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Washington Capitals

NHL Teams › Washington Capitals
Founded:1974GM:Brian MacLellan
Owned By:Ted LeonsisCoach:Spencer Carbery
Home Rink:Capital One ArenaCaptain:Alexander Ovechkin
AHL Affiliate:Hershey BearsECHL Affiliate:South Carolina Stingrays

The Capitals were founded in 1974 as an expansion franchise, alongside the Kansas City Scouts. The 2009–10 Capitals won the franchise’s first Presidents’ Trophy for being the team with the most points at the end of the regular season. They won it a second time in 2015–16, and did so for a third time the following season in 2016–17. In addition to 12 division titles and three Presidents’ Trophies, the Capitals have reached the Stanley Cup Final in 1998 and 2018, winning in the latter.

Deeper Dive

2023-24 Season Roster

ForwardsDefensemenGoaltenders
Nicolas Aube-KubelJohn CarlsonDarcy Kuemper
Nicklas BackstromMartin FehervaryCharlie Lindgren
Sonny MilanoJoel Edmundson
Tom WilsonRasmus Sandin
Dylan StromeNick Jensen
Joe SnivelyTrevor van Riemsdyk
Evgeny KuznetsovAlexander Alexeyev
Anthony Mantha
Aliaksei Protas
T.J. Oshie
Alex Ovechkin
Nic Dowd
Max Pacioretty

Jersey History

And yet, there was a glimmer of hope from that dreadful first campaign, as the Capitals introduced the NHL – and the world – to one of the great sweater designs in hockey history… For a team based in Washington, D.C. and known as the “Capitals,” it’s only fitting the Caps debuted in red, white and blue. Also fitting for a team based in a nation’s capital, it looks decidedly like it was designed by committee. Read more…

Alex Ovechkin
Alex Ovechkin celebrates with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Five of the Stanley Cup Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Players

More Capitals History

HIstorically Rough Start

On June 7, 2018, after 44 years of trying, the Washington Capitals finally lifted the Stanley Cup. In Oakland, California, 43 years, 2 months, and 10 days earlier, the same team took turns lifting a trash can around the ice in mock jubilation. The achievement they were celebrating? A regular-season road win. It would turn out to be their only one that year. Read More…

Washington Capitals 1974-75 jerseys
Washington Capitals 1974-75 jerseys (Photo Credit: 1974-75 Washington Capitals Media Guide).

Captains

  • Doug Mohns, 1974-1975
  • Bill Clement, 1975-1976
  • Yvon Labre, 1976-1978
  • Guy Charron, 1978-1979
  • Ryan Walter, 1979-1982
  • Rod Langway, 1982-1992
  • Kevin Hatcher, 1992-1994
  • Dale Hunter, 1994-1999
  • Adam Oates, 1999-2001
  • Steve Konowalchuk and Brendan Witt, 2001-2002
  • Steve Konowalchuk, 2002-2003
  • Jeff Halpern, 2005-2006
  • Chris Clark, 2006-2009
  • Alexander Ovechkin, 2010-present

Head Coaching History

Sources

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