Editing Washington Capitals (section)

==History==

===Early years (1974–1982)===
The NHL awarded an expansion franchise to the city of Washington on June 8, 1972, and the Capitals joined the NHL as an [[expansion team]] for the [[1974–75 NHL season|1974–75 season]] along with the [[Kansas City Scouts]]. The Capitals were owned by [[Abe Pollin]] (also owner of the [[National Basketball Association]]'s [[Washington Wizards|Washington Bullets/Wizards]]). Pollin had built the [[Capital Centre (Landover, Maryland)|Capital Centre]] in suburban [[Landover, Maryland]], to house both the Bullets (who formerly played in [[Baltimore]]) and the Capitals. His first act as owner was to hire [[Hockey Hall of Fame|Hall of Famer]] [[Milt Schmidt]] as general manager.

With a combined 30 teams between the NHL and the [[World Hockey Association]] (WHA), the available talent was stretched thin. The Capitals had few players with professional experience and were at a disadvantage against the long-standing teams that were stocked with veteran players.

[[File:Defenseman Ray Bourque 1979.jpg|thumb|Capitals defenseman [[Darren Veitch]] chasing [[Boston Bruins]] defenseman [[Ray Bourque]] in 1980.|alt=Two hockey players in full pads and helmets on the ice, both in motion, with two others further behind them.]]
The Capitals' inaugural season was dreadful, even by expansion standards. They finished with the worst record in the league at 8–67–5; their 21 points were half that of their expansion brethren, the Scouts. The eight wins are the fewest for an NHL team playing at least 70 games, and the .131 winning percentage is still the worst in NHL history. They also set records for most road losses (39 out of 40), most consecutive road losses (37), and most consecutive losses (17). Head coach [[Jim Anderson (ice hockey)|Jim Anderson]] said, "I'd rather find out my wife was cheating on me than keep losing like this. At least I could tell my wife to cut it out." Schmidt himself had to take over the coaching reins late in the season.

In [[1975–76 NHL season|1975–76]], Washington went 25 straight games without a win and allowed 394 goals en route to another horrendous record: 11–59–10 (32 points). In the middle of the season, Schmidt was replaced as general manager by [[Max McNab]] and as head coach by [[Tom McVie]]. For the rest of the 1970s and early 1980s, the Capitals alternated between dreadful seasons and finishing only a few points out of the [[Stanley Cup playoffs]]; in [[1979–80 NHL season|1980]] and [[1980–81 NHL season|1981]], for instance, they were in playoff contention until the last day of the season. The one bright spot during these years of futility was that many of McNab's draft picks (e.g., [[Rick Green (ice hockey)|Rick Green]], [[Ryan Walter]], [[Mike Gartner]], [[Bengt-Åke Gustafsson|Bengt Gustafsson]], [[Gaetan Duchesne]], and [[Bobby Carpenter (ice hockey)|Bobby Carpenter]]) would impact the team for years to come, either as important members of the roster or as crucial pieces in major trades.

Pollin stuck it out through the Capitals' first decade, even though they were usually barely competitive. This stood in contrast to the Scouts; they were forced to move to [[Denver]] after only two years because their original owners did not have the resources or patience to withstand the struggles of an expansion team. By the summer of [[1981–82 NHL season|1982]], however, there was serious talk of the team moving out of the U.S. capital, and a "Save the Caps" campaign was underway.

===Gartner–Langway era (1982–1993)===
[[File:Mike Gartner 81-82.JPG|thumb|upright|left|[[Mike Gartner]] helped lift the Capitals to becoming a playoff contender in the 1980s.]]
In August 1982, the team hired [[David Poile]] as general manager.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Caps History: The Hiring of David Poile |url=https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/caps-history-the-hiring-of-david-poile/c-286255168 |access-date=October 19, 2022 |website=NHL.com|date=January 30, 2017}}</ref> As his first move, Poile pulled off one of the largest trades in franchise history on September 9, 1982, when he dealt longtime regulars Ryan Walter and Rick Green to the [[Montreal Canadiens]] in exchange for [[Rod Langway]] (named captain only a few weeks later), [[Brian Engblom]], [[Doug Jarvis]] and [[Craig Laughlin]]. This move turned the franchise around, as Langway's solid defense helped the team to dramatically reduce its goals-against, and the explosive goal-scoring of [[Dennis Maruk]], [[Mike Gartner]] and Bobby Carpenter fueled the offensive attack. Another significant move was the drafting of defenseman [[Scott Stevens]] during the [[1982 NHL entry draft]] (the pick was made by interim general manager [[Roger Crozier]], prior to Poile's hiring). The result was a 29-point jump, a third-place finish in the powerful [[Patrick Division]], which had teams such as the high-powered [[New York Islanders]], [[Philadelphia Flyers]], and [[New York Rangers]]. Another result was the team's first playoff appearance in [[1982–83 NHL season|1983]]. Although they were eliminated by the three-time defending (and eventual) Stanley Cup champion Islanders three games to one, the Caps' dramatic turnaround ended any talk of the club leaving Washington.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/01/sports/capitals-to-keep-tax-advantage.html | title=Capitals to Keep Tax Advantage | newspaper=The New York Times | date=December 1983}}</ref>

====Fourteen consecutive playoff appearances (1983–1996)====
The Capitals would make the playoffs for each of the next 14 years in a row, becoming known for starting slow before catching fire in January and February. However, regular season success did not carry into the playoffs. Despite a continuous march of stars like Gartner, Carpenter, Langway, Gustafsson, Stevens, [[Mike Ridley]], [[Dave Christian]], [[Dino Ciccarelli]], [[Larry Murphy (ice hockey)|Larry Murphy]], and [[Kevin Hatcher]], Washington was knocked out in either the first or second round seven years in a row. In [[1985–86 NHL season|1985–86]], for instance, the Caps finished with 107 points and won 50 games for the first time in franchise history, good enough for the third-best record in the NHL. They defeated the Islanders in the first round but were eliminated in the second round by the New York Rangers.

