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Washington Caps

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The Washington Caps were an American Basketball Association team from 1969 through 1970. The franchise had previously been the Oakland Oaks . From 1970 through 1976 the team played as the Virginia Squires .

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146-659: With the formation of the ABA in February 1967 a team was awarded to Oakland, California for $ 30,000 with singer Pat Boone as primary owner. The team was originally the Oakland Americans but the name was eventually changed to the Oakland Oaks . NBA superstar Rick Barry signed with the Oaks, as did Steve Jones and Levern Tart . Barry, however, was prevented from playing in the ABA due to

292-407: A 'lease' which turned out to be a mortgage against the 19,000-acre rancho. The lands became Carpentier's when Peralta refused to repay the loan he believed was fraudulently incurred. The Peraltas had no choice but to abandon the homesite they had occupied for two generations." In 1851, three men— Horace Carpentier , Edson Adams, and Andrew Moon—began developing what is now downtown Oakland. In 1852,

438-522: 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

584-505: 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

730-439: 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

876-603: A conference final and the first time in 24 seasons that they had defeated the Penguins in playoff series. 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. They then faced the expansion Vegas Golden Knights and overcame them in five games, including a 4–3 win in the decisive game five at T-Mobile Arena after Lars Eller scored with about seven minutes to go. Not only

1022-802: A deal with both teams' majority owner, Ted Leonsis, to keep the Capitals and Wizards in the District "at least until 2050." The Capitals clinched a 2024 playoffs berth by beating the Philadelphia Flyers on April 16, finishing with a 40–31–11 record and the second wild card spot. 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 would be promoted to general manager, with MacLellan retaining his position as president of hockey operations. The team practiced for many years at

1168-704: A disproportionate death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic and Delta cron hybrid variant within the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2023, prior to and during the Covid pandemic, Oakland became the first city in American history to lose three professional major league sports teams to other cities within a span of five years. Oakland is in the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay . The United States Census Bureau says

1314-476: A few points out of the Stanley Cup playoffs ; in 1980 and 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 , Ryan Walter , Mike Gartner , Bengt Gustafsson , Gaetan Duchesne , and Bobby Carpenter ) would impact the team for years to come, either as important members of

1460-426: 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

1606-583: A goal by Joe Juneau) en route to the team's first 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

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1752-505: 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. In the 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

1898-472: A lawsuit brought by his former NBA team (regarding enforcement of the reserve clause in his contract), so he spent the season as an Oaks radio announcer instead of as a player. The Oaks won the very first ABA game in 1967 (a 132–129 victory against the Anaheim Amigos on October 3, 1967. After Barry returned in the 1967–68 season, they breezed through the regular season then won the 1969 ABA Championship over

2044-484: A linemate of Jagr's from Pittsburgh. Washington returned to the playoffs in 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

2190-553: A loss to the Islanders in the Patrick 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 was beaten on a Pat LaFontaine shot from the blue line. For the 1989 playoff push, Gartner and Murphy were traded to

2336-496: A marsh-lined wildlife haven, Lake Merritt was dredged and bordered with parks from the 1890s to the 1910s. Despite this reduction in habitat, Oakland is home to a number of rare and endangered species, many of which are localized to serpentine soils and bedrock. Lake Merritt is surrounded by residential and business districts, including downtown and Grand Lake . The city of Piedmont , incorporated in Oakland's central foothills after

2482-588: A new plant there, Oakland had become known as the " Detroit of the West," referring to the major auto manufacturing center in Michigan. Oakland expanded during the 1920s, as its population expanded with factory workers. Approximately 13,000 homes were built in the 3 years between 1921 and 1924, more than during the 13 years between 1907 and 1920. Many of the large downtown office buildings, apartment buildings, and single-family houses still standing in Oakland were built during

2628-685: 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 . 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 season along with

2774-622: A planned arena in Potomac Yard in Alexandria, Virginia , by 2028. 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. 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

2920-717: A population of 440,646 in 2020. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the most populous city in the East Bay, the third most populous city in the Bay Area, and the eighth most populous city in California. It serves as the Bay Area's trade center: the Port of Oakland is the busiest port in Northern California , and the fifth- or sixth-busiest in the United States. A charter city , Oakland

3066-515: A power-play goal by Tampa Bay. In the 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 All-Star team . The Caps tried to trade Jagr, but as only one year

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3212-429: A regular playoff contender for the next fourteen 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 , Tom Wilson and Evgeny Kuznetsov . The 2009–10 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

