The Washington Capitals are the hottest team in the National Hockey League (NHL), but it has not always been this way. In their 50th season as a franchise, they have only won one Stanley Cup trophy. To put this into perspective, the Montreal Canadiens have 24 Stanley Cups in 114 seasons. Despite the lack of franchise success, the Caps are one of the most intriguing teams in the league.
The Intrigue is mainly due to the soon to be greatest goalscorer of all time, Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin was drafted by the Caps with the first pick in the 2004 NHL draft and has been their best player for his entire career. Prior to the draft, the Capitals had only reached the Stanley Cup Finals once. Ovechkin was not only a huge player for the Capitals, but he has played the largest role in the expansion of the Capitals fanbase. The team brings a fight and passion to the nation’s capital that no other team has been able to.
Out of all the sports teams in the DC area, the Capitals have had the most success in the last two decades and continue to play a vital role in the community. When the Capitals officially broke through in 2018 to win the finals, the entire community came together to celebrate. The team has left a lasting impression on many students at our school as well.
“The support from the kids at our school is off the charts. I always see people posting at the game whenever there’s a home game,” senior Andrew Vanhouten said.
“There is a really large fanbase at our school, and I always see people repping the team,” senior Ella Radus said.
The fanbase for the Capitals continues to grow over time, and it continues to show at our school. The Capitals go out there every other night and put on a show for the fans. Win or lose, you know they are going to put up a fight and the fans are always with them.
“The Capitals embody the DMV because they go and play their hearts out each night,” Vanhouten said.
As one of the newer franchises in the NHL, the Capitals have a large fanbase that continues to grow and a team that continues to create history.