[[File:Just Say No. National Hockey League.jpg|thumb|First Lady [[Nancy Reagan]] shooting a puck against Washington goaltender [[Pete Peeters]] while attending a Capitals–Flyers game in 1988.]]
The [[1986–87 NHL season|1986–87 season]] brought even more heartbreak, with a loss to the Islanders in the division semifinals. This series was capped off by the classic [[Easter Epic]] game, which ended at 1:56 am on Easter Sunday 1987. The Capitals had thoroughly dominated most of the game, outshooting the Islanders 75–52, but lost in overtime when goaltender [[Bob Mason (ice hockey)|Bob Mason]] was beaten on a [[Pat LaFontaine]] shot from the blue line. For the [[1989 Stanley Cup playoffs|1989 playoffs]] push, Gartner and Murphy were traded to the [[Minnesota North Stars]] in exchange for Ciccarelli and defenseman [[Bob Rouse]]. However, the goaltending once again faltered and they were eliminated in the first round by the Philadelphia Flyers. The Capitals finally made the conference finals in [[1990 Stanley Cup playoffs|1990]], but went down in a four-game sweep at the hands of the first-place Boston Bruins.

===Bondra–Gonchar era (1993–2005)===
From [[1990–91 NHL season|1990–91]] to [[1995–96 NHL season|1995–96]], the Capitals would lose in either the first or the second round of the playoffs. They would eliminate the Rangers in the first round but lost the second round to the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] in 1991. In [[1991–92 NHL season|1991–92]] and [[1992–93 NHL season|1992–93]], they would lose in the first round to the Penguins and the Islanders, respectively. In [[1993–94 NHL season|1993–94]], they won their first-round series against the Penguins but lost in the second round to the Rangers. In [[1994–95 NHL season|1994–95]] and [[1995–96 NHL season|1995–96]], they lost in the first round both times to the Penguins. They would miss the playoffs in [[1996–97 NHL season|1996–97]].

====First Stanley Cup Finals appearance (1998)====
[[File:Verizon Center wide.jpg|thumb|The Capitals moved into the MCI Center (presently [[Capital One Arena]]) in 1997.]]
In [[1997–98 NHL season|1997–98]], as the Caps opened [[MCI Center]], [[Peter Bondra]]'s 52 goals led the team, veterans [[Dale Hunter]], [[Joé Juneau|Joe Juneau]] and [[Adam Oates]] returned to old form, and [[Olaf Kölzig|Olaf Kolzig]] had a solid .920 save percentage as the Caps got past the Boston Bruins, [[Ottawa Senators]] and [[Buffalo Sabres]] (the latter on a dramatic overtime win in game 6 on a goal by Joe Juneau) en route to the team's first [[1998 Stanley Cup Finals|Stanley Cup Finals]] appearance. The Capitals won six overtime games, three in each of their series against the Bruins and Sabres. However, the team was outmatched by the defending champions, the [[Detroit Red Wings]], who won in a four-game sweep. That same season, Oates, [[Phil Housley]] and Hunter all scored their 1,000th career point, the only time in NHL history that one team had three players reach that same milestone in a single season.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/10/sports/nhl-last-night-hunter-s-hat-trick-lifts-caps.html?pagewanted=print&src=pm | title=N.H.L.: LAST NIGHT; Hunter's Hat Trick Lifts Caps | newspaper=The New York Times | date=January 10, 1998}}</ref> This series is also famous for [[Esa Tikkanen]]'s missed open net goal in game 2.

====Disappointments and rebuilding (1998–2004)====
After their 1998 Stanley Cup run, the Capitals finished the [[1998–99 NHL season|1998–99 season]] with a record of 31–45–6 and failed to qualify for the playoffs. During the season, the team was sold to a group headed by [[America Online]] (AOL) executive [[Ted Leonsis]]. The Capitals went on to win back-to-back [[Southeast Division (NHL)|Southeast Division]] titles in 2000 and 2001, yet both years lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Penguins. After the 2000–01 season, [[Adam Oates]] demanded a trade but management refused and stripped him of his team captaincy.