3358-534: A resource when its hillside oak and redwood timber were logged to build San Francisco . The fertile flatland soils helped it become a prolific agricultural region. In the 1850s, what became the first campus of the University of California was founded in Oakland, and Oakland was selected as the western terminal of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869. The following year, Oakland's Lake Merritt became

3504-411: 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,

3650-528: A rink at Piney Orchard, Maryland , when they played at the Capital Centre in Landover. They continued to practice at that rink for several years after moving to Capital One Arena in downtown Washington . However, following his purchase of the team in 1999, Ted Leonsis made plans to open a new practice facility. In 2006, the new facility opened on top of a renovated parking garage and entertainment center, known as

3796-539: A second time in 2015–16 , and for a third time the following season in 2016–17 . In addition to 13 division titles and three Presidents' Trophies, the Capitals have reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998 and 2018 , winning the latter in five games against the Vegas Golden Knights . The Capitals have retired the use of four numbers in honor of four players. In addition, the team holds an association with

3942-544: A second-place tie with the New York Islanders in the Metropolitan Division during the 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

4088-437: A single season. This series is also famous for Esa Tikkanen 's missed open net goal in Game 2. After their 1998 championship run, the Capitals finished the 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 AOL executive Ted Leonsis . The Capitals went on to win back-to-back Southeast Division titles in 2000 and 2001, yet both years lost in

4234-494: A small epidemic of Pneumonic plague which killed a dozen people in Oakland. This started when a man went hunting in Contra Costa Valley and killed a squirrel. After eating the squirrel, he fell ill four days later and another household member contracted the plague. This in turn was passed on either directly or indirectly to about a dozen others. The officials in Oakland acted quickly by issuing death certificates to monitor

4380-631: A solid record in their real home games, the Caps finished the season with 44 wins and 40 losses. The Caps' record put them in third place in the Western Division, 7 games behind the Denver Rockets and one game behind the Dallas Chaparrals . In the 1970 ABA Playoffs the Caps faced the Denver Rockets in the Western Division semifinals and took the series to seven games before losing 143–119 in

4526-614: A stream that enters the San Francisco Bay at Emeryville . In 1772, the area that later became Oakland was colonized, along with the rest of California, by Spanish settlers for the king of Spain . In the early 19th century, the Spanish crown granted the East Bay area to Luis María Peralta for his Rancho San Antonio . The grant was confirmed by the successor Mexican republic upon its independence from Spain. Upon his death in 1842, Peralta divided his land among his four sons. Most of Oakland

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4672-506: A total of US$ 57 million during the 2001–2011 timeframe to plaintiffs claiming police abuse; this is the largest sum paid by any city in California. On October 10, 2011, protesters and civic activists began " Occupy Oakland " demonstrations at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Downtown Oakland . African-Americans dropped to 28% of Oakland's population in 2010, from nearly half in 1980, due to fast-rising rents and an extreme housing crisis in

4818-456: A vacant three-bedroom house in West Oakland. The group, calling themselves Moms 4 Housing , said their goal was to protest what they said was a large number of vacant houses in Oakland owned by redevelopment companies while the city experienced a housing crisis. Two months later they were evicted from the house by three dozen sheriff's deputies, as hundreds of supporters demonstrated in favor of

4964-763: Is WJFK-FM (106.7 FM); commentators are John Walton and Ken Sabourin . The team's radio network consists of stations in Washington, Virginia , Maryland , West Virginia , Pennsylvania , and North Carolina . Mike Vogel has been covering the team online for the Washington Capitals on its website since the 1995–96 season, writing daily game stories and analysis. Vogel, who also participates in podcasts and in-stadium video presentations as well as guesting on various Washington DC radio and television programs, has been described as "the most interesting man in Caps media". WTOP-TV (channel 9) picked up television coverage for

5110-411: Is far enough inland that the fog often burns off by midday, allowing it to have typically sunny California days. The hills tend to have more fog than the flatlands, as the fog drifts down from Berkeley . The U.S. Weather Bureau kept weather records in downtown Oakland from October 4, 1894, to July 31, 1958. During that time, the record high temperature was 104 °F (40 °C) on June 24, 1957, and

5256-487: 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. 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. Ovechkin finished

5402-417: Is the only beach in Oakland. Oaklanders refer to their city's terrain as "the flatlands" and "the hills" . Until recent waves of gentrification, these terms also symbolized Oakland's deep economic divide, with "the hills" being more affluent communities. About two-thirds of Oakland lies in the flat plain of the East Bay, with one-third rising into the foothills and hills of the East Bay range. Ruptures along

