The Washington Capitals are an NHL team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference. They were founded in 1974 as an expansion team and played at the Capital Centre before moving to Capital One Arena in 1997. The team is owned by Ted Leonsis through Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
After early struggles, the franchise improved in the 1980s and became a consistent playoff team. Since 1999, the team has been built around stars like Alexander Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals won Presidents’ Trophies in 2010, 2016, and 2017. The team is affiliated with the Hershey Bears (AHL) and South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL). Four jersey numbers have been retired in honor of former players.
Washington Capitals NHL Playoff History and Appearances
The Washington Capitals have made the NHL playoffs 33 times in 49 completed seasons. They played at the Capital Centre until 1997, then moved to Capital One Arena. The team reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1997–98 and 2017–18, winning the Cup in 2018.
Their first playoff appearance was in 1982–83, beginning a 13-season playoff streak. They won the Eastern Conference in 1997–98 and three Presidents' Trophies (2010, 2016, 2017). The Capitals moved to the Metropolitan Division in 2013 and won their first Stanley Cup in their 44th season.
The table below explores the Washington Capitals' playoff history alongside their total number of appearances:
| Year | Result |
| 2024 | Lost First Round |
| 2023 | Missed Playoffs |
| 2022 | Lost First Round |
| 2021 | Lost First Round |
| 2020 | Lost First Round |
| 2019 | Lost First Round |
| 2018 | Won Stanley Cup Final |
| 2017 | Lost Conference Semi-Finals |
| 2016 | Lost Conference Semi-Finals |
| 2015 | Lost Conference Semi-Finals |
| 2014 | Missed Playoffs |
| 2013 | Lost First Round |
| 2012 | Lost Conference Semi-Finals |
| 2011 | Lost Conference Semi-Finals |
| 2010 | Lost First Round |
| 2009 | Lost Conference Semi-Finals |
| 2008 | Lost First Round |
| 2007 | Missed Playoffs |
| 2006 | Missed Playoffs |
| 2004 | Missed Playoffs |
| 2003 | Lost First Round |
| 2002 | Missed Playoffs |
| 2001 | Lost First Round |
| 2000 | Lost First Round |
| 1999 | Missed Playoffs |
| 1998 | Lost Stanley Cup Final |
| 1997 | Missed Playoffs |
| 1996 | Lost First Round |
| 1995 | Lost First Round |
| 1994 | Lost Conference Semi-Finals |
| 1993 | Lost First Round |
| 1992 | Lost First Round |
| 1991 | Lost Conference Semi-Finals |
| 1990 | Lost Conference Finals |
| 1989 | Lost First Round |
| 1988 | Lost Conference Semi-Finals |
| 1987 | Lost First Round |
| 1986 | Lost Conference Semi-Finals |
| 1985 | Lost First Round |
| 1984 | Lost Conference Semi-Finals |
| 1983 | Lost First Round |
| 1982 | Missed Playoffs |
| 1981 | Missed Playoffs |
| 1980 | Missed Playoffs |
| 1979 | Missed Playoffs |
| 1978 | Missed Playoffs |
| 1977 | Missed Playoffs |
| 1976 | Missed Playoffs |
| 1975 | Missed Playoffs |
Read More: Washington Capitals Stanley Cup Wins
Washington Capitals Conference History
The Washington Capitals play under the Eastern Conference and have reached the Eastern Conference Finals (formerly known as the Wales Conference Finals) three times in their franchise history. Looking deeply, in 1990, they made it to the Finals for the first time but lost against the Boston Bruins in a four-game sweep. Next, in 1997, they again reached the Eastern Conference Finals, this time by beating the Buffalo Sabres in the conference finals before falling short against the Detroit Red Wings in a four-game sweep. Notably, in 2018, they returned to the Eastern Conference Finals and defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they won their first championship by defeating the Vegas Golden Knights.
