 |
| The 1986-1987 Washington Capitals, who had come from cellar dweller at the beginning of the decade to a perennial playoff team. Source: https://novacapsfans.com/2017/08/02/capitals-alumni-profile-gaetan-duchesne/ (May be subject to copyright) |
When the Washington Capitals raised their 2018 Stanley Cup banner in October of 2018 to open the new National Hockey League season, it was the first in the franchise’s 47-year history. It made me think of how far they had come since entering the league as a very bad expansion team in 1974, and it really began in the 1980s.
More of the same
The decade marked a turning point for the Capitals who moved beyond being an expansion team and perennial league doormat.
The decade marked a turning point for the Capitals who moved beyond being an expansion team and perennial league doormat.
It really did not look that way as the decade opened.
The Capitals entered the NHL in 1974 so by the 1979-1980 season they were in their sixth year in the league. That year they finished last in the six-team Patrick Division with 27 wins, 40 losses and 13 ties.
They followed that up in 1980-1981 with 26 wins, 36 losses and 18 ties, finishing last in the Patrick Division again. It was more of the same in 1981-1982, finishing last in the Patrick once more with a similar record of 26 wins, 41 losses, and 13 ties.
Expansion no more
Everything changed forever in Washington in 1982 when they hired David Poile out of the front office of the Calgary Flames to become their general manager.
Everything changed forever in Washington in 1982 when they hired David Poile out of the front office of the Calgary Flames to become their general manager.
His first move changed the fortunes of the perennial league doormat immediately. He sent two of his best players, Ryan Walter and Rick Green, to the Montreal Canadiens for Rod Langway, Brian Engblom, Doug Jarvis and Craig Laughlin.
The end result was the Capitals made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history with 39 wins, 25 losses and 16 ties, good enough for third place in the Patrick Division. Wouldn’t you know it though, they still had no luck, drawing the defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders in the playoffs, where they lost 3-1.
Washington continued to improve in 1983-1984, winning 48 games, losing 27 and tying four, recording 100-plus points for the first time in franchise history, and moving up to second place in the Patrick behind the Islanders. They recorded another milestone, winning their first-ever playoff series, a 3-0 sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers. However, they had their season ended by the Islanders again, this time 4-1.
The Capitals cemented their place as one of the best teams in the league in 1984-1985, finishing second in the Patrick again, behind Philadelphia, with 46 wins, 25 losses, and nine ties for 101 points. However, the Islanders ended their season for the third year in a row beating the Capitals 3-2 in their best-of-five, first-round season.
The 1985-1986 season saw another first for the Capitals. They won 50 games for the first time, against 23 losses and seven ties, for 107 points and second in the Patrick again. They finally beat the Islanders, sweeping them 3-0 in the first round before falling to the New York Rangers in six games in the second round.
Their production dropped in 1986-1987, as they won 12 fewer games and lost nine more, but still finished second in the division behind the Flyers with a record of 38-32-10. They would again lose to the Islanders in seven games in heartbreaking fashion. The teams were tied after regulation time in the sudden death seventh game, and were into their fourth overtime period when Pat Lafontaine scored for New York to oust Washington from the playoffs.
It was more of the same in 1987-1988 as the Capitals went 38-33-9 for 85 points and second in the Patrick Division. They faced the Flyers in the opening round and went seven games before defeating Philadelphia. It looked like the Capitals best chance to get out of their division as the hapless New Jersey Devils upset the Islanders in their first-round series. The Devils had replaced the Capitals as a perennial cellar dweller, and few gave them much of a shot against the Capitals. Yet Devil goaltender Sean Burke and company had other ideas and beat the Capitals in seven games.
The decade closed with one more franchise first, the Capitals finishing first in the Patrick Division with 41 wins, 29 losses and 10 ties for 92 points. However, the Capitals had their season ended earlier than hoped as the Flyers ousted them in the first round 4-2.
As the ‘90s opened, a new day had dawned in Washington as they had gone from a league doormat to perennial contender.
They would advance to the finals once, in the 1997-1998 season, where they lost to Detroit for the Stanley Cup, before finally winning it all in 2018.
Parting thoughts
There was a Trivial Pursuit question back in 1987 that asked, “What NHL team’s jersey has the most stars on it?” I immediately, instinctively answered the Minnesota North Stars. But it was not my turn nor my question to answer. It was my best friend Chris Vining’s, and he gave the right answer, “The Washington Capitals”. That may be my outstanding memory of the Washington Capitals in the 1980s.
There was a Trivial Pursuit question back in 1987 that asked, “What NHL team’s jersey has the most stars on it?” I immediately, instinctively answered the Minnesota North Stars. But it was not my turn nor my question to answer. It was my best friend Chris Vining’s, and he gave the right answer, “The Washington Capitals”. That may be my outstanding memory of the Washington Capitals in the 1980s.
They were so bad to start then, when they got better, they were still not on TV that much. Yet, I had an interest in certain players and events and plan to share those the next few days.
After all, it was in the 1980s that their fortunes turned around.
No comments:
Post a Comment