5548-489: Is typified by the temperate and seasonal Mediterranean climate. Summers are usually dry and warm and winters are cool and damp. It has features found in both nearby coastal cities such as San Francisco and inland cities such as San Jose , making it warmer than San Francisco and cooler than San Jose. Its position on San Francisco Bay across from the Bay Bridge means the northern part of the city can have cooling maritime fog . It

5694-527: The 2019–20 season , the Capitals clinched another division title, but lost to the New York Islanders in the first round of the 2020 playoffs . The next season the Capitals finished second in the division, ultimately losing to the Boston Bruins in five games of the first round of the 2021 playoffs . Following their third straight first round exit since their Stanley Cup win, the Capitals started

5840-772: The Ballston Quarter , in the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington County, Virginia . The practice facility is known as the MedStar Capitals Iceplex . Monumental Sports Network (MSN) has carried Capitals games locally since its founding as Home Team Sports (HTS) in 1984. The channel was later rebranded into Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic (CSN) from 2001 through 2017, and then NBC Sports Washington from 2017 to 2023. MSN's commentators are Joe Beninati , Craig Laughlin , "Inside-the-Glass" reporter Alan May , and rinkside reporter Al Koken . The Capitals' flagship radio station

5986-509: The Black Panther Party at Merritt College (then located at a former high school on Grove Street, now occupied by Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute ), which emphasized Black nationalism , advocated armed self-defense against police, and was involved in several incidents that ended in the deaths of police officers and other Black Panther members. Among their social programs were feeding children and providing other services to

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6132-708: The Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland , before moving to the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., in 1997. The franchise was founded in 1974 as an expansion team, alongside the Kansas City Scouts , and struggled throughout its first eight years of existence. In 1982 , David Poile was hired as general manager, helping to turn the team's fortunes around. With a core of players such as Mike Gartner , Rod Langway , Larry Murphy , and Scott Stevens , they became

6278-616: The College of California , and in 1869, the first campus of the University of California . The university moved just north to Berkeley in the 1870s. During the 1850s, just as gold was discovered in California, Oakland started growing and further developing because land was becoming too expensive in San Francisco . People in China were struggling financially as a result of the First Opium War ,

6424-557: The Indiana Pacers in the playoffs. However, the Bank of America was threatening to foreclose on a $ 1.2 million loan to the team and in August, 1969, a group of investors led by real estate attorney Earl Foreman bought the team and moved it to Washington, D.C., for the upcoming season. With the move came a new identity for the team as the green and gold clad Washington Caps. Al Bianchi replaced

6570-473: The Jim Crow South carried their racial attitudes, causing tensions to rise among black and white workers competing for better-paying jobs in the Bay Area. The racial harmony Oakland African-Americans had been accustomed to prior to the war evaporated. Also migrating to the area during this time were many Mexican Americans from southwestern states such as New Mexico , Texas , and Colorado . Many worked for

6716-599: The Kansas City Scouts . The Capitals were owned by Abe Pollin (also owner of the National Basketball Association 's Washington Bullets/Wizards ). Pollin had built the 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 Hall of Famer Milt Schmidt as general manager. With a combined 30 teams between

6862-544: 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 Wales Conference Finals in 1990 , but went down in a four-game sweep at the hands of the first-place Boston Bruins . From 1990–91 to 1995–96 , the Capitals would lose in either

7008-492: 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

7154-618: The Oakland Hills . East Oakland, which includes the East Oakland Hills, encompasses more than half of Oakland's land area, stretching from Lakeshore Avenue on the east shore of Lake Merritt southeast to the San Leandro border. North Oakland encompasses the neighborhoods between downtown and Berkeley and Emeryville . West Oakland is the area between downtown and the Bay, partially surrounded by

7300-732: The Oakland Museum (established 1970). Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps ) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference and are owned by Ted Leonsis through Monumental Sports & Entertainment . The team initially played its home games at

7446-552: The Oakland Point , and encompassing the Port of Oakland . In 2011, Oakland was ranked the tenth most walkable city in the United States by Walk Score . Lake Merritt, an urban estuary near downtown, is a mix of fresh and salt water draining in and out from the Oakland Harbor at the San Francisco Bay and one of Oakland's most notable features. It was designated the United States' first official wildlife refuge in 1870. Originally