In the summer of 2001, the Capitals landed five-time [[Art Ross Trophy]] winner [[Jaromír Jágr|Jaromir Jagr]], by trading three young prospects to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jagr was signed to the largest contract ever in NHL history – $77 million over seven years at an average salary of $11 million per year (over $134,000 per game) with an option for an eighth year. However, after Adam Oates was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers, the Capitals failed to defend their division title and missed the playoffs in 2002 despite a winning record. Still, the [[2001–02 NHL season|2001–02 season]] marked the highest attendance in franchise history, drawing in 710,990 fans and 17,341 per game.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/notes/was.htm |title=Sports |work=USA Today |access-date=September 5, 2012}}</ref>

Before the 2002–03 season, the Caps made more roster changes, including the signing of highly regarded [[Robert Lang (ice hockey)|Robert Lang]] as a free agent, a linemate of Jagr's from Pittsburgh. Washington returned to the playoffs in [[2002–03 NHL season|2003]], but disappointed fans again by losing in six games to the [[Tampa Bay Lightning]] after starting off with a two-game lead in the best-of-seven first-round series. The series is well-remembered for the three–overtime game 6 at the then-[[MCI Center]]. At the time it was the longest game in the building's history and was eventually decided by a power-play goal by Tampa Bay.

[[File:Kolzig Caps 2007 4.jpg|left|thumb|[[Olaf Kölzig|Kolzig]] was among Washington's best players between the late 1990s and early 2000s.]]
In the [[2003–04 NHL season|2003–04 season]], the Caps unloaded much of their high-priced talent – not just a cost-cutting spree, but also an acknowledgment that their attempt to build a contender with high-priced veteran talent had failed. Jagr had never lived up to expectations during his time with the Capitals, failing to finish among the league's top scorers or make the postseason [[NHL All-Star team|All-Star team]]. The Caps tried to trade Jagr, but as only one year was left on the existing [[NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement]] (CBA) before it expired, few teams were willing to risk $11 million on an underperforming player. In 2004, Jagr was finally sent to the New York Rangers in exchange for [[Anson Carter]] and an agreement that Washington would pay approximately $4 million per year of Jagr's salary, with Jagr himself agreeing to defer (with interest) $1 million per year for the remainder of his contract to allow the trade to go ahead. This was quickly followed by Peter Bondra departing for the Ottawa Senators. Not long after, Robert Lang was sent to the Detroit Red Wings, as well as [[Sergei Gonchar]] to the Boston Bruins. The Lang trade marked the first time in the [[history of the National Hockey League|history of the NHL]] that the league's leading scorer was traded in the middle of the season. The Capitals ended the year 23–46–10–3, tied for the second-worst record, along with the [[Chicago Blackhawks]].

In the [[2004 NHL entry draft]], the Capitals won the draft lottery, moving ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who held the NHL's worst record, and selected [[Alexander Ovechkin]] first overall. During the [[2004–05 NHL lockout|NHL labor dispute of 2004–05]], which cost the NHL its entire season, Ovechkin stayed in Russia, playing for [[HC Dynamo Moscow|Dynamo Moscow]]. Several other Capitals played part or all of the lost season in Europe, including [[Olaf Kölzig|Olaf Kolzig]], [[Brendan Witt]], [[Jeff Halpern]], and [[Alexander Semin]]. The Capitals' 2005 off-season consisted of making D.C.-area native Halpern the team's captain, signing [[Andrew Cassels]], [[Ben Clymer]], [[Mathieu Biron]] and [[Jamie Heward]], and acquiring [[Chris Clark (ice hockey)|Chris Clark]] and [[Jeff Friesen]] via trade.

===Ovechkin–Backstrom era (2005–present)===

====Building a contender (2005–2007)====
[[File:Camp (35189192).jpg|thumb|The Capitals bench in 2005.]]
The Capitals finished the [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06 season]] in the cellar of the Southeast Division again, with a 29–41–12 campaign, earning 12 more points than the 2003–04 season, good for 27th out of the 30 NHL teams. The team, however, played close in every game, playing in 42 one-goal games, although losing two-thirds of those games. Ovechkin's rookie season exceeded the hype, as he led all 2005–06 NHL rookies in goals, points, power-play goals and shots. He finished third overall in the NHL in scoring and tied for third in goals, and his 425 shots not only led the league, but also set an NHL rookie record and was the fourth-highest total in NHL history. Ovechkin's rookie point total was the second-best in Capitals history, and his goal total was tied for third in franchise history. Ovechkin won the [[Calder Memorial Trophy]], beating out Pittsburgh center [[Sidney Crosby]] and [[Calgary Flames]] defenseman [[Dion Phaneuf]].

Many longtime Capitals had career years, with [[Dainius Zubrus]] netting 57 points, Halpern having a career-best 33 assists, [[Matt Pettinger]] putting in a career-best 20-goal, 38-point effort and seven others on the relatively young team topping 20 points for the first time. Two notable landmarks were also hit by Capitals, as the team's longest-tenured player, Olaf Kolzig, won his 250th game in goal, and Andrew Cassels became the 204th player to play 1,000 games, although he did not finish his season with Washington. A notable first was that Washington area native Jeff Halpern was named captain of his hometown Capitals. At the 2006 [[NHL trade deadline]], on March 8, Brendan Witt was traded to the [[Nashville Predators]].

