Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals is an NHLNHLThe National Hockey League (NHL) is a men’s professional ice hockey league with clubs in the United States and Canada. Founded in Montreal in 1917, it comprises 32 teams and awards the Stanley Cup to its playoff champion.Open the full entry ice hockey team in Washington, D.C., playing at Capital One Arena.
Contents15 sections
Key facts
1972Washington awarded an NHL franchise
The NHL awarded Washington an expansion franchise, and the club began play in 1974.[1]
October 9, 1974First game
The Capitals played their first game and finished the inaugural season with eight wins and 21 points.[2]
1982Fans mobilize to keep the team
Fans organized Save The Caps to help keep the team locally.[3]
1983First playoffs
Washington reached the playoffs for the first time after missing them in its first eight seasons.[2]
1990Conference Final appearance
The Capitals reached the Conference Final.[2]
December 2, 1997Downtown arena opens
The club’s new downtown Washington home opened. Now called Capital One Arena, it also hosts the Washington Wizards.[4]
1998First Stanley Cup Final
The Capitals reached their first Stanley Cup Final.[1]
1999Ted Leonsis acquires the team
Ted Leonsis purchased the Capitals. His Lincoln Holdings later developed into Monumental Sports & Entertainment.[5]
2010–2017Three Presidents’ Trophies
Washington led the NHL regular season in 2009–10, 2015–16 and 2016–17, winning three Presidents’ Trophies.[1]
2018First Stanley Cup
The Capitals won their first Stanley Cup.[1]
December 2024Arena transformation begins
Capital One Arena’s transformation began as a six-phase project scheduled for completion before the 2027–28 seasons. The plan keeps the building open during NHL and NBA seasons.[6]
April 6, 2025Ovechkin sets the goals record
Alex Ovechkin scored his 895th regular-season goal against the New York IslandersNew York IslandersThe New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team representing Long Island, New York. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) and play at UBS Arena in Elmont.Open the full entry, surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.[2]
Ownership and home arena
The Capitals are part of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, with Ted Leonsis as controlling owner. Capital One Arena in downtown Washington is their home.[5]
Related Organizations, Websites, and Public Accounts
Washington Capitals: Official website: https://www.nhl.com/capitals (opens in a new window)[7]
Washington Capitals: X: https://www.twitter.com/capitals (opens in a new window)[7]
Washington Capitals: YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: https://www.youtube.com/capitals (opens in a new window)[7]
Sources
- Monumental Sports — Brands (opens in a new window)
- Washington Capitals 2025–26 Media Guide (opens in a new window)
- Save The Caps Was Caps’ Greatest Save (opens in a new window)
- About Capital One Arena (opens in a new window)
- Monumental Sports — Who We Are (opens in a new window)
- Capital One Arena Transformation — FAQs (opens in a new window)
- Washington Capitals — official website (opens in a new window)