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7592-468: The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge also sustained damage and was closed to traffic for one month. On October 20, 1991, a massive firestorm swept down from the Berkeley /Oakland hills above the Caldecott Tunnel. Twenty-five people were killed, 150 people were injured, and nearly 4,000 homes destroyed. With the loss of life and an estimated economic loss of US$ 1.5 billion, this was the worst urban firestorm in American history, until 2017. During

7738-404: The Second Opium War , and the Taiping Rebellion , so they began migrating to Oakland, many of whom were recruited to work on railroads. However, the Chinese struggled to settle because they were discriminated against by the white community and their living quarters were burned down on several occasions. The city and its environs quickly grew with the railroads, becoming a major rail terminal in

7884-411: The Southern Pacific Railroad , at its major rail yard in West Oakland. Their young men encountered hostility and discrimination by Armed Forces personnel, and tensions broke out in " zoot suit riots " in downtown Oakland in 1943 in the wake of a major disturbance in Los Angeles that year. In 1946, National City Lines (NCL), a General Motors holding company , acquired 64% of Key System stock; during

8030-531: The Virginia Squires . While the team would be based in Norfolk and play most of their games at the Norfolk Scope and the Old Dominion University Fieldhouse , they also played home games in Hampton at the Hampton Roads Coliseum , in Richmond at the Richmond Coliseum and in Roanoke at the Roanoke Civic Center . However, Roanoke was dropped from the list of "home" cities after only one season. The Squires' colors were red, white, and blue. The Squires would continue to play in every ABA season through 1976. At

8176-406: The 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 playoffs , falling to them in six games. The 2022–23 NHL season saw the Capitals miss the playoffs for

8322-426: The 1890s. The various streetcar companies operating in Oakland were acquired by Francis "Borax" Smith and consolidated into what eventually became known as the Key System , the predecessor of today's publicly owned AC Transit . Oakland was one of the worst affected cities in California that was impacted by the San Francisco plague of 1900–1904 . Quarantine measures were set in place at the Oakland ports requiring

8468-424: The 1906 earthquake, is a small independent city surrounded by the city of Oakland. Oakland has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen Csb ) with an average of 260 sunny days per year. In general, the city features warm, dry summers, and cool, wet winters. Based on data gathered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , Oakland is ranked No. 1 in climate among U.S. cities. Oakland's climate

8614-427: The 1920s; they reflect the architectural styles of the time. Russell Clifford Durant established Durant Field at 82nd Avenue and East 14th Street in 1916. The first transcontinental airmail flight finished its journey at Durant Field on August 9, 1920, flown by Army Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker and Navy Lt. Bert Acosta . Durant Field was often called Oakland Airport, though the current Oakland International Airport

8760-477: The 1950s California Supreme Court lawsuit Vallerga v. Dept. Alcoholic Bev. Control, when the bar challenged a state law for the right to serve gay patrons and won in 1959. In 1960, Kaiser Corporation opened its new headquarters; it was the largest skyscraper in Oakland, as well as "the largest office tower west of Chicago " up to that time. In the postwar period, suburban development increased around Oakland, and wealthier residents moved to new housing . Despite

8906-461: The 2016–17 season with 33 goals, leading the Capitals in goals for the twelfth straight season. In the 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 seven at home, where they were eliminated 2–0, and lost their series 4–3. After

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9052-414: 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 to the New Jersey Devils . Despite a slow 5–6–1 start, which extended out to 10–9–1,

9198-409: 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

9344-427: 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. 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

9490-422: The Capitals won the Southeast Division title for the first time since the 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

9636-534: The Capitals' first three seasons, covering 15 road games in the 1974–75 season. Sportscaster Warner Wolf was the commentator for the first season. Team radio broadcaster Ron Weber moved to the TV booth for telecasts in the second and third seasons. WTOP-TV's coverage was sporadic and poorly received, to the point of being called "revolting" by the Washington Post ; game broadcasts were scheduled around network commitments and often joined live in progress or tape-delayed entirely. Station management had little interest in

9782-452: 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 Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Capitals started the 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

9928-421: The Caps arrived at a time when the surrounding Near Northeast neighborhood was still recovering from the 1968 race riots . Fears that the neighborhood wasn't safe dragged down attendance. Due to the long travel distances involved in divisional play, the Caps played some home games in places like Wichita, Kansas and even Mexico City , Mexico but did not fare well in those supposed home games. However, due to

10074-412: The Caps for the second time in as many seasons. (However, the Caps name would be somewhat revived, this time for a National Hockey League expansion team called the Washington Capitals — also owned by Pollin — in 1974. Since then, the Capitals have been co-tenants with the Bullets/Wizards franchise at the Capital Centre and Capital One Arena .) Foreman decided to make the Caps a regional franchise,