[[File:Semin and Ovechkin 2007.jpg|thumb|left|[[Alexander Semin]] and [[Alexander Ovechkin]] celebrate following a goal in January 2007.]]
In the 2006 off-season, Halpern left the Capitals to join the [[Dallas Stars]]; Chris Clark subsequently became the Capitals' new captain. [[Richard Zedník|Richard Zednik]] returned to the Capitals in [[2006–07 NHL season|2006–07]] after a disappointing 16-goal, 14-assist season in 2005–06 with the Montreal Canadiens, but was later dealt at the trade deadline to the New York Islanders after a disappointing and injury-plagued season. The Caps also signed former Philadelphia Flyers enforcer [[Donald Brashear]]. Despite the transactions, however, the Capitals finished with the same point total (70) in 2006–07 as they did the year before, although they won one fewer game. Ovechkin was the Capitals' lone representative in the season's [[55th National Hockey League All-Star Game|All-Star Game]], with Washington's campaign also seeing the breakout of [[Alexander Semin]], who notched 38 goals in only his second NHL season.

====Return to playoffs and first Presidents' Trophy (2007–2015)====
The Capitals signed Swedish phenom [[Nicklas Bäckström|Nicklas Backstrom]], the fourth overall pick in the [[2006 NHL entry draft]], to a three-year entry-level contract. They also signed 19-year-old [[Semyon Varlamov]] to a three-year entry-level contract. They then went on to fill needs at defense, signing puck-moving defenseman [[Tom Poti]]; right wing, by signing [[Viktor Kozlov]]; and center, by signing playmaker [[Michael Nylander]]. As a result of these signings, there was much more hope for the 2007–08 season and players were looking towards the playoffs.

After starting the season 6–14–1, the Capitals fired head coach [[Glen Hanlon]] and replaced him with [[Hershey Bears]] head coach [[Bruce Boudreau]] on Thanksgiving Day 2007. On January 10, 2008, the Capitals signed Ovechkin to an NHL-record $124 million contract extension at 13 years, the second-longest term of any contract in the NHL after New York Islanders goaltender [[Rick DiPietro]]'s 15-year contract. Despite the Capitals' young defense and injuries to key players such as Michael Nylander and [[Brian Pothier]], Boudreau engineered a historic turnaround. Aided by key acquisitions at the trade deadline ([[Matt Cooke]], [[Sergei Fedorov]] and [[Cristobal Huet]]), Ovechkin's NHL-leading 65 goals,<ref name="64 and 65">{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=280403023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408055134/http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=280403023|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 8, 2008|title=Ovechkin passes single-season mark as Capitals keep playoff hopes alive|access-date=April 3, 2008|work=ESPN}}</ref> and [[Mike Green (ice hockey, born 1985)|Mike Green]]'s league defensemen-leading 18 goals, the Capitals won the Southeast Division title for the first time since the [[2000–01 NHL season|2000–01 season]], edging out the [[Carolina Hurricanes]] for the division title on the final game of the season. Washington's remarkable end-of-season run included winning 11 of the final 12 regular season games. The Capitals became the first team in NHL history to make the playoffs after being ranked 14th or lower in their conference standings at the season's midpoint.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/05/AR2008040502708.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | title=Coming All the Way Back | first=Tarik | last=El-Bashir | date=April 6, 2008 | access-date=May 27, 2010}}</ref> For the postseason, the Capitals drew the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round and managed to force a game 7 after being down three games to one in the series. However, they ultimately lost to the Flyers 3–2 in overtime.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lupul's OT score lifts Flyers past Capitals, into second round |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap/_/gameId/280422023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122132559/https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap/_/gameId/280422023 |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 22, 2023 |website=ESPN |access-date=November 22, 2023 |date=April 22, 2008}}</ref> After the season concluded, Boudreau's efforts were rewarded with a long-term contract extension.

[[File:Washington Capitals (3485362716).jpg|thumb|upright|The Capitals celebrate after defeating the [[New York Rangers]] in the first round of the [[2009 Stanley Cup playoffs]].]]
The accolades for the team continued to grow after the end of the season. Ovechkin won the [[Art Ross Trophy]], the [[Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy]], the [[Hart Memorial Trophy]] and the [[Lester B. Pearson Award]], becoming the first player in NHL history to win all four awards in the same season. He also was the first player to win an MVP award in any major sport in the Washington, D.C., area since [[Joe Theismann]] won the [[National Football League]] (NFL) [[National Football League Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] award in 1983. Moreover, Ovechkin was also named an NHL First Team All-Star and became the first player since 1953 to be named as such in each of his first three years in the NHL. Nicklas Backstrom was a finalist for the Calder Trophy, but ended up second to the Chicago Blackhawks' [[Patrick Kane]], though Backstrom was nonetheless selected to the All-Star Rookie Team. In addition to player awards, head coach Bruce Boudreau won the [[Jack Adams Award]] for the NHL's coach of the year. Ovechkin and Mike Green were named to the ''Sporting News'' All-Star team, with Ovechkin being the ''Sporting News'' Player of the Year.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/alex-ovechkin-named-sporting-news-player-of-the-year/c-462745 | title=Alex Ovechkin Named Sporting News Player of the Year}}</ref>

The [[2008–09 NHL season|2008–09 season]] was highlighted by the play of Mike Green (who was the third of the Capitals' three first-round selections in Ovechkin's draft year) and Ovechkin. Green led all NHL defensemen in goals and points, also setting the record for the longest consecutive goal-scoring streak by a defenseman with eight games. Ovechkin won his second Hart Trophy, his second Lester B. Pearson Award and his second Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy. The Capitals finished the regular season with a record of 50–24–8 and a team-record 108 points, and they won their second consecutive Southeast Division title. They then defeated the New York Rangers in the first round of the [[2009 Stanley Cup playoffs|2009 playoffs]] four games to three, overcoming a 3–1 deficit. The Capitals were then defeated by the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in the conference semifinals in seven games.

