History of Washington Capitals in Timeline

The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the NHL's Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. Owned by Ted Leonsis through Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the team originally played at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland, before relocating to the Capital One Arena in 1997.

1927: Boston Bruins Division Titles

In 1927, the Boston Bruins started their run of consecutive division titles.

1930: Boston Bruins Division Titles

In 1930, the Boston Bruins continued their run of consecutive division titles.

1953: NHL First Team All-Star streak

In 1953, it was the first time a player was named as such in each of his first three years in the NHL

June 8, 1972: NHL Awarded Expansion Franchise to Washington

On June 8, 1972, the NHL awarded an expansion franchise to the city of Washington, setting the stage for the creation of the Capitals.

1974: Original Logo

For the 2011 Winter Classic, the Capitals wore a white jersey honoring the franchise's past with the original logo from 1974 to 1995.

1974: WTOP-TV picks up Capitals coverage

In 1974, WTOP-TV picked up television coverage for the Capitals' first three seasons, covering 15 road games in the 1974–75 season. Sportscaster Warner Wolf was the commentator for the first season.

1974: Franchise Founded

In 1974, the Washington Capitals franchise was founded as an expansion team, along with the Kansas City Scouts, marking the beginning of the team's history in the National Hockey League (NHL).

1974: Capitals Joined NHL

In the 1974–75 season, the Capitals joined the NHL as an expansion team along with the Kansas City Scouts, owned by Abe Pollin, who also owned the Washington Bullets/Wizards.

1975: Struggling Season

During the 1975-76 season, the Washington Capitals went 25 straight games without a win and allowed 394 goals, resulting in a record of 11–59–10 (32 points).

1975: Boston Bruins Division Titles

In 1975, the Boston Bruins started another run of consecutive division titles.

1977: Capitals sign deal with WDCA

Before the 1977–78 season, the Capitals signed a five-year deal with WDCA (channel 20) for more expansive live coverage.

1978: Boston Bruins Division Titles

In 1978, the Boston Bruins ended their run of consecutive division titles.

1980: Playoff Contention

In 1980, the Washington Capitals were in playoff contention until the last day of the season.

1981: Playoff Contention

In 1981, the Washington Capitals were in playoff contention until the last day of the season.

August 1982: David Poile Hired as General Manager

In August 1982, David Poile was hired as the general manager of the Washington Capitals, marking a turning point for the franchise.

September 9, 1982: Major Trade

On September 9, 1982, David Poile executed a significant trade, sending Ryan Walter and Rick Green to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Rod Langway, Brian Engblom, Doug Jarvis, and Craig Laughlin, which helped turn the franchise around.

1982: "Save the Caps" Campaign

By the summer of 1982, there was serious talk of the Washington Capitals moving out of the U.S. capital, leading to a "Save the Caps" campaign.

1982: David Poile Hired as General Manager

In 1982, David Poile was hired as the general manager of the Washington Capitals. This was a pivotal moment that helped turn the team's fortunes around after struggling for its first eight years.

1983: Joe Theismann wins NFL MVP Award

In 1983, Joe Theismann won the National Football League (NFL) MVP award.

1983: First Playoff Appearance

In 1983, the Washington Capitals made their first playoff appearance, marking the end of any talk of the club leaving Washington, D.C., after a dramatic turnaround.

1984: Monumental Sports Network Founding

In 1984, Home Team Sports (HTS), which would become Monumental Sports Network (MSN), was founded and began carrying Capitals games locally.

1984: WDCA split games with HTS/CSN

In 1984, WDCA began splitting Capitals games with HTS/CSN upon its founding.

1985: Regular Season Success

In the 1985-86 season, the Washington Capitals finished with 107 points and won 50 games for the first time in franchise history, earning the third-best record in the NHL; however, they were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.

1986: Loss in Division Semifinals

In the 1986-87 season, the Washington Capitals lost to the New York Islanders in the division semifinals.

1986: End of WTOP Radio Era

WTOP (1500 AM) was the Capitals' first radio home through the 1986–87 season.

1987: Easter Epic Game

In 1987, the Washington Capitals lost the 'Easter Epic' game to the New York Islanders in overtime during the division semifinals, ending at 1:56 am on Easter Sunday after dominating most of the game but being defeated by a Pat LaFontaine shot.

1989: Trades and Playoff Elimination

For the 1989 playoffs push, Gartner and Murphy were traded to the Minnesota North Stars in exchange for Ciccarelli and defenseman Bob Rouse. However, the goaltending faltered, and the Washington Capitals were eliminated in the first round by the Philadelphia Flyers.

