and the rival World Hockey Association, the talent pool available to stock the new teams was extremely thin. In their first season, the Capitals would set an NHL record for futility, losing 67 of 80 games, and only winning one on the road. The Scouts fared only marginally better, and the expansion was widely seen as having been a mistake.

The team did not fare much better through the rest of the 1970s and early 80's. By the summer of 1982, there was serious talk of the team moving out of D.C., and a "Save the Caps" campaign was underway. Then two significant events took place to solve the problem. First, the team hired 33-year old David Poile as General Manager. Second, as his first move, Poile pulled off one of the biggest trades in franchise history on September 9 when he dealt longtime regulars Ryan Walter and Rick Green to the Montreal Canadiens for Rod Langway, Brian Englbom, Doug Jarvis, and Craig Laughlin. This move not only turned the franchise around, but the addition of the new players helped lead the team during the 1982-83 NHL season reach the playoffs for the first time. In additional, they were also helped by the explosive goal scoring of Dennis Maruk, Mike Gartner, and Bobby Carpenter. Although they were swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders, their first ever playoff appearance helped the team remain in Washington.

The Caps would make the playoffs for each of the next 14 years in a row, but every time it ended in heartbreak. In the late 1980s, the Capitals, always a contender in the regular season, could never shake off their reputation for being "chokers". Despite a continuous march of stars like Gartner, Carpenter, Bengt Gustafsson, Mike Ridley, Dave Christian, Dino Ciccarelli, Rod Langway, or Kevin Hatcher, only once in that time period did the team ever get past the second round of the playoffs, a 4-game sweep at the hands of the Boston Bruins in the 1990 Wales Conference Finals.

By the mid-1990s, the Capitals seemed to fritter away whatever chance they had at lifting the Stanley Cup. Despite having rising stars in right-winger Peter Bondra, defenseman Sergei Gonchar, and center Joe Juneau (the latter already having his best days behind him when he was traded from the Bruins in 1994), the team's core players were mostly aging. One of the team's darkest days came in a 1993 playoff series with the New York Islanders, when Dale Hunter was suspended 21 games for a vicious hit on Pierre Turgeon after he had just scored the series-winning goal.

The Capitals finally took a step to getting rid of their choker image in 1998. Peter Bondra's 52 goals led the team, veterans Juneau and Adam Oates returned to old form, and Olaf Kölzig had a solid .920 save percentage as the Caps got past the Bruins, Ottawa Senators, and Buffalo Sabres (the latter on a dramatic double-overtime win in game 6) en route to the team's first (and to date, only) Stanley Cup finals appearance. However, the team was no match for the juggernaut Detroit Red Wings, who won in a four-game sweep.

In 1999, the Capitals missed the playoffs. They went on to win back-to-back Southeast Division titles, yet both years lost in the first round to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Yet the Caps scored a major coup in the summer of 2001, landing Jaromír Jágr, one of the best players in the NHL in the 1990s, for a song from a near-bankrupt Pittsburgh team. Despite the new power, the Caps failed to make the playoffs in 2002. In the summer of 2002, the Caps, made even more roster changes, including the signing the highly regarded Robert Lang as a free agent.

The Caps were back in the playoffs in 2003, but disappointed fans again by losing in six games to the Tampa Bay Lightning after starting off with a two-game lead in the best-of-seven first-round series.

In the early part of 2004, the Caps unloaded a lot of their high-priced talent in order to save money, and as an acknowledgment that their attempt to build a contender with high-priced veteran talent had failed. Jaromir Jagr was traded to the Rangers, which was quickly followed by Peter Bondra going to the Ottawa Senators. Not long after Robert Lang was sent to Detroit and Gonchar to the Bruins. The Robert Lang trade marked the first time in the history of the NHL that the league's leading scorer was traded in the middle of the season. The Capitals ended the year 23-46-10 with 59 standings points, their worst season in 26 years.

In the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, the Capitals got the first pick and used it on Russian phenom Alexander Ovechkin. During the NHL labor dispute of 2004-05, which cost the NHL its entire season, Ovechkin played in his native Russia along with another Russian rising star, Alexander Semin, who had made his NHL debut as a 19-year-old with the Capitals in 2004. Several other Capitals played part or all of the lost season in Europe, including Olaf Kölzig, Brendan Witt, and Jeff Halpern.