[[File:2011 NHL Winter Classic Ceremonial Puck Drop 2011-01-01.JPG|thumb|left|250px|Ovechkin and [[Sidney Crosby]] taking the ceremonial puck drop before the [[2011 NHL Winter Classic|2011 Winter Classic]].]]
The Capitals finished the [[2009–10 NHL season|2009–10 season]] first in the NHL with 121 points, thereby winning the [[Presidents' Trophy]]. Ovechkin led the team in points with 109 and finished as the third-highest goal scorer, despite playing nine games fewer than the league leaders. Backstrom finished with 101 points, fourth-most in the NHL. Once again, Mike Green led all defensemen in points, finishing with 76. The Capitals also dominated the [[Plus–minus (sports)|plus-minus]] category, finishing with five players in the top six in the league.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fetchKey=20102ALLSASAll&sort=points&viewName=summary |title=2009-2010 – Regular Season – All Skaters – Summary – Points – Stats |publisher=National Hockey League |access-date=August 8, 2012}}</ref> Despite having a top-ranked regular season, Washington were defeated by the eighth-seeded Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs after being up 3–1 in the series.

The [[2010–11 NHL season|2010–11 season]] saw the Capitals repeat as the Southeast Division champions and as the top team in the Eastern Conference with 107 points. The season was highlighted by their participation in the [[2011 NHL Winter Classic|2011 Winter Classic]], where they defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 3–1 at [[Heinz Field]]. However, the Capitals' playoff disappointment continued. After again defeating the New York Rangers in five games in the first round, they were swept by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the conference semifinals.

The Capitals started the [[2011–12 NHL season|2011–12 season]] with a record of 7–0, but they only won five of their next 15 games. As a result, general manager [[George McPhee]] fired head coach Boudreau, hiring Capitals legend [[Dale Hunter]] as his replacement. By the end of the 2011–12 season, the team's top two goaltenders, [[Michal Neuvirth]] and [[Tomáš Vokoun|Tomas Vokoun]], were injured and the Capitals were required to lean on their goaltending prospect [[Braden Holtby]] to help the team into the [[2012 Stanley Cup playoffs|2012 playoffs]]. The Capitals made a strong push and finished with the seventh overall seed in East, drawing the defending champion Boston Bruins in the first round. The Capitals shocked the NHL by defeating the heavily favored defending Stanley Cup champion and second-seeded Boston Bruins in seven games on an overtime goal by [[Joel Ward (ice hockey)|Joel Ward]]. Every game in the series was decided by a one-goal margin; previously, no single series in the Stanley Cup playoffs had ever gone as far as six or seven games while neither team ever held more than a one-goal lead.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/capitals/2012-nhl-playoffs-capitals-eliminate-bruins-in-overtime-in-game-7/2012/04/25/gIQAQjE3hT_story.html|title=2012 NHL playoffs: Capitals eliminate Bruins in overtime in Game 7|access-date=September 1, 2022}}</ref> The Capitals then advanced to the second round to face the top-seeded New York Rangers. The series again went seven games, ending with a 2–1 Rangers victory at [[Madison Square Garden]]. Following the season's end, head coach Dale Hunter announced he would step down. [[Adam Oates]] was later named permanent head coach of the team.

[[File:Joel Ward 2013-03-19.JPG|thumb|upright|[[Joel Ward (ice hockey)|Joel Ward]] scored the overtime series-winning goal in game 7 against a heavily favored defending Stanley Cup champion [[Boston Bruins]] in the opening round of the [[2012 Stanley Cup playoffs|2012 playoffs]].]]
The [[2012–13 NHL lockout|lockout]]-shortened [[2012–13 NHL season|2012–13 season]] saw the Capitals off to a rocky start, as they managed just two wins in their first ten games. The team rebounded to win the Southeast Division, thereby earning the third seed in the Eastern Conference for the [[2013 Stanley Cup playoffs|2013 playoffs]]. Unfortunately for Washington, the Capitals' playoff woes continued as they again fell to the Rangers in seven games.

In the [[2013–14 NHL season|2013–14 season]], the Capitals started the season strong by winning five of their first 10 games. The Capitals struggled to stay in a playoff spot and ultimately missed the playoffs by just three points in the standings, resulting in them missing the playoffs for the first time since [[2006–07 NHL season|2006–07]]. On April 26, 2014, 15 days after the regular season ended, the Capitals announced they would not renew general manager George McPhee's contract and that they had fired head coach Adam Oates.