10220-491: The Caps' dramatic turnaround ended any talk of the club leaving Washington. 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 , and Kevin Hatcher , Washington

10366-414: The Deep South: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas, as well as Missouri and Tennessee. Henry J. Kaiser 's representatives recruited sharecroppers and tenant farmers from rural areas to work in his shipyards. African Americans were part of the Great Migration by which five million persons left the South, mostly for the West, from 1940 to 1970. White migrants from

10512-760: The Fruitvale District, and included the Josiah Lusk Canning Company, the Oakland Preserving Company (which started the Del Monte brand), and the California Packing Company. President Franklin D. Roosevelt called on defense industries with government contracts to integrate their workforces and provide opportunities for all Americans. Tens of thousands of laborers came from around the country, especially poor whites and blacks from

10658-510: 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. 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,

10804-454: 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 . 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. The Capitals then advanced to

10950-634: 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. The 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

11096-542: The Oaks' place in the Western Division despite their move to the Eastern Seaboard. This kept them constantly on the road at faraway venues (their nearest divisional rivals, the New Orleans Buccaneers , were over 1,000 miles away) and the travel and time differential took its toll on their play. Playing at Washington Coliseum their average attendance was 2,992 fans per game. In a case of exceptionally bad timing,

11242-454: The Presidents' Trophy-winning Rangers in the Second Round for the third time in four years. 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

11388-515: 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 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

11534-544: The Southeast Division, thereby earning the third seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Unfortunately for Washington, the Capitals' playoff woes continued as they again fell to the Rangers in seven games. In the 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

11680-551: The State Board of Health and the United States Public Health Service were only allotted about $ 60,000 a year to eradicate the disease. During this period Oakland did not have sufficient health facilities, so some of the infected patients were treated at home. The State Board of Health along with Oakland also advised physicians to promptly report any cases of infected patients. Yet, in 1919 it still resulted in

11826-530: The Town of Oakland was incorporated by the state legislature. During this time, Oakland had 75–100 inhabitants, two hotels, a wharf, two warehouses, and only cattle trails. Two years later, on March 25, 1854, Oakland re-incorporated as the City of Oakland. Horace Carpentier was elected the first mayor, though a scandal ended his mayorship in less than a year. In 1853, a preparatory academy was founded in Oakland that soon became

11972-442: The United States' first officially designated wildlife refuge, now a National Historic Landmark . Following the catastrophic 1906 San Francisco earthquake , many San Francisco citizens moved to Oakland, enlarging the population, increasing its housing stock, and improving its infrastructure. It continued to grow in the 20th century with its port, shipyards , and manufacturing industry. In the 21st century, between 2019 and 2023, after

12118-555: The area defined as the Central Business District in Oakland's 1998 General Plan. Brown's plan and other redevelopment projects were controversial due to potential rent increases and gentrification , which would displace lower-income residents from downtown Oakland into outlying neighborhoods and cities. Due to allegations of misconduct by the Oakland Police Department , the City of Oakland has paid claims for

12264-403: The authorities at the port to inspect the arriving vessels for the presence of infected rats. Quarantine authorities at these ports inspected over a thousand vessels per year for plague and yellow fever. By 1908, over 5,000 people were detained in quarantine. Hunters were sent to poison the affected areas in Oakland and shoot the squirrels, but the eradication work was limited in its range because

12410-411: The automobile industry went through restructuring, many jobs were lost. In addition, labor unrest increased as workers struggled to protect their livelihoods. Oakland was the center of a general strike during the first week of December 1946, one of six cities across the country that had such a strike after World War II. The Mary's First and Last Chance in Oakland was a lesbian bar, once the focus of

12556-797: The bay. On November 27, 1908, Homer took a ferry across the bay in a driving rainstorm and met for lunch with Frank and twenty three other businessmen at the Hotel Metropole at 13th and Jefferson. This gathering became the first meeting of the Tri-City Rotary Club, renamed in 1911 The Rotary Club of Oakland, the third Rotary Club in the world. This group established the tradition of weekly meetings, something most clubs worldwide follow today. In 1917, General Motors opened an automobile factory in East Oakland called Oakland Assembly . It produced Chevrolet cars and then GMC trucks until 1963, when it