The table below explores the Washington Capitals' Conference History alongside their finals' performances:
| NHL Season | Conference | Result |
| 2023-24 | Eastern | Lost First Round to New York Rangers, 0–4 |
| 2022–23 | Eastern | Did not qualify |
| 2021–22 | Eastern | Lost First round to Florida Panthers, 2–4 |
| 2020–21 | — | Lost First round to Boston Bruins, 1–4 |
| 2019–20 | Eastern | Lost First round to New York Islanders, 1–4 |
| 2018–19 | Eastern | Lost First round to Carolina Hurricanes, 3–4 |
| 2017–18 | Eastern | Won Stanley Cup Finals vs. Vegas Golden Knights, 4–1 |
| 2016–17 | Eastern | Lost Second Round to Pittsburgh Penguins, 3–4 |
| 2015–16 | Eastern | Lost Second Round to Pittsburgh Penguins, 2–4 |
| 2014–15 | Eastern | Lost Second Round to New York Rangers, 3–4 |
| 2013–14 | Eastern | Did not qualify |
| 2012–13 | Eastern | Lost conference quarterfinals to New York Rangers, 3–4 |
| 2011–12 | Eastern | Lost Conference semifinals to New York Rangers, 3–4 |
| 2010–11 | Eastern | Lost Conference semifinals to Tampa Bay Lightning, 0–4 |
| 2009–10 | Eastern | Lost conference quarterfinals to Montreal Canadiens, 3–4 |
| 2008–09 | Eastern | Lost Conference semifinals to Pittsburgh Penguins, 3–4 |
| 2007–08 | Eastern | Lost conference quarterfinals to Philadelphia Flyers, 3–4 |
| 2006–07 | Eastern | Did not qualify |
| 2005–06 | Eastern | Did not qualify |
| 2003–04 | Eastern | Did not qualify |
| 2002–03 | Eastern | Lost conference quarterfinals to Tampa Bay Lightning, 2–4 |
| 2001–02 | Eastern | Did not qualify |
| 2000–01 | Eastern | Lost conference quarterfinals to Pittsburgh Penguins, 2–4 |
| 1999–2000 | Eastern | Lost conference quarterfinals to Pittsburgh Penguins, 1–4 |
| 1998–99 | Eastern | Did not qualify |
| 1997–98 | Eastern | Lost Stanley Cup Finals to Detroit Red Wings, 0–4 |
| 1996–97 | Eastern | Did not qualify |
| 1995–96 | Eastern | Lost conference quarterfinals to Pittsburgh Penguins, 2–4 |
| 1994–95 | Eastern | Lost conference quarterfinals to Pittsburgh Penguins, 3–4 |
| 1993–94 | Eastern | Lost Conference semifinals to New York Rangers, 1–4 |
| 1992–93 | Wales | Lost Division semifinals to New York Islanders, 2–4 |
| 1991–92 | Wales | Lost Division semifinals to Pittsburgh Penguins, 3–4 |
| 1990–91 | Wales | Lost Division finals to Pittsburgh Penguins, 1–4 |
| 1989–90 | Wales | Lost Conference finals to Boston Bruins, 0–4 |
| 1988–89 | Wales | Lost Division semifinals to Philadelphia Flyers, 2–4 |
| 1987–88 | Wales | Lost Division finals to New Jersey Devils, 3–4 |
| 1986–87 | Wales | Lost Division semifinals to New York Islanders, 3–4 |
| 1985–86 | Wales | Lost Division finals to New York Rangers, 2–4 |
| 1984–85 | Wales | Lost Division semifinals to New York Islanders, 2–3 |
| 1983–84 | Wales | Lost Division finals to New York Islanders, 1–4 |
| 1982–83 | Wales | Lost Division semifinals to New York Islanders, 1–3 |
| 1981–82 | Wales | Did not qualify |
| 1980–81 | Campbell | Did not qualify |
| 1979–80 | Campbell | Did not qualify |
| 1978–79 | Wales | Did not qualify |
| 1977–78 | Wales | Did not qualify |
| 1976–77 | Wales | Did not qualify |
| 1975–76 | Wales | Did not qualify |
| 1974–75 | Wales | Did not qualify |
Washington Capitals Division History
The Washington Capitals have won 14 division championships since their founding in 1974. They missed the playoffs in their early years and had their first appearance in 1983. From 2008 to 2024, they made the playoffs in 14 of 17 seasons. Their peak came in 2018 when they won the Stanley Cup. In the past six seasons (2019–2024), they were eliminated in the First Round five times and missed the playoffs once (2023). Their longest playoff streak was 14 consecutive seasons from 2008 to 2021.