On May 26, 2014, the Capitals announced the promotion of [[Brian MacLellan]] from director of player personnel to general manager and the hiring of [[Barry Trotz]] as the new head coach.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capitals-insider/wp/2014/05/26/capitals-name-brian-maclellan-general-manager-barry-trotz-coach/ | title = Capitals name Brian MacLellan general manager, Barry Trotz coach | date =May 26, 2014 | first1 = Katie | last1 = Carrera | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150722113754/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capitals-insider/wp/2014/05/26/capitals-name-brian-maclellan-general-manager-barry-trotz-coach/ | archive-date =July 22, 2015 | newspaper = [[Washington Post]]}}</ref> In Ovechkin's 691st NHL game on November 4, 2014, he became the Capitals' all-time points leader during a game against the [[Calgary Flames]], surpassing [[Peter Bondra]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=737695 |title=Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin sets franchise record for points |publisher=National Hockey League |date=October 29, 2015 |access-date=November 10, 2015}}</ref> On January 1, 2015, the Washington Capitals defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3–2 in the annual [[2015 NHL Winter Classic|2015 Winter Classic]] at [[Nationals Park]] in Washington, D.C. The Capitals finished in a second-place tie with the New York Islanders in the [[Metropolitan Division]] during the [[2014–15 NHL season|2014–15 season]] and held home-ice advantage in the first-round playoff series between the two, as they had defeated the Islanders in the season series with two home wins and two road overtime losses (in comparison, the Islanders had two home wins, one road loss and one road shootout loss). The teams split the first four games of the series, with the Islanders winning the first and third games, and the Capitals winning the second and fourth games. After winning game 5, the Capitals had a chance to clinch the series in [[Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum]], but the Islanders won game 6 to send the series to a deciding game 7 in Washington, which the Capitals would go on to win and defeat the Islanders, setting up a match-up against the Presidents' Trophy-winning Rangers in the second round for the third time in four years.

[[File:Winter Classic 2015 (Chicago at Caps) GWG celebration.JPG|thumb|left|The Capitals hosted the [[Chicago Blackhawks]] for the [[2015 NHL Winter Classic|2015 Winter Classic]] at [[Nationals Park]].]]
In the second round, all seven games were decided by a one-goal margin. The Capitals and the Rangers split the first two games (with Joel Ward scoring a game-winning [[buzzer beater]] goal for Washington in game 1, coupled with a loss by Washington in game 2) by a 2–1 margin. Braden Holtby would then post a 1–0 shutout in game 3, with [[Jay Beagle]] scoring the game's only goal, which was then followed by another 2–1 victory in game 4. After Washington held a 3–1 series lead, the Rangers would then cut the series lead to 3–2 after scoring the game-tying goal and the game-winning overtime goal in game 5. The Rangers then tied the series with a 4–3 victory in game 6 to force a game 7 at Madison Square Garden. Both teams scored a goal during regulation time in game 7, but the Capitals would lose the game and the series in overtime via a [[Derek Stepan]] goal.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rangers advance to East finals on Derek Stepan's OT goal; Caps ousted |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap/_/gameId/400792789 |website=ESPN |access-date=November 28, 2024 |date=May 13, 2015}}</ref>

====Back-to-back Presidents' Trophies and first Stanley Cup championship (2015–2018)====
In the [[2015–16 NHL season|2015–16 season]], the Capitals finished in first place in the league with a record of 56–18–8 and 120 points. In the first round of the [[2016 Stanley Cup playoffs]], they would face the Philadelphia Flyers. The Capitals won the first three games of the series and were looking for their first sweep in the playoffs of a best-of-seven series in franchise history. However, the Flyers would win the next two games to send the series to a sixth game in Philadelphia; the Capitals nevertheless won that series in six games to advance to the second round of the playoffs. In the second round, they faced the Pittsburgh Penguins for the first time since 2009. After winning the first game of the series in Washington, the Capitals lost three straight games, and were in danger of elimination. Washington would stave off elimination with a win in game 5, but they would lose the series in six games, with the Penguins going on to win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2009.

[[File:Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals (33743915834).jpg|left|thumb|[[Evgeny Kuznetsov]] skating forward with the puck against the Penguins during the second round of the [[2017 Stanley Cup playoffs]].]]
Ovechkin reached the 1,000-point milestone on January 11, 2017, with a goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins 35 seconds into the first period of that game. Ovechkin is the 84th NHL player to reach the 1,000-point milestone, the fourth Russian-born player and the 37th player to reach the milestone while playing for one team throughout their NHL career.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alex Ovechkin scores 1,000th NHL point|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/capitals-alex-ovechkin-scores-1000th-nhl-point/c-285576932|publisher=National Hockey League|access-date=February 2, 2017|date=January 12, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Alex Ovechkin scores twice, passes 1,000 points in win over Penguins|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/18455243/alex-ovechkin-washington-capitals-records-1000th-point-quick-goal|work=ESPN|access-date=February 2, 2017|date=January 12, 2017}}</ref> The Capitals won their second Presidents' Trophy in a row, becoming just the seventh team in NHL history and the first time since the [[Vancouver Canucks]] in 2010–11 and 2011–12 to win back-to-back Presidents' Trophies.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Clinton|first1=Jared|title=Does winning back-to-back Presidents' Trophies set the Capitals up for success?|url=http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/does-winning-back-to-back-presidents-trophies-set-the-capitals-up-for-success|website=The Hockey News|access-date=April 12, 2017|date=April 7, 2017}}</ref> Ovechkin finished the 2016–17 season with 33 goals, leading the Capitals in goals for the twelfth straight season.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Washington Capitals Franchise Index|url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/WSH/|website=Hockey-Reference.com|access-date=April 12, 2017|archive-date=April 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170426040435/http://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/WSH/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the [[2017 Stanley Cup playoffs|2017 playoffs]], the Capitals defeated the eighth-seeded [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] in six games in the first round to set up a second consecutive showdown with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round. After falling behind 3–1 in the series, they battled back to force a game 7 at home, where they were eliminated 2–0, and lost their series 4–3.

