Hockey and sports in general can be broken down into moments. Some moments are bigger than others and chart the course of a franchise and an entire league. These moments can define a team’s destiny for years to come. For this installment, we bring you the defining moments of the Washington Capitals.
Capitals’ Defining Moments
The NHL awarded an expansion team to Washington, D.C. in 1972. In 1974, the Capitals played their first game. After a rough start, things changed in the 1980s. Today, the Caps have 14 division titles, three Presidents’ Trophies, two appearances in the Stanley Cup Final, and a championship in 2018. Furthermore, the team has had the honour of having Alex Ovechkin play for the team.
There are many great moments in Caps history. Which stand out as the defining moments?
Alexander the Great
Did you expect we would not have this as the franchise’s defining moment? Ovechkin’s arrival in the NHL changed the course of the Capitals’ history as well as the NHL’s history.
The Run Up
Ovechkin began his professional hockey career with Dynamo Moscow. In three seasons, Ovi scored 36 goals. Many expected the forward to be taken first overall when he was eligible for the draft, which would be in 2004. However, the Florida Panthers did try to draft him earlier, claiming he would be of age if leap years were taken into consideration.
Meanwhile, the Capitals finished the 2003-04 season with the second-worst record in the NHL. They would win the first-overall pick as a result of the draft lottery.
The Moment
To no one’s surprise, the Capitals drafted Ovechkin with the first-overall pick. Fans of the Caps (and the NHL) were excited to see what Ovechkin would do in the NHL.
The Capitals picked Alex Ovechkin number 1 overall at the 2004 NHL Draft, 21 years ago today https://t.co/0QaCH5hZvu
— RMNB (@rmnb) June 26, 2025
Unfortunately, Ovechkin’s rookie season would be delayed as a result of the 2004-05 lockout. Ovechkin continued his playing career in Moscow, but had an opt-out clause included in the contract for when the lockout ended. Ovechkin left Moscow and signed with the Capitals. Two days later, the lockout ended as a new collective bargaining agreement was signed.
On October 5, 2005, Ovechkin played in his first NHL game, scoring two goals in a Washington victory.
The Run Up
What a career it has been! Ovechkin has become one of the best goal-scorers of all time. This past season, Ovi broke Wayne Gretzky‘s record for most goals all time when he scored his 895th goal. In addition to the goals, Ovechkin has accumulated the following accolades in his career:
- Calder Trophy in 2006
- NHL All-Rookie Team in 2006
- NHL First All-Star Team in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015, and 2019
- NHL All-Star in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023
- Art Ross Trophy in 2008
- Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020
- Hart Memorial Trophy in 2008, 2009, and 2013
- Conn Smythe Trophy in 2018
Furthermore, that Conn Smythe Trophy came as a result of Ovechkin and the Capitals winning the Stanley Cup in 2018.
Ovechkin did not just define the Capitals. He defined the league. It all started back in 2004 when the Capitals took a chance on the talented Russian forward.
History. Alex Ovechkin breaks the goal scoring record with number 895 pic.twitter.com/iVF8ClvCrI
— Shayna (@shaynagoldman_) April 6, 2025
Other Capitals’ Defining Moments
Historically-Bad Start
The St. Louis Blues made hockey history in their first three years in the league when they reached the Stanley Cup Final each time. The Vegas Golden Knights made hockey history when they made the Stanley Cup Final in their first year in the league. In 1974, the Capitals made history during their inaugural season. Unfortunately, they were on the wrong side of history.
The Capitals finished the season with the worst record in the league, posting an 8-67-5 record. No, that is not a typo. Their 21 team points still stand as an NHL record for fewest points by a team in a single season. They only won one road game the entire season. At one point, they had lost 37 road games in a row. Just how bad was the team? Head coach Jim Anderson stated he would rather his wife cheat on him than continue losing like they were.
Lord Stanley, At Last
The Capitals’ start to the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs suggested they would not last long in the tournament. The team fell behind 2-0 to the Columbus Blue Jackets after losing two games at home. The Caps managed to rally to win four in a row and advance. However, their next opponent was the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Capitals’ rival and the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champions. In Game 6 of the series, the Caps finally got the best of their rival when Evgeny Kuznetsov scored in overtime to end the series and dethrone the Penguins. After a seven-game series victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Capitals were headed to the Stanley Cup Final.
The Capitals met the Golden Knights in the Final of their inaugural season. After losing Game 1, the Caps won three in a row, setting up a Game 5 in which the Capitals could finally win it all. Game 5 was a back-and-forth affair, with the Golden Knights taking a 3-2 lead into the third period. However, the Capitals would not be denied their long-awaited moment. The team scored two goals to win the game and finally bring the Stanley Cup to the District of Columbia.
A franchise that was historically bad in 1974 was Stanley Cup Champions in 2018.
Main Photo: Thomas Salus- Imagn Images
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