The Washington Capitals 50th Anniversary Team has been unveiled
On Saturday Dec. 14 at Capital One Arena, the Washington Capitals not only won on their home ice but the team also unveiled the final spots for the 50th Anniversary Team to complement the 40 Greatest Capitals. Let's break them all down here.
Evgeny Kuznetsov: Although the relationship was a weird ending, Kuzy will always been remembered for his Game 6 heroics to down the Pittsburgh Penguins. Doing so sent the Caps to their first Eastern Conference Final in 20 years and downed their top rival in the process en route to the franchise's first Stanley Cup.
Joel Ward: Two goals come to mind and they were clutch. Game 7 in Boston in 2012 that downed the then defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins. The other one was a buzzer beater at Madison Square Garden to defeat the Rangers which occurred in the playoffs three years later.
Lars Eller: Back with the Capitals this season thanks to the magic of trading in season with the rival Penguins, he provided his own magic in that summer of 2018. His goal in Columbus that downed the Blue Jackets in double overtime practically saved the season. Then he ended the season the right way with the game winning goal in the Stanley Cup Final that downed the Vegas Golden Knights.
Dmitry Orlov: Now with the Carolina Hurricanes but will always be a member the ALL CAPS era and part of the Rock the Red era. The defenseman recorded 60 goals and 196 assists for 256 points in 11 seasons with the Capitals. His best year came when he had 12 goals and 23 assists for 35 points in 76 games back in the 2021-22 season. In the run to the Cup in 2018 he had two goals and six assists for eight points in 24 games.
T.J. Oshie: Although he is on LTIR, currently as we write this, he is still around the franchise which is always heartwarming. In nine seasons with the Capitals the heart and soul of the Cup run recorded 192 goals and 193 assists for 385 points in 567 games with the Capitals. He added eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points in the Cup run. His best season with the Caps came in 2016-17 where he recorded 33 goals and 23 assists for 56 points. He also added 22 goals and 21 assists for 43 points in the 2020-21 shortened season.
Tom Wilson: He already has 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points heading into Monday's matchup against the Dallas Stars which is around the time we're working on this. Wilson is now an alternate captain and has stepped up tremendously in Oshie's absence as well as other absenses due to injury. So far his best season has come in 2021-22 where he had 24 goals and 28 assists for 52 points in 78 games. He's well on his way to beating that number this season if he remains as tough and willful as he is. In the 2018 Stanley Cup run he had five goals and 10 assists for 15 points.
Brooks Orpik: A longtime Penguin but would become a hero in DC as his game winning goal in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final set the Caps up to win the whole thing. Orpik retired from the league after the 2018-19 season at 38 years old.
Jay Beagle: Another retired Stanley Cup hero that was beloved around these parts. Beags was a king when it came to the face off wins. His career face off win percentage came out to 56.4 percent and in the 2017-18 Stanley Cup regular season he had two goals and six assists for eight points. He did the same thing in the playoffs while winning 60.1 percent of his face offs on the dot.
John Carlson: Johnny continues to climb the record books and the final chapter of his story is yet to be told. As we wrote this he was three away from 700 career points and he very well could reach that number after we publish this (unless I drink a whole lot of coffee or he goes on a slump)
Braden Holtby: The Holtbeast did a lot for both the team and the organization and he continues to give back to the city he loves. That's the mark of a true goalie. The other mark was his clutch playoff performances from his rookie year upset of the Boston Bruins all the way up to The Save and the rest of the heroic Cup run. He even won the Vezina Trophy after a successful 2015-16 where he even broke records of Martain Brodeur.
Rod Langway: Known as the Secretary of Defense, Langway's best season with the Caps came in 1983-84 where he recorded nine goals and 24 assists for 33 points. He was part of an integral trade that helped save the franchise.
Sylvain Cote: He spent 10 seasons in DC from the 1991-92 season all the way to the 1997-98 season. He recorded 75 goals and 195 assists for 270 points during his time with the Capitals.
Bobby Carpenter: Drafted by the Capitals in the first round at third overall in the 1981 NHL Entry Drafty, the Massachusetts native dubbed the Say Hey Kid finished with 188 goals and 207 assists for 395 points in 490 games with the team. His best season came In 1984-85 where he recorded 53 goals and 42 assists for 95 points.
Nicklas Backstrom: A first rounder that was drafted fourth overall in 2006, Backstrom suited up for 1,105 regular season games and recorded 271 goals and 762 assists for 1,033 career points. In the Cup run he added five goals and 18 assists for 23 points and even scord five goals in the first round elimination series the year after to a team not even worth naming.
