Back Washington Capitals ANG واشنطن كابيتالز Arabic واشنطن كابيتالز ARZ Вашынгтон Кэпіталз Byelorussian Вашынгтон Кэпіталз BE-X-OLD Вашингтон Кепиталс Bulgarian Washington Capitals Catalan Washington Capitals Czech Washington Capitals Danish Washington Capitals German
| Washington Capitals | |
|---|---|
 2023–24 Washington Capitals season | |
 | |
| Conference | Eastern |
| Division | Metropolitan |
| Founded | 1974 |
| History | Washington Capitals 1974–present |
| Home arena | Capital One Arena |
| City | Washington, D.C. |
 | |
| Team colors | Red, white, blue[1][2] |
| Media | |
| Owner(s) | Monumental Sports & Entertainment (Ted Leonsis) |
| General manager | Brian MacLellan |
| Head coach | Spencer Carbery |
| Captain | Alexander Ovechkin |
| Minor league affiliates | |
| Stanley Cups | 1 (2017–18) |
| Conference championships | 2 (1997–98, 2017–18) |
| Presidents' Trophy | 3 (2009–10, 2015–16, 2016–17) |
| Division championships | 13 (1988–89, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20) |
| Official website | nhl |
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference and is owned by Ted Leonsis through Monumental Sports & Entertainment. The team initially played its home games at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland, before moving to the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., in 1997.
The franchise was founded in 1974 as an expansion team, alongside the Kansas City Scouts, and struggled throughout its first eight years of existence. In 1982, David Poile was hired as general manager, helping to turn the team's fortunes around. With a core of players such as Mike Gartner, Rod Langway, Larry Murphy, and Scott Stevens, the Capitals became a regular playoff contender for the next fourteen seasons. After purchasing the team in 1999, Leonsis revitalized the franchise by drafting star players such as Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson, and Braden Holtby. 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 for a third time the following season in 2016–17. In addition to 13 division titles and three Presidents' Trophies, the Capitals have reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998 and 2018, winning the latter.
The Capitals have retired the use of four numbers in honor of four players. In addition, the team holds an association with a number of individuals inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. The Capitals are affiliated with two minor league teams: the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League and the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL.[3]
- ^ "Capitals Jersey Timeline". WashingtonCaps.com. NHL Enterprises, L.P. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
- ^ "Caps History: Washington Capitals Franchise Timeline". WashingtonCaps.com. NHL Enterprises, L.P. January 30, 2017. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
June 22, 2007: The Capitals show off their new uniforms at a draft day party held at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex. The new threads harken back to the team's original red, white and blue color scheme with a modernized version of the original logo.
- ^ "Capitals Extend AHL Affiliation with Hershey Bears". NHL.com. January 29, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2024.