After the 2017 playoffs, the Capitals were unable to retain a number of players, losing [[Kevin Shattenkirk]], [[Karl Alzner]], [[Justin Williams]], and [[Daniel Winnik]] to free agency, and budding young defenseman [[Nate Schmidt]] to the [[2017 NHL expansion draft]]. In addition, to get under the cap, the Capitals shipped [[Marcus Johansson (ice hockey, born 1990)|Marcus Johansson]] to the [[New Jersey Devils]].

[[File:Alex Ovechkin with Stanley Cup.jpg|thumb|upright|Ovechkin with the [[Stanley Cup]] at the [[National Mall]], following the [[2018 Stanley Cup Finals]].]]
Despite a slow 5–6–1 start, which extended out to 10–9–1, the Capitals caught fire in December, going 10–2–2, and were able to clinch the Metropolitan Division for a third straight year on April 1. They qualified for the [[2018 Stanley Cup playoffs]] for the 10th time in 11 years with their third straight division title and a second seed finish in the Eastern Conference.

In the 2018 playoffs, the Capitals were able to battle back from a 2–0 series deficit against the seventh-seeded [[Columbus Blue Jackets]] in the first round of the playoffs, winning four straight and beating the Blue Jackets in six games. They faced the Penguins again in the second round, and this time, on May 7, 2018, they were able to beat the Penguins in the second round with an overtime goal on the road in game 6 by [[Evgeny Kuznetsov]]. It marked the first time in 20 seasons that the Capitals made the conference finals and the first time in 24 seasons that they had defeated the Penguins in playoff series.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alex Ovechkin, Capitals put halt to 20-year East finals drought|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/23437778/alex-ovechkin-washington-capitals-end-20-year-east-finals-drought|work=ESPN|access-date=May 8, 2018|date=May 8, 2018}}</ref> The Capitals advanced to the [[2018 Stanley Cup Finals]] on May 23, after beating the top-seeded [[Tampa Bay Lightning]] in seven games after a 4–0 rout at [[Amalie Arena]] in Tampa.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/caps-blank-bolts-in-game-7-to-earn-trip-to-stanley-cup-final/c-298772490|title=Caps Blank Bolts in Game 7 to Earn Trip to Stanley Cup Final|website=NHL.com|date=May 24, 2018}}</ref> They then faced the expansion [[Vegas Golden Knights]] and overcame them in five games, including a 4–3 win in the decisive game 5 at [[T-Mobile Arena]] after [[Lars Eller]] scored with about seven minutes to go. Not only was it the Capitals' first Stanley Cup win, but it was also the first championship for a Washington, D.C. team in one of the four major North American sports leagues since the [[Washington Redskins]] defeated the [[Buffalo Bills]] 26 years beforehand in [[Super Bowl XXVI]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Capitals capture 1st Stanley Cup with 4-3 win over Golden Knights |url=http://abc7.com/sports/washington-capitals-win-1st-stanley-cup/3576033/ |website=abc7.com |access-date=June 8, 2018 |date=June 7, 2018}}</ref> Shortly after the Stanley Cup Finals, Barry Trotz resigned as the head coach of the Capitals, after negotiations for a contract extension fell through.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/18/sports/barry-trotz-resigns-washington-capitals.html|website=www.nytimes.com|date=June 18, 2018|access-date=April 23, 2023|publisher=The New York Times Company|title=Barry Trotz Leaves Washington Capitals After Winning Stanley Cup}}</ref> [[Todd Reirden]] was named as Trotz's replacement on June 29.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/capitals-get-their-guy-name-todd-reirden-new-head-coach|title=Capitals get their guy, name Todd Reirden new head coach|publisher=Lincoln Media|website=www.nbcsports.com|access-date=April 23, 2023|date=June 29, 2018}}</ref>

====Playoff struggles (2018–present)====
During the [[2018–19 NHL season|2018–19 season]], the Capitals clinched their fourth straight Metropolitan Division title and with that accomplishment, Washington became only the second organization in NHL history to win four consecutive division titles twice in their history (Boston Bruins from 1927–28 to 1930–31 and again from 1975–76 to 1978–79). The Capitals' previous streak was from the 2007–08 season to the 2010–11 season in the now-defunct [[Southeast Division (NHL)|Southeast Division]].<ref>{{cite web |title=It's not a Stanley Cup, but a fourth straight Metro crown still has meaning to Caps |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/its-not-stanley-cup-fourth-straight-metropolitan-crown-still-has-meaning-capitals |website=NBC Sports Washington |access-date=October 30, 2019 |date=April 4, 2019}}</ref> Despite having a nearly identical roster to the Stanley Cup season the season prior, in the [[2019 Stanley Cup playoffs|2019 playoffs]], the Capitals efforts to repeat as champions ultimately fell short, as they were eliminated in the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games having lost game 7 at home in double overtime 4–3.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hurricanes eliminate defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals in double-overtime Game 7 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/2019/04/24/nhl-playoffs-2019-carolina-hurricanes-eliminate-washington-capitals/3569150002/ |website=USA Today |access-date=October 30, 2019}}</ref>

In the [[2019–20 NHL season|2019–20 season]], the Capitals clinched another division title, but lost to the New York Islanders in the first round of the [[2020 Stanley Cup playoffs|2020 playoffs]].