The 2005-2006 NHL season finds the Capitals where they ended: floating around the cellar of the Southeastern Division. This year finds the team with a new captain, Jeff Halpern, who has been on the team for five years, is a native of the D.C. area and has been a lifelong Capitals fan. Some notable additions to the team include able-scorer Jeff Friesen, NHL vet Andrew Cassels and defensive workhorse Jamie Heward. Yet no addition has been greater than Alexander Ovechkin, who is making a run to be the first Capital to win the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year. He's already worked his way into the record books by scoring at least one point (6G, 4A) in each of the Capitals' first eight games of the 2005-2006 season. The eight game point streak set the new NHL record for consecutive points to start an NHL career by a No. 1 overall pick.

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Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes

Logo	Season	GP	W	L	T	OTL	Pts	GF	GA	PIM	Finish	Playoffs
Image:WSH 284.gif	1974-75	80	8	67	5	--	21	181	446	1085	5th (last) in Norris	Out of playoffs
Image:WSH 284.gif	1975-76	80	11	59	10	--	32	224	394	951	5th (last) in Norris	Out of playoffs
Image:WSH 284.gif	1976-77	80	24	42	14	--	62	221	307	1231	4th in Norris	Out of playoffs
Image:WSH 284.gif	1977-78	80	17	49	14	--	48	195	321	1332	5th (last) in Norris	Out of playoffs
Image:WSH 284.gif	1978-79	80	24	41	15	--	63	273	338	1312	4th in Norris	Out of playoffs
Image:WSH 284.gif	1979-80	80	27	40	13	--	67	261	293	1198	5th (last) in Patrick	Out of playoffs
Image:WSH 284.gif	1980-81	80	26	36	18	--	70	286	317	1872	5th (last) in Patrick	Out of playoffs
Image:WSH 284.gif	1981-82	80	26	41	13	--	65	319	338	1932	5th (last) in Patrick	Out of playoffs
Image:WSH 284.gif	1982-83	80	39	25	16	--	94	306	283	1329	3rd in Patrick	Lost in Division Semifinal (NYI)
Image:WSH 284.gif	1983-84	80	48	27	5	--	101	308	226	1252	2nd in Patrick	Lost in Division Final (NYI)
Image:WSH 284.gif	1984-85	80	46	25	9	--	101	322	240	1161	2nd in Patrick	Lost in Division Semifinal (NYI)
Image:WSH 284.gif	1985-86	80	50	23	7	--	107	315	272	1418	2nd in Patrick	Lost in Division Final (NYR)
Image:WSH 284.gif	1986-87	80	38	32	10	--	86	285	278	1720	2nd in Patrick	Lost in Division Semifinal (NYI)
Image:WSH 284.gif	1987-88	80	38	33	9	--	85	281	249	1680	3rd in Patrick	Lost in Division Final (NJ)
Image:WSH 284.gif	1988-89	80	41	29	10	--	92	305	259	1836	1st in Patrick	Lost in Division Semifinal (PHI)
Image:WSH 284.gif	1989-90	80	36	38	6	--	78	284	275	2204	3rd in Patrick	Lost in Conference Final (BOS)
Image:WSH 284.gif	1990-91	80	37	36	7	--	81	258	258	1839	3rd in Patrick	Lost in Division Final (PIT)
Image:WSH 284.gif	1991-92	80	45	27	8	--	98	330	275	1777	2nd in Patrick	Lost in Division Semifinal (PIT)
Image:WSH 284.gif	1992-93	84	43	34	7	--	93	325	286	1709	2nd in Patrick	Lost in Division Semifinal (NYI)
Image:WSH 284.gif	1993-94	84	39	35	10	--	88	277	263	2007	3rd in Atlantic	Lost in Conference Semifinal (NYR)
Image:WSH 284.gif	1994-95¹	48	22	18	8	--	52	136	120	1144	3rd in Atlantic	Los in Conference Quarterfinal (PIT)
Image:Washington Capitals.gif	1995-96	82	39	32	11	--	89	234	204	1553	4th in Atlantic	Lost in Conference Quarterfinal (PIT)
Image:Washington Capitals.gif	1996-97	82	33	40	9	--	75	214	231	1652	5th in Atlantic	Out of playoffs
Image:Washington Capitals.gif	1997-98	82	40	30	12	--	92	219	202	1198	3rd in Atlantic	Lost in Stanley Cup finals (DET)
Image:Washington Capitals.gif	1998-99	82	31	45	6	--	68	200	218	1381	3rd in Southeast	Out of playoffs
Image:Washington Capitals.gif	1999-00	82	44	24	12	2	102	227	194	994	1st in Southeast	Lost in Conference Quarterfinal (PIT)
Image:Washington Capitals.gif	2000-01	82	41	27	10	4	96	233	211	1141	1st in Southeast	Lost in Conference Quarterfinal (PIT)
Image:Washington Capitals.gif	2001-02	82	36	33	11	2	85	228	240	1043	2nd in Southeast	Out of playoffs
Image:Washington Capitals.gif	2002-03	82	39	29	8	6	92	224	220	1268	2nd in Southeast	Lost in Conference Quarterfinal (TB)
Image:Washington Capitals.gif	2003-04	82	23	46	10	3	59	186	253	1282	5th (last) in Southeast	Out of playoffs
Image:Washington Capitals.gif	2004-05²	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
Image:Washington Capitals.gif	2005-06	82	29	41	--	12	70	237	306	1426	5th in Southeast	Out of Playoffs