12702-619: The city and county refused requests for hundreds of millions of dollars in benefits to the privately owned teams, Oakland lost three teams of the major North American sports leagues within a span of five years. The earliest known inhabitants of the area were the Huchiun natives, who lived there for thousands of years. The Huchiun belonged to a linguistic grouping later called the Ohlone (a Miwok word meaning "western people"). In Oakland, they were concentrated around Lake Merritt and Temescal Creek ,

12848-483: The city's total area is 78.0 square miles (202 km ), including 55.8 square miles (145 km ) of land and 22.2 square miles (57 km ) (28.48 percent) of water. Oakland's highest point is near Grizzly Peak Blvd, east of Berkeley, just over 1,760 feet (540 m) above sea level at about 37°52′43″N 122°13′27″W  /  37.8786°N 122.2241°W  / 37.8786; -122.2241 . Oakland has 19 miles (31 km) of shoreline, but Radio Beach

12994-414: The coaching reins late in the season. In 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

13140-775: The conclusion of the 1975–1976 season the Squires, having fallen on hard times, were unable to make a league-mandated financial assessment. The Squires were disbanded after the season but just prior to the ABA-NBA merger in June 1976. Oakland, California Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California . It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County , with

13286-702: The east (up to 30 inches [760 mm]), with nearly all precipitation falling between November and April. Overnight lows are mild. Oakland seldom experiences warm nights with the warmest recorded night of 72 °F (22 °C) in September 1971 and an average of 64 °F (18 °C) for the annual warmest low. The coldest day of the year averages a mild 50 °F (10 °C) and has never been recorded below 36 °F (2 °C). The National Weather Service today has two official weather stations in Oakland: Oakland International Airport and

13432-474: The eighth-seeded Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs after being up 3–1 in the series. The 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 , where they defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 3–1 at Heinz Field . However,

13578-460: The end of the 2011–12 season, the team's top two goaltenders, Michal Neuvirth and Tomas Vokoun , were injured and the Capitals were required to lean on their goaltending prospect Braden Holtby to help the team into the 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

13724-726: 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) MVP award in 1983. Moreover, Ovechkin

13870-499: The finale in Denver. Note: W = wins, L = losses, % = win–loss % After the conclusion of the 1969–1970 season the Caps were forced to move once again. At the time, merger talks with the NBA were underway, and the owner of the NBA's Baltimore Bullets , Abe Pollin , wanted to move his team to Washington, and didn't want the Caps there. The other ABA owners persuaded Foreman to move

14016-490: 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 and 1992–93 , they would lose in the first round to the Penguins and the Islanders, respectively. In 1993–94 , they won their first-round series against the Penguins but lost in the second round to the Rangers. In 1994–95 and 1995–96 , they lost in

14162-437: The first round both times to the Penguins. They would miss the playoffs in 1996–97 . In 1997–98 , as the Caps opened MCI Center , Peter Bondra 's 52 goals led the team, veterans Dale Hunter , Joe Juneau and Adam Oates returned to old form, and 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 six on

14308-536: The first round of the 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 Eastern Conference Semifinals in seven games. The Capitals finished the 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

14454-559: 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 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

14600-439: The first time since 2014. Following the season, the team and head coach Peter Laviolette agreed to mutually part ways. The Capitals hired 41-year-old Spencer Carbery to be their new head coach on May 30, 2023. 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

14746-517: The hiring of Barry Trotz as the new head coach. 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 . On January 1, 2015, the Washington Capitals defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3–2 in the annual NHL Winter Classic at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. The Capitals finished in

14892-591: The incorporation of California into the United States after the Mexican–American War . Camarillo claims the family was the victim of targeted racial violence . He writes in Chicanos in California , "They lost everything when squatters cut down their fruit trees, killed their cattle, destroyed their buildings, and even fenced off the roads leading to the rancho. Especially insidious were the actions of attorney Horace Carpentier , who tricked Vicente Peralta into signing

15038-522: The late 1860s and 1870s. In 1868, the Central Pacific constructed the Oakland Long Wharf at Oakland Point, the site of today's Port of Oakland . A number of horsecar and cable car lines were constructed in Oakland during the latter half of the 19th century. The first electric streetcar set out from Oakland to Berkeley in 1891, and other lines were converted and added over the course of

15184-525: 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

15330-467: 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 championship. They then defeated the New York Rangers in

15476-548: The lost season in Europe, including 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 and Jeff Friesen via trade. The Capitals finished the 2005–06 season in the cellar of the Southeastern Division again, with

