List of Washington Capitals seasons

The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team is a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Capitals played at the Capital Centre from their inaugural season in 1974 to 1997, when they moved to the Verizon Center. In 35 completed seasons, the Capitals have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs 21 times but have never won a Stanley Cup. As of the 2009–10 season, Washington has won over 1,200 games, the 16th highest victory total among NHL teams.[1]

The Capitals were founded in 1974 as an expansion team in the Prince of Wales Conference. The team had a 8–67–5 record and lost 37 straight road games in their inaugural season.[2] The Capitals made their first playoffs in the 1982–83 season and qualified for the playoffs for the following 13 seasons in a row. The Capitals won the Eastern Conference during their 1997–98 season but were swept by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1998 Stanley Cup Finals.[3]

The team moved to the Southeast Division in 1998 following their Stanley Cup defeat and won two consecutive division titles between 2001 and 2002, before entering a period of decline and failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs for four of their next five seasons. Washington drafted Alexander Ovechkin during the 2004 NHL Draft, who has led the team to recent success.[4] The Capitals have qualified for the past three playoffs, and won the Presidents' Trophy in the 2009–10 season.[5]

Contents

Table key

Finish
 Final position in division or league standings
GA
 Goals against (goals scored by the Capitals' opponents)
GF
 Goals for (goals scored by the Capitals)
GP
 Number of games played
Italics
 Won the Stanley Cup
L
 Number of losses
OT
 Number of losses in overtime (since the 1999–00 season)
Pts
 Number of points
T
 Number of ties
TG
 Two-game total goals series
W
 Number of wins

Year by year

Stanley Cup champions Conference champions * Division champions ^ Led league in points #
Capitals season Conference Division Regular season Postseason[1]
Finish GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA GP W L GF GA Result
1974–75 Wales Norris 5th 80 8 67 5 — 21 181 446 — — — — — Did not qualify
1975–76 Wales Norris 5th 80 11 59 10 — 32 224 394 — — — — — Did not qualify
1976–77 Wales Norris 4th 80 24 42 14 — 62 221 307 — — — — — Did not qualify
1977–78 Wales Norris 5th 80 17 49 14 — 48 195 321 — — — — — Did not qualify
1978–79 Wales Norris 4th 80 24 41 15 — 63 273 338 — — — — — Did not qualify
1979–80 Wales Patrick 5th 80 27 40 13 — 67 261 293 — — — — — Did not qualify
1980–81 Wales Patrick 5th 80 26 36 18 — 70 286 317 — — — — — Did not qualify
1981–82 Wales Patrick 5th 80 26 41 13 — 65 319 338 — — — — — Did not qualify
1982–83 Wales Patrick 3rd 80 39 25 16 — 94 306 283 4 1 3 11 19 Lost Division Semifinals vs. New York Islanders 1–3
1983–84 Wales Patrick 2nd 80 48 27 5 — 101 308 226 8 4 4 28 25 Won Division Semifinals vs. Philadelphia Flyers 3–0
Lost Division Finals vs. New York Islanders 1–4
1984–85 Wales Patrick 2nd 80 46 25 9 — 101 322 240 5 2 3 12 14 Lost Division Semifinals vs. New York Islanders 2–3
1985–86 Wales Patrick 2nd 80 50 23 7 — 107 315 272 9 5 4 36 24 Won Division Semifinals vs. New York Islanders 3–0
Lost Division Finals vs. New York Rangers 4–2
1986–87 Wales Patrick 2nd 80 38 32 10 — 86 285 278 7 3 4 19 19 Lost Division Semifinals vs. New York Islanders 3–4
1987–88 Wales Patrick 2nd 80 38 33 9 — 85 281 249 14 7 7 54 50 Won Division Semifinals vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 4–3
Lost Division Finals vs. New Jersey Devils, 3–4
1988–89 Wales Patrick ^ 1st 80 41 29 10 — 92 281 325 6 2 4 18 25 Lost Division Semifinals vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 2–4
1989–90 Wales Patrick 3rd 80 36 38 6 — 78 284 275 15 8 7 49 48 Won Division Semifinals vs. New Jersey Devils, 4–2
Won Division Finals vs. New York Rangers, 4–1
Lost Conference Finals vs. Boston Bruins, 0–4
1990–91 Wales Patrick 3rd 80 37 36 7 — 81 258 258 11 5 6 29 35 Won Division Semifinals vs. New York Rangers, 4–2
Lost Division Finals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 1–4
1991–92 Wales Patrick 2nd 80 45 27 8 — 98 330 275 7 3 4 27 25 Lost Division Semifinals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 3–4
1992–93[a] Wales Patrick 2nd 84 43 34 7 — 93 325 286 5 4 1 15 23 Lost Division Semifinals vs. New York Islanders, 2–4
1993–94 Eastern[b] Atlantic 3rd 84 39 35 10 — 88 277 263 11 5 6 32 32 Won Conference Quarterfinals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 4–2
Lost Conference Semifinals vs. New York Rangers, 1–4
1994–95[c] Eastern Atlantic 2nd 48 22 18 8 — 52 136 120 7 3 4 10 17 Lost Conference Quarterfinals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 3–4
1995–96 Eastern Atlantic 4th 82 39 32 11 — 89 234 204 6 2 4 17 21 Lost Conference Quarterfinals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 2–4
1996–97 Eastern Atlantic 5th 82 33 40 9 — 75 214 231 — — — — — Did not qualify
1997–98 Eastern * Atlantic 3rd 82 40 30 12 — 92 219 202 21 12 9 53 44 Won Conference Quarterfinals vs. Boston Bruins, 4–2
Won Conference Semifinals vs. Ottawa Senators, 4–1
Won Conference Finals vs. Buffalo Sabres, 4–2
Lost Stanley Cup Finals vs. Detroit Red Wings, 0–4
1998–99 Eastern Southeast[g] 3rd 82 31 45 6 — 68 200 218 — — — — — Did not qualify
1999–00 Eastern Southeast ^ 1st 82 44 24 12 2[d] 102 227 194 5 1 4 6 15 Lost Conference Quarterfinals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 1–4
2000–01 Eastern Southeast ^ 1st 82 41 27 10 4 96 233 211 6 2 4 10 14 Lost Conference Quarterfinals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 2–4
2001–02 Eastern Southeast 2nd 82 36 33 11 2 85 228 240 – – – – – Did not qualify
2002–03 Eastern Southeast 2nd 82 39 29 8 6 92 224 220 6 2 4 15 14 Lost Conference Quarterfinals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, 2–4
2003–04 Eastern Southeast 5th 82 23 46 10 3 59 186 253 – – – – – Did not qualify
2004–05[e] Eastern Southeast — — — — — — — — — — — — — — No playoffs
2005–06 Eastern Southeast 5th 82 29 41 —[f] 12 70 237 306 – – – – – Did not qualify
2006–07 Eastern Southeast 5th 82 28 40 — 14 70 235 286 – – – – – Did not qualify
2007–08 Eastern Southeast ^ 1st 82 43 31 — 8 94 242 231 7 3 4 20 23 Lost Conference Quarterfinals vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 3–4
2008–09 Eastern Southeast ^ 1st 82 50 24 — 8 108 272 245 14 7 7 41 38 Won Conference Quarterfinals vs. New York Rangers, 4–3
Lost Conference Semifinals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 3–4
2009–10 Eastern Southeast ^ 1st 82 54 15 — 13 121 # 318 233 7 3 4 22 20 Lost Conference Quarterfinals vs. Montreal Canadiens, 3–4
2010–11 Eastern Southeast ^ 1st 82 48 23 — 11 107 224 197 9 4 5 23 24 Won Conference Quarterfinals vs. New York Rangers, 4–1
Lost Conference Semifinals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, 0–4
Totals 2,886 1,263 1,237 303 51 2,912 9,185 9,509 209 101 108 606 606

