Washington Capitals
Washington D.C. franchise whose 2018 Stanley Cup ended a 44-year wait and gave Alex Ovechkin — the greatest goal scorer in NHL history — his first championship.
Pantheon Standing
| List Name | Rank | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| Greatest NHL Franchises of All Time | #1 | 96.0 |
The Age Divide
Voters under 30 and over 35 rank Washington Capitals significantly differently across lists.
The Athletic Record
The Case For Washington Capitals
“The longevity argument alone puts them in a category of one. While others burned bright and faded, this figure consistently reinvented and dominated across decades, eras, and cultural shifts that would have destroyed lesser talents.”
“Technically unmatched. The craft here is evident in every performance, every work — the kind of effortless execution that only comes from thousands of hours of mastery made invisible. They make the impossible look inevitable.”
“Commercial success should never be held against artistic legacy. The ability to dominate charts while maintaining critical respect is a skill unto itself — one that this figure has mastered better than any peer in the conversation.”
Rank History
Ranking history will be available once voting opens for Washington Capitals.
Often Compared To
Pittsburgh Penguins
#2NHL / Metropolitan Division — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · 1967–present
Pennsylvania franchise with five Stanley Cup titles and the greatest player-coach combination in hockey history — Mario Lemieux as player and owner and Sidney Crosby's back-to-back championships.
Philadelphia Flyers
#3NHL / Metropolitan Division — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · 1967–present
Pennsylvania franchise whose Broad Street Bullies in the mid-1970s were the most physically intimidating team in hockey history — two Stanley Cups won through skill and unrelenting violence.