The table below explores the Washington Capitals' division history throughout the years with their regular season results:
| NHL Season | Division | Regular Season Record |
| 2023-24 | Metropolitan | 40-31-11 |
| 2022–23 | Metropolitan | 35-37-10 |
| 2021–22 | Metropolitan | 44-26-12 |
| 2020–21 | East | 36-15-5 |
| 2019–20 | Metropolitan | 41-20-8 |
| 2018–19 | Metropolitan | 48-26-8 |
| 2017–18 | Metropolitan | 49-26-7 |
| 2016–17 | Metropolitan | 55-19-8 |
| 2015–16 | Metropolitan | 56-18-8 |
| 2014–15 | Metropolitan | 45-26-11 |
| 2013–14 | Metropolitan | 38-30-14 |
| 2012–13 | Southeast | 27-18-3 |
| 2011–12 | Southeast | 42-32-8 |
| 2010–11 | Southeast | 48-23-11 |
| 2009–10 | Southeast | 54-15-13 |
| 2008–09 | Southeast | 50-24-8 |
| 2007–08 | Southeast | 43-31-8 |
| 2006–07 | Southeast | 28-40-14 |
| 2005–06 | Southeast | 29-41-12 |
| 2003–04 | Southeast | 23-46-10-3 |
| 2002–03 | Southeast | 39-29-8-6 |
| 2001–02 | Southeast | 36-33-11-2 |
| 2000–01 | Southeast | 41-27-10-4 |
| 1999–2000 | Southeast | 44-24-12-2 |
| 1998–99 | Southeast | 31-45-6 |
| 1997–98 | Atlantic | 40-30-12 |
| 1996–97 | Atlantic | 33-40-9 |
| 1995–96 | Atlantic | 39-32-11 |
| 1994–95 | Atlantic | 22-18-8 |
| 1993–94 | Atlantic | 39-35-10 |
| 1992–93 | Patrick | 43-34-7 |
| 1991–92 | Patrick | 45-27-8 |
| 1990–91 | Patrick | 37-36-7 |
| 1989–90 | Patrick | 36-38-6 |
| 1988–89 | Patrick | 41-29-10 |
| 1987–88 | Patrick | 38-33-9 |
| 1986–87 | Patrick | 38-32-10 |
| 1985–86 | Patrick | 50-23-7 |
| 1984–85 | Patrick | 46-25-9 |
| 1983–84 | Patrick | 48-27-5 |
| 1982–83 | Patrick | 39-25-16 |
| 1981–82 | Patrick | 26-41-13 |
| 1980–81 | Patrick | 26-36-18 |
| 1979–80 | Patrick | 27-40-13 |
| 1978–79 | Norris | 24-41-15 |
| 1977–78 | Norris | 17-49-14 |
| 1976–77 | Norris | 24-42-14 |
| 1975–76 | Norris | 11-59-10 |
| 1974–75 | Norris | 8-67-5 |
FAQs on Washington Capitals
A. The Washington Capitals have only one Stanley Cup to their name, having won it under the leadership of Alex Ovechkin in 2018.
A. The Washington Capitals were established in 1974 as an expansion team.
A. Barry Trotz helped the team win its first Stanley Cup in 2018.
A. The general manager of the Washington Capitals is Chris Patrick.
A. They have two minor league team affiliations: the Hershey Bears in the AHL and the South Carolina Stingrays in the ECHL.