15622-421: The major increases in the number and proportion of African Americans in the city, in 1966 only 16 of the city's 661 police officers were black. Tensions between the black community and the largely white police force were high, as expectations during the civil rights era increased to gain social justice and equality before the law. Police abuse of blacks was common. Students Huey Newton and Bobby Seale founded

15768-523: The mid-1990s, Oakland's economy began to recover as it transitioned to new types of jobs. In addition, the city participated in large development and urban renewal projects, concentrated especially in the downtown area, at the Port of Oakland , and at the Oakland International Airport . After his 1999 inauguration, Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown continued his predecessor Elihu Harris' public policy of supporting downtown housing development in

15914-477: The more proven Alex Hannum as head coach. A federal appeals court ruled in favor of the Caps regarding Barry, their top gate attraction, but he openly objected to playing in Washington, D.C., where the team butted heads with the NBA Baltimore Bullets and did not have a suitable arena to play home games. He sat out the first 32 games of the season, but the courts left him with no choice except to report to

16060-559: The nearby San Andreas Fault caused severe earth movement in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1906 and 1989. San Andreas quakes induces creep (movement occurring on earthquake faults) in the Hayward fault, which runs directly through Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose and other Bay Area cities. Oakland has more than 50 distinct neighborhoods. The city's greater divisions include downtown Oakland and its greater Central Business District , Lake Merritt , East Oakland , North Oakland , West Oakland , and

16206-403: The nearby town of Alameda being made an island. In 1906, the city's population doubled with refugees made homeless after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. In 1908, the lawyer, former miner, and newspaper owner Homer Wood (1880–1976) suggested to his friend Frank Bilger of Blake and Bilger Rock Quarry and Paving Company that he organize a gathering to establish a Rotary Club east of

16352-416: The needy. As in many other American cities during the 1980s, crack cocaine became a serious problem in Oakland. Drug dealing in general, and the dealing of crack cocaine in particular, resulted in elevated rates of violent crime, causing Oakland to consistently be listed as one of America's most crime-ridden cities. In 1980, Oakland's Black population reached its 20th-century peak at approximately 47% of

16498-494: The next several years NCL engaged in the conspiratorial dissolution of Oakland's electric streetcar system. The city's expensive electric streetcar fleet was converted to cheaper diesel buses. The state Legislature created the Alameda and Contra Costa Transit District in 1955, which operates today as AC Transit , the third-largest bus-only transit system in the nation. After the war, as Oakland's shipbuilding industry declined and

16644-454: The overall city population. The 6.9 M w Loma Prieta earthquake occurred on October 17, 1989. The rupture was related to the San Andreas fault system and affected the entire San Francisco Bay Area with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX ( Violent ). Many structures in Oakland were badly damaged including the double-decker portion of Interstate 880 that collapsed. The eastern span of

16790-515: 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,

16936-516: The record low temperature was 24 °F (−4 °C) on January 23, 1949. Dry, warm offshore "Diablo" winds (similar to the Santa Ana winds of Southern California) sometimes occur, especially in fall, and raise the fire danger. In 1991, such an episode allowed the catastrophic Oakland Hills fire to spread and consume many homes. Oakland, like much of Northern California, is susceptible to winter rainstorms and Atmospheric rivers . The wettest "rain year"

17082-603: The region. The city inspected warehouses and live/work spaces after a fire broke out in the Ghost Ship warehouse , killing 36 people in 2016. Oakland is the second U.S. city, after Denver , to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms . In June 2019, the City Council passed the resolution in a unanimous vote ending the investigation and imposition of criminal penalties for use and possession of natural entheogens . In November 2019, two homeless mothers and their children moved into

17228-471: 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 NHL that the league's leading scorer was traded in the middle of the season. The Capitals ended

17374-410: 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 1982 , however, there

17520-574: The season's All-Star Game , with Washington's campaign also seeing the breakout of Alexander Semin , who notched 38 goals in only his second NHL season. The Capitals signed Swedish phenom 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

17666-400: The season's midpoint. 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. After the season concluded, Boudreau's efforts were rewarded with a long-term contract extension. The accolades for the team continued to grow after

17812-462: 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. The lockout -shortened 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

17958-467: 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, and Mike Green 's league defensemen-leading 18 goals,

18104-481: 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

18250-467: 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 six by Evgeny Kuznetsov . It marked the first time in 20 seasons that the Capitals made

18396-439: The spread of plague. At the time of incorporation in 1852, Oakland had consisted of the territory that lay south of today's major intersection of San Pablo Avenue, Broadway, and Fourteenth Street. The city gradually annexed farmlands and settlements to the east and the north. Oakland's rise to industrial prominence, and its subsequent need for a seaport, led to the digging of a shipping and tidal channel in 1902. This resulted in