Jim Carey: He spent three years with the Capitals and went 70-48-15 with a 2.37 goals against average and a .904 save percentage. His best season came in 1995-96 where as a 21 year old went 35-24-9 with a 2.26 goals against average and a .906 save percentage after a .913 save percentage the year before.
Dave Christian: He spent seven years with the Capitals recording 193 goals and 224 assists for 417 points. His best season with the Caps came in 1985-86 where he recorded 41 goals and 42 assists for 83 points.
Mike Green: An early part of the Young Guns Era, Mike Green won games in overtime or clutch time with his viscious shot. In February 2009 he had a streak of eight consecutive games scoring a goal for a defenseman.
Jeff Halpern: Halpy spent seven years with the Capitals and recorded 91 goals and 139 assists for 230 points. His best season with the Caps came in 2003-04 where he steadied a sinking ship that led to the Alex Ovechkin draft pick with 19 goals and 27 assists for 46 points.
Joe Juneau: He spent parts of six seasons with the Caps but will always be known as the overtime hero that sent the Capitals to the Stanley Cup Final in 1998, their first such appearance to the big stage in franchise history.
Craig Laughlin: Another big piece of the Save the Caps trade, Locker became more than a player as he has graced the broadcast booth with Joe Beninati for over the last two decades as the color commentator and boy can he commentate, in the best way possible.
Alexander Semin: Another big piece of the Rock the Red era, this Alex didn't get as much attention as the other Alex. but we're writing about him and he still was into the 50 greatest Capitasl club.
Alex Ovechkin: The greatest player in Washington Capitals history and perhaps the greatest chapter still is yet to be written as he's on the greatest chase of his life in the league record. He also captained the Caps to the Stanley Cup in 2018 and took home the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP. He's also won numerous other awards including the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year, multiple Hart Trophies for League MVP and more.
Brendan Witt: Spending 10 years with the Caps, the defenseman recorded 20 goals and 63 assists for 83 points. He also averaged 20:10 minutes of ice time during his career with the Capitals. He also spent time with the New York Islanders and Nashville Predaors. Witt was with the Caps from the 1995-96 season to the 2003-04 season.
Don Beaupre: The goalie spent six years with the Capitals going 128-96-27 with a 3.05 goals against average and a .886 save percentage. He played for the Caps from the 1988-89 season through the 1993-94 season, coming from the Minnesota North Stars. He finished his career with the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Peter Bondra: The greatest goal scorer on the Capitals before the Alex Ovechkin era. Bondra spent 14 seasons with the Caps and recorded 472 goals and 353 assists for 825 points. He helped lead the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 1997-98. That season saw him lead the NHL in the rgular season in goals with 52. In the playoffs he added seven goals and five assists for 12 points.
Guy Charron: The center played on the Capitals for five years beginning in the 1976-77 season. He had 36 goals that year and added 38 and 28 the next two years. Overall he had 118 goals and 156 assists for 274 points. He was an All Star his first season with the Caps.
Mike Gartner: The right winger got his number retired by the team in 2008 and is still the most recent Capital to get his number retired. The Ontario native recorded 397 goals and 392 assists for 789 points with the Capitals in his storied career. He was a member of the squad from 1979-80 till the 1988-89 season. He was an All Star with the Caps four times. His best season came in 1984-85 when he had 50 goals and 52 assists for 102 points.
Sergei Gonchar: The defenseman was drafted by the Capitals 14th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut in the 1994-95 season. The three time All Star was there till the 2003-04 season and recorded 144 goals and 272 assists for 416 points. His best season came when he had 26 goals and 33 assists for 59 points in 2001-02. Prior to that he had seven goals and four assists for 11 points in the 1997-98 Eastern Conference title run.
Rick Green: The defenseman was drafted first overall by the Caps in 1976. He spent six years with the team and would record 31 goals and 127 assists for 158 points. His best season came when he had 41 points in 1978-79 with eight goals and 33 assists.
Bengt-Ake Gustafsson: The right winger was drafted in the fourth round at 55th overall in 1978. He spent all nine of his years with the Caps and recorded 195 goals and 359 assists for 554 points. In the 1987-88 playoffs he had four goals and nine assists for 13 points. Though his best regular season actually came when he was 25 when he had 32 goals and 43 assists for 75 points in the 1983-84 season, appearing in 69 games.
Kevin Hatcher: The defenseman was drafted 17th overall in 1984. He spent 10 seasons with the Capitals recording 149 goals and 277 assists for 426 points. He had an amazing 79 point season in 1992-93 with 34 goals and 45 assists. He also was an All Star for three consecutive seasons.