The [[2020–21 NHL season|next season]] saw the Capitals finish second in the division, ultimately losing to the Boston Bruins in five games of the first round of the [[2021 Stanley Cup playoffs|2021 playoffs]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Capitals drop Game 5 to Bruins, make another first-round exit from the Stanley Cup playoffs|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/05/23/capitals-lose-game-5-bruins-eliminated-stanley-cup-playoffs/|access-date=May 24, 2021|issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

Following their third straight first round exit since their Stanley Cup win, the Capitals started the [[2021–22 NHL season|following season]] strong, holding first place through the Christmas break. However, they ended up falling to fourth place in the division, which was good enough for the second wild card, and was matched against the [[Presidents' Trophy]]-winning [[Florida Panthers]] in the first round of the [[2022 Stanley Cup playoffs|2022 playoffs]], falling to them in six games.

The [[2022–23 NHL season|2022–23 season]] saw the Capitals miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Following the season, the team and head coach [[Peter Laviolette]] agreed to mutually part ways.<ref>{{cite web |title=Capitals and Head Coach Peter Laviolette Agree to Part Ways |url=https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-and-head-coach-peter-laviolette-agree-to-part-ways/c-343551462 |website=NHL.com |access-date=April 15, 2023 |date=April 14, 2023}}</ref> The Capitals hired 41-year-old [[Spencer Carbery]] to be their new head coach on May 30, 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=Capitals Name Spencer Carbery Head Coach |url=https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-name-spencer-carbery-head-coach/c-344654136 |website=NHL.com |access-date=May 30, 2023 |date=May 30, 2023}}</ref>

In December 2023, [[Monumental Sports & Entertainment]] founder and team owner [[Ted Leonsis]] engaged in a non-binding partnership with Virginia governor [[Glenn Youngkin]] to move the Capitals and [[Washington Wizards]] to a planned arena in [[Potomac Yard]] in [[Alexandria, Virginia]], by 2028.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gulitti |first1=Tom |title=Capitals' ownership interested in move to proposed arena in Virginia |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/washington-capitals-interested-in-move-to-proposed-virginia-arena |website=NHL.com |access-date=December 15, 2023 |date=December 13, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Fortier |first1=Sam |last2=Armus |first2=Teo |title=Monumental, Youngkin announce deal to move Caps, Wizards to Virginia |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/12/13/capitals-wizards-move-alexandria-potomac-yard/ |access-date=December 13, 2023 |issn=0190-8286 |date=December 13, 2023}}</ref> The structure would be part of an arts and entertainment district at the site, which would include a practice facility, restaurants, an esports venue, concert hall, and a new headquarters for Monumental.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DC leaders offer half a billion dollars to renovate Capital One Arena amid rumors of sports teams moving to Virginia |url=https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/dc-leaders-introduce-legislation-spend-500-million-help-renovate-capital-one-arena/65-d8286665-3529-4fa3-8a62-e4fa42df97ca |access-date=December 13, 2023 |website=wusa9.com |date=December 13, 2023}}</ref> In March 2024, after officials in Alexandria announced that the $2 billion entertainment and sports complex plans were scrapped, Washington mayor [[Muriel Bowser]] announced she has signed a deal with both teams' majority owner, Ted Leonsis, to keep the Capitals and Wizards in the District "at least until 2050."<ref>{{cite web |last1=DiMargo |first1=Carissa |title=Washington Wizards, Capitals make deal to stay in DC after Alexandria plan is scrapped |url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/northern-virginia/monumental-move-dead-caps-wizards-not-moving-to-alexandria/3577653/ |website=NBC4 Washington |access-date=March 29, 2024 |date=March 27, 2024}}</ref> The Capitals clinched the [[2024 Stanley Cup playoffs|2024 playoffs]] by beating the Philadelphia Flyers on April 16, finishing with a 40–31–11 record and the second wild card spot.<ref>{{cite web |title=Oshie scores game-winner into empty net as Capitals make playoffs by beating the Flyers 2-1 |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap/_/gameId/401560525 |website=ESPN.com |date=April 16, 2024 |access-date=August 20, 2024}}</ref> They were swept by the Presidents' Trophy-winning New York Rangers in the first round.

On July 8, 2024, the Capitals announced that [[Chris Patrick (ice hockey)|Chris Patrick]] would be promoted to general manager, with MacLellan retaining his position as president of hockey operations.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gulitti |first=Tom |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/chris-patrick-named-washington-gm-brian-maclellan-remains-president |title=Patrick named Capitals general manager, MacLellan remains president of hockey operations |website=NHL.com |date=July 8, 2024 |access-date=July 8, 2024}}</ref>

During the [[2024–25 NHL season|2024–25 season]], Ovechkin broke [[Wayne Gretzky]]'s regular season goal record of 894, with his 895th career goal in a 4–1 loss to the New York Islanders on April 6, 2025.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gulitti |first1=Tom |title=Ovechkin becomes NHL's all-time goals leader with No. 895 |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/alex-ovechkin-passes-wayne-gretzky-for-nhl-goals-record |website=NHL.com |access-date=April 6, 2025 |date=April 6, 2025}}</ref> The Capitals also clinched their sixth Metropolitan Division title and the first seed in the Eastern Conference.