Washington Capitals Quarter-Century Teams unveiled

With 2025 underway, the NHL is celebrating the best of the past 25 years by revealing Quarter-Century Teams for each of the League's 32 franchises and the Arizona Coyotes.

Each club will be represented by a First Team and Second Team of six players -- three forwards, two defensemen and one goalie -- who played for the franchise from Jan. 1, 2000 - Dec. 31, 2024. The first and second teams were selected by broadcasters, national, local and NHL.com writers who have covered the respective teams, in addition to select former players.

The six players voted to each First Team will be on the ballot for the NHL All Quarter-Century Team that will be chosen via a fan vote that will start in February.

Today, the First and Second Quarter-Century Teams for the Washington Capitals. Players are listed in alphabetical order.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS QUARTER-CENTURY TEAMS

First Team

Forwards

Nicklas Backstrom

T.J. Oshie

Alex Ovechkin

Defensemen

John Carlson

Mike Green

Goalie

Braden Holtby

Forwards: No player scored more than Ovechkin’s 870 goals during the quarter century and, he’s now, after scoring four more this month, he’s 21 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894. He’s led the NHL in goals a record nine times, won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie in 2005-06, the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player three times (2007-08, 2008-09, 2012-13) and the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs when Washington won its first championship in 2018. Backstrom, who stopped playing last season because of a lingering hip injury, is the Capitals’ all-time leader with 762 assists, including 279 on Ovechkin goals, and is second in points with 1,033, behind Ovechkin’s 1,577 in the quarter-century. Oshie joined the Capitals in a 2015 trade with the St. Louis Blues to play on their top line with Ovechkin and Backstrom and became an important part of their core with 385 points (192 goals, 193 assists) in 567 games before a back injury sidelined him this season.

Defensemen: Carlson was the Capitals all-time leader among defensemen in the quarter-century with 698 points (154 goals, 544 assists). Carlson was third in Capitals history with 1,046 regular-season games, behind Backstrom (1,105) and Ovechkin (1,447). Green led all NHL defensemen with 31 goals and 73 points in 2008-09, when was second in the voting for the Norris Trophy as the League’s top defenseman. He had 360 points (113 goals, 247 assists) in 575 games during his 10 seasons with Washington (2005-2015).

Goalie: Holtby might’ve made the quarter-century team simply for his remarkable stick paddle save on Alex Tuch of the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of the 2018 Stanely Cup Final. But he also led Capitals goalies during the quarter century with 282 regular-season wins in 10 seasons with them (2010-2020), which are also second most in their history behind Olie Kolzig’s 301. Holtby won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie in 2015-16 when he tied Martin Brodeur’s NHL record with 48 wins.

Second Team

Forwards

Peter Bondra

Evgeny Kuznetsov

Tom Wilson

Defensemen

Sergei Gonchar

Dmitry Orlov

Goalie

Olie Kolzig

Forwards: Bondra is second in Capitals history with 472 goals, including 143 in 324 games from 2000-2004 before being traded to the Ottawa Senators. Kuznetsov had 568 points (171 goals, 397 assists) in 723 games with Washington from 2014-2024, but played his best during the 2018 Cup run when he led the playoffs with 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 24 games. Wilson’s combination of physicality (2,383 hits) and skill (363 points) in 797 games during the quarter century has made him a fan favorite the past 12 seasons.

Defensemen: Another key member of the 2018 Cup team, Orlov is second in the quarter century among Capitals defensemen with 686 games from 2011-2023 and fourth with 256 points (60 goals, 196 assists). Gonchar played 10 seasons for the Capitals, including five at the start of the quarter century in which he had 274 points (85 goals, 189 assists) in 333 games.

Goalie: Kolzig played (482) and started (476) in more games in the quarter century than any Capitals goalie and had 218 of his 301 wins with Washington from 2000-2008. He compiled a 2.75 GAA, .908 save percentage and 23 shutouts during that span.

Coming Sunday: Montreal Canadiens Quarter-Century Teams.