Dale Hunter: Before the team made the Finals in 1998, it was Hunter 10 years prior with the biggest goal. That came against the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime to defeat the Broad Street Bullies in the playoffs. Hunter finished his playing career wtih the Capitals with 323 goals and 697 assists for 1,020 points. His best season came when he had 79 points in the 1992-93 season with 20 goals and 59 assists.
Al Iafrate: The defenseman spent four seasons with the Capitals recording 58 goals and 118 assists for 176 points. His best season came in 1992-93 where he had 25 goals and 41 assists for 66 points.
Jaromir Jagr: Acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in a rare trade, Jagr finished with 83 goals and 118 assists for 201 points during his three year stint with the Caps.
Doug Jarvis: The center spent four seasons with the Caps recording 31 goals and 81 assists for 112 points. That stretched from the 1982-83 season to the 1985-86 season before being traded to the Hartford Whalers.
Al Jensen: The goalie spent six years with the Capitals going 94-48-18 with a 3.27 goals against average and a .883 save percentage. His best season came in 1983-84 when he wen 25-13-3 with a 2.92 goals against average, four shutouts and an .881 save percentage.
Calle Johansson: The defenseman spent 15 years with the Capitals recording 113 goals and 361 assists for 474 points in 983 career games. It was all in the latter part of his career from his trade from the Buffalo Sabres in 1988-89 to the 2002-03 sason. In the 1997-98 Eastern Conference run he had 15 goals and 20 assists for 35 points in the regular season and 10 points in the playoffs with two goals and eight assists.
Olie Kolzig: Olie the Goaie was drafted by the Caps 19th overall in 1989. In his illustrious 16 year career with the Caps he went 301-293-86 with a 2.70 goals against average and a .906 save percentage. He was an All Star twice. He backstopped the Caps to their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final. That year saw him go 33-18-10 with a 2.20 goals against average and a .920 save percentage in the regular season and a 12-9 record in the playoffs with a .941 save percentage and a 1.95 goals against average.
Steve Konowalchuk: Drafted in the third round at 58th overall by the Caps in 1991, Konowalchuk spent 13 seasons with the Caps recording 146 goals and 196 assists for 342 points. His breakout season came in 2000-01 when he had 24 goals and 23 assists for 47 points.
Yvon Labre: A defenseman on the very first Capitals team in 1974-75. He recorded 12 goals and 84 assists for 96 points in that stretch including four goals in the first Caps season 50 years ago.
Dennis Maruk: The center spent five years with the Caps recording 182 goals and 249 assists for 431 poins. That included an All Star 1981-82 season where he had 60 goals and 76 assists for 136 points.
Kelly Miller: The forward spent 13 seasons with the Capitals recording 162 goals and 246 assists for 408 points which included a quality 24 goal and 26 assist for 50 poin season in 1990-91, following it up with 52 points the next year with 14 goals and 38 assists.
Larry Murphy: He spent six seasons with the Capitals and recorded 86 goals and 259 assists for 345 points. That included 23 goals and 58 assists for 81 points in the 1986-87 season.
Adam Oates: The center was a member of the Caps for six years and recorded 73 goals and 290 assists for 363 points. He had 18 goals and 58 assists for 78 points in the 1997-98 regular season and in the playoffs that year added six goals and 11 assists for 17 points.
Michal Pivonka: The center was drafted in the third round at 59th overall in 1984. He spent all 13 of his seasons with the team and would record 181 goals and 418 assists for 599 points from the 1986-87 season to the 1998-99 season.
Mike Ridley: The center spent eight seasons with the Capitals from 1986-87 through 1993-94. He would record 218 goals and 329 assists for 547 points. His best season came in his All Star season of 1988-89 where he had 41 goals and 48 assists for 89 points.
Scott Stevens: The defenseman was drafted fifth overall in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft and spent eight seasons with the team from 1982-83 through the 1989-90 season. He would record 98 goals and 331 assists for 429 points during his time in D.C. That stretch included 21 goals and 44 assists for 65 points in the 1984-85 season where he was named an All Star. He went to the ASG twice during his time with the Caps.
Mark Tinordi: The defenseman spent five seasons with the Capitals from 1994-95 through 1998-99 where he had 16 goals and 40 assists for 56 points. That included eight goals and nine assists for 17 points in the 1997-98 regular season while in the playoffs he had three points with a goal and two assists that spring.
Ryan Walter: Last but simply not least, Walter was drafted in the first round at the second overall pick by the Caps. He spent four seasons there where he had 114 goals and 163 assists for 277 points. To put it bluntly in those four seasons the center had 28 goals then two back to back 24 goal seasons and then a 38 goal season in 1981-82.
