The Fourth Line

Lore & Background

The franchise was founded in 1974 as an expansion team, alongside the Kansas City Scouts, and struggled throughout its first eight years of existence. Beginning in 1982, with a core of players such as Mike Gartner, Rod Langway, Larry Murphy, and Scott Stevens, they became a regular playoff contender for the next 14 seasons. After purchasing the team in 1999, Leonsis revitalized the franchise by drafting star players such as Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson, Braden Holtby, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson.

In the 2009–10 season, the Capitals won the franchise's first Presidents' Trophy for being the team with the most points at the end of the regular season. They won it a second time in 2015–16, and for a third time the following season in 2016–17. In addition to division titles and three Presidents' Trophies, the Capitals have reached the Stanley Cup Final in 1998 and 2018, winning the latter in five games against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Reader's Guide

The Capitals have retired the use of four numbers in honor of four players. In addition, the team holds an association with a number of individuals inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. The Capitals are affiliated with two minor league teams: the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League and the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL.

Did You Know?

• The Capitals' inaugural season in 1974–75 set NHL records in futility, finishing with a 8–67–5 record.
• The team name was decided via a contest in which 12,000 entries were given to owner Abe Pollin.
• In 1978, the Capitals traded for Dennis Maruk, who scored 50 goals in 1980–81 and 60 goals in 1981–82.
• The Capitals' 1987 playoff series against the Islanders featured the Easter Epic, a game that ended at 1:56 am on Easter Sunday.