18542-414: The standings, resulting in them missing the playoffs for the first time since 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

18688-523: The team or sit out the season. Barry and Warren Armstrong participated in the ABA All Star game, but injuries limited their playing time for the season. In March 1970 the ABA-NBA merger appeared close at hand under conditions that would have required the Washington Caps to relocate, but a subsequent lawsuit derailed the merger until June 1976. In defiance of all geographic reality, the Caps assumed

18834-406: 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 category, finishing with five players in the top six in the league. Despite having a top-ranked regular season, Washington were defeated by

18980-440: The women. The incident received nationwide coverage. The company that owns the house later said they would sell it to a nonprofit affordable housing group. As of 2019, Oakland's per-capita homeless rate was higher than San Francisco and Berkeley. Between 2014 and 2020, Oakland strengthened its protections for tenants in order to reduce the displacement of its long-time residents. Between January 2020 and March 2022, Oakland suffered

19126-675: 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 NHL labor dispute of 2004–05 , which cost the NHL its entire season, Ovechkin stayed in Russia, playing for Dynamo Moscow . Several other Capitals played part or all of

19272-478: Was incorporated on May 4, 1852, in the wake of the state's increasing population due to the California gold rush . Oakland's territory covers what was once a mosaic of California coastal terrace prairie , oak woodland , and north coastal scrub . In the late 18th century, it became part of a large rancho grant in the colony of New Spain , and was known for its plentiful oak tree stands. Its land served as

19418-599: 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

19564-510: Was from July 1997 to June 1998 with 47.76 inches (1,213.1 mm) and the driest from July 2020 to June 2021 with 8.03 inches (204.0 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 15.35 inches (390 mm) in January 1911. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 4.75 inches (121 mm) on December 31, 2022. Rainfall near the bayfront is only 23 inches (580 mm), but is higher in the Oakland Hills to

19710-472: Was from the 2007–08 season to the 2010–11 season in the now-defunct Southeast Division . Despite having a nearly identical roster to the Stanley Cup season the season prior, in the 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. In

19856-648: 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 Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills 26 years beforehand in Super Bowl XXVI . Shortly after the Stanley Cup Finals, Barry Trotz resigned as the head coach of the Capitals, after negotiations for a contract extension fell through. Todd Reirden

20002-415: Was knocked out in either the first or second round seven years in a row. In 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 . The 1986–87 season brought even more heartbreak, with

20148-434: 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

20294-467: 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 1983 . Although they were eliminated by the three-time defending (and eventual) Stanley Cup champion Islanders three games to one,

20440-461: Was moved to Fremont in southern Alameda County. Also in 1916, the Fageol Motor Company chose East Oakland for their first factory, manufacturing farming tractors from 1918 to 1923. By 1920, Oakland was the home of numerous manufacturing industries, including metals , canneries, bakeries, internal combustion engines , automobiles, and shipbuilding. By 1929, when Chrysler expanded with

20586-408: Was named as Trotz's replacement on June 29. During the 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

20732-415: Was serious talk of the team moving out of the U.S. capital, and a "Save the Caps" campaign was underway. In August 1982, the team hired David Poile as general manager. 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

20878-462: Was soon established four miles (6.4 km) to the southwest. During World War II, the East Bay Area was home to many war-related industries. Oakland's Moore Dry Dock Company expanded its shipbuilding capabilities and built over 100 ships. Valued at $ 100 million in 1943, Oakland's canning industry was its second-most-valuable war contribution after shipbuilding. The largest canneries were in

21024-561: 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 . In the 2006 off-season, Halpern left the Capitals to join the Dallas Stars ; Chris Clark subsequently became the Capitals' new captain. Richard Zednik returned to the Capitals in 2006–07 after a disappointing 16-goal, 14-assist season in 2005–06 with

21170-411: 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 season marked the highest attendance in franchise history, drawing in 710,990 fans and 17,341 per game. Before the 2002–03 season, the Caps made more roster changes, including the signing of highly regarded Robert Lang as a free agent,

21316-493: Was within the shares given to Antonio Maria and Vicente. The portion of the parcel that is now Oakland was called Encinar (misrendered at an early date and carried forward as "encinal") – Spanish for " oak grove " – due to the large oak forest that covered the area, which eventually led to the city's name. According to Stanford University historian Albert Camarillo, the Peralta family struggled to keep their land after

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