See also

Notes

References

General
Specific
  1. ^ a b (pdf) 2010 Washington Capitals Playoff Media Guide. Washington Capitals. 2010. http://capitals.nhl.com/v2/ext/2010_CAPS_PLAYOFF_GUIDE.pdf. Retrieved June 29, 2010. 
  2. ^ Page 2 Staff. "Worst Pro Teams of All-time". ESPN. http://espn.go.com/page2/s/list/worstproteam.html. Retrieved June 21, 2010. 
  3. ^ Montgomery, David (June 17, 1998). "No Shame in Shutout, Fans Say". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/capitals/longterm/1998/stanleycup/articles/fans17.htm. Retrieved June 14, 2010. 
  4. ^ "Ovechkin, Capitals signs 13-year, $124 million contract extension". ESPN. January 13, 2008. http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3190712. Retrieved June 29, 2010. 
  5. ^ "Capitals clinch NHL's best record". ESPN. April 5, 2010. http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=5056761. Retrieved June 21, 2010. 
  6. ^ Morrison, Scott (December 1, 2007). "84 game schedule a lock". SLAM! Sports. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/2007/12/01/4700338-sun.html. Retrieved June 14, 2010. 
  7. ^ Lapointe, Joe (April 1, 1993). "Hockey; N.H.L. Redraws Map In Realignment Plan". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE4DB113AF932A35757C0A965958260. Retrieved June 14, 2010. 
  8. ^ Anderson, Dave (April 15, 1993). "Sports of The Times; Rangers Must Search For a 'Riley'". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1993/04/15/sports/sports-of-the-times-rangers-must-search-for-a-riley.html. Retrieved July 1, 2010. 
  9. ^ Swift, E. M. (January 23, 1995). "Drop Those Pucks!". Sports Illustrated. http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1006188/index.htm. Retrieved June 14, 2010. 
  10. ^ Lapointe, Joe (September 30, 1999). "Hockey: Preview '99–'00; Overtime Is Now Five Minutes in Hockey Heaven". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DEEDE153EF933A0575AC0A96F958260. Retrieved June 14, 2010. 
  11. ^ "Lockout over salary cap shuts down NHL". Associated Press. ESPN. February 16, 2005. http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=1992793. Retrieved June 14, 2010. 
  12. ^ "Shootouts are fan-friendly". The Washington Times. October 19, 2005. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/oct/18/20051018-114500-9318r/. Retrieved June 14, 2010. 
  13. ^ "N.H.L. Names 4 Cities For Its New Franchises". The New York Times. June 18, 1997. http://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/18/sports/nhl-names-4-cities-for-its-new-franchises.html. Retrieved June 14, 2010. 
Franchise
Award winners • Coaches • Draft picks • General managers • Players • Records • Roster • Seasons
Lore
Administration
Ted Leonsis (majority owner) • George McPhee (general manager) • Dale Hunter (head coach)
Arenas
Affiliates
NHL seasons by team