¹ Season was shortened due to the 1994-95 NHL lockout.

² Season was cancelled due to the 2004-05 NHL lockout.

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Notable players

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Current squad

As of April 4th, 2006 [1]

Goaltenders
Number		Player	Catches	Acquired	Place of Birth
1	Template:Flagicon	Brent Johnson	L	2005	Farmington, Michigan
37	Template:Flagicon	Olaf Kölzig	L	1989	Johannesburg, South Africa

Defensemen
Number		Player	Shoots	Acquired	Place of Birth
6	Template:Flagicon	Jamie Heward	R	2005	Regina, Saskatchewan
23	Template:Flagicon	Ivan Majesky	R	2005	Banska Bystrica, Czechoslovakia
26	Template:Flagicon	Shaone Morrisonn	L	2004	Vancouver, British Columbia
34	Template:Flagicon	Mathieu Biron	R	2002	Lac-St-Charles, Quebec
40	Template:Flagicon	Nolan Yonkman	L	1999	Punnichy, Saskatchewan
44	Template:Flagicon	Steve Eminger	R	2002	Woodbridge, Ontario
47	Template:Flagicon	Bryan Muir	L	2005	Winnipeg, Manitoba

Forwards
Number		Player	Shoots	Position	Acquired	Place of Birth
8	Template:Flagicon	Alexander Ovechkin	R	LW	2004	Moscow, U.S.S.R.
9	Template:Flagicon	Dainius Zubrus - A	L	C/W	2001	Elektrenai, U.S.S.R.
10	Template:Flagicon	Matt Bradley	R	RW	2005	Stittsville, Ontario
11	Template:Flagicon	Jeff Halpern - C	R	C	1999	Potomac, Maryland
16	Template:Flagicon	Brian Sutherby- A (Day-to-Day)	L	C	2000	Edmonton, Alberta
17	Template:Flagicon	Chris Clark	R	RW	2005	South Windsor, Connecticut
18	Template:Flagicon	Matt Pettinger	L	LW	2000	Edmonton, Alberta
20	Template:Flagicon	Rico Fata	L	C/W	2006	Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
21	Template:Flagicon	Brooks Laich	L	LW/C	2005	Wawota, Saskatchewan
24	Template:Flagicon	Brian Willsie	R	RW	2003	London, Ontario
27	Template:Flagicon	Ben Clymer	R	RW	2005	Bloomington, Minnesota

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Hall of Famers

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Team captains

Doug Mohns (1974-75)
Bill Clement & Yvon Labre (1975-76)
Yvon Labre (1976-78)
Guy Charron (1978-79)
Ryan Walter (1979-82)
Rod Langway (1982-92)
Rod Langway & Kevin Hatcher (1992-93)
Kevin Hatcher (1993-94)
Dale Hunter (1994-99)
Adam Oates (1999-01)
Steve Konowalchuk/Brendan Witt (2001-02) (co-captains)
Steve Konowalchuk (2002-03)
no captain (2003-05)
Jeff Halpern (2005-present)

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Retired numbers

5 - Rod Langway, D, 1982-93
7 - Yvon Labre, D, 1974-81
32- Dale Hunter, C, 1987-99
99 - Wayne Gretzky (retired league-wide by the NHL)

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Franchise scoring leaders

These are the top-ten point-scorers in the history of the Capitals. Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season. Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points

Player	POS	GP	G	A	Pts
Peter Bondra	RW	961	472	353	825
Mike Gartner	RW	758	397	392	789
Michal Pivonka	C	825	181	418	599
Dale Hunter	C	872	181	375	556
Bengt-Åke Gustafsson	RW	629	196	359	555
Mike Ridley	C	588	218	329	547
Calle Johansson	D	983	113	361	474
Dennis Maruk	C	343	182	249	431
Scott Stevens	D	601	98	331	429
Kevin Hatcher	D	685	149	277	426