Editing Washington Capitals (section)

====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>