1990: Playoff Loss

From 1990-91 to 1995-96, the Capitals would lose in either the first or the second round of the playoffs.

1990: Conference Finals Appearance

In 1990, the Washington Capitals made it to the conference finals but were swept in four games by the Boston Bruins.

1991: Playoff Loss

In 1991, the Washington Capitals eliminated the New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs but lost in the second round to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

1991: Typical arrangement of game coverage

The 1991–92 season illustrates a typical arrangement: WDCA showed 20 road games and any road playoff games, while HTS picked up 34 home games and any home playoff games, leaving 28 regular season games not televised.

1992: First Round Loss

In 1991–92, the Washington Capitals lost in the first round to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

1993: First Round Loss

In 1992–93, the Washington Capitals lost in the first round to the New York Islanders.

1994: Second Round Loss

In 1993–94, the Washington Capitals won their first-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins but lost in the second round to the New York Rangers.

1995: Capitals move to WBDC

After 18 seasons on WDCA, the Capitals moved their over-the-air broadcasts to WBDC (channel 50) for the 1995–96 season.

1995: Original Logo

For the 2011 Winter Classic, the Capitals wore a white jersey honoring the franchise's past with the original logo from 1974 to 1995.

1995: Mike Vogel begins covering the Capitals

In 1995, Mike Vogel began covering the Washington Capitals online for the team's website, writing daily game stories and analysis.

1995: Original Screaming Eagle Uniform

In 2021, as part of Adidas' "Reverse Retro" uniform series, the Capital unveiled a recolored version of their blue "screaming eagle" uniform used from 1995 to 2000.

1995: New Color Scheme and Logo

Prior to the start of the 1995–96 season, the team abandoned its traditional red, white and blue color scheme in favor of a blue, black, and copper palette with an American bald eagle with five stars as its logo.

1995: Introduction of Mascot Slapshot

Since 1995, the Capitals' mascot has been Slapshot, a bald eagle that wears the number 00.

1996: Return to 1500 AM

After nine years on WMAL (630 AM), the Capitals games returned to 1500 AM for the 1996–97 season. Ron Weber was the first announcer, and never missed a game through his retirement at the end of the 1996–97 season.

1996: First Round Loss

In 1995–96, the Washington Capitals lost in the first round to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

1997: Unveiling of Black Alternate Jersey

For the 1997–98 season, the team unveiled a black alternate jersey, devoid of blue with copper stripes on the ends of sleeves and at the waist.

1997: Move to Capital One Arena

In 1997, the Washington Capitals relocated from the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland, to the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

1997: Opened MCI Center

In the 1997-98 season, as the Washington Capitals 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 save percentage.

1998: Failed to Qualify for Playoffs

After their 1998 Stanley Cup run, the Washington Capitals finished the 1998–99 season with a record of 31–45–6 and failed to qualify for the playoffs.

1998: Reached Stanley Cup Finals

In 1998, the Washington Capitals reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history.

1999: Plans for New Practice Facility

Following his purchase of the team in 1999, Ted Leonsis made plans to open a new practice facility.

1999: Team Purchased by Ted Leonsis

In 1999, Ted Leonsis purchased the Washington Capitals, revitalizing the franchise through strategic drafting of star players.

2000: Won Southeast Division Title

In 2000, the Washington Capitals won the Southeast Division title but lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

2000: Original Screaming Eagle Uniform

In 2021, as part of Adidas' "Reverse Retro" uniform series, the Capital unveiled a recolored version of their blue "screaming eagle" uniform used from 1995 to 2000.

2000: Blue Road Jersey Retired

Prior to the 2000–01 season, the team retired its blue road jersey in favor of the black alternate jersey, but still kept the white jersey for home games.

2000: Capitals last Southeast Division Title

The Capitals last won the Southeast Division title in 2000.

2000: Wayne Gretzky's Number Retired

The NHL retired Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 for all its member teams at the 2000 NHL All-Star Game.

2001: All 82 Games Televised

For the first time, all 82 Capitals games were televised in the 2001–02 season.

2001: Rebranding to Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic

In 2001, Home Team Sports (HTS) was rebranded as Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic (CSN).

2001: Won Southeast Division Title

In 2001, the Washington Capitals won the Southeast Division title, yet lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Adam Oates demanded a trade but management refused and stripped him of his team captaincy.

2001: Acquisition of Jaromir Jagr

In the summer of 2001, the Washington Capitals acquired Jaromir Jagr by trading three young prospects to the Pittsburgh Penguins and signed him to a $77 million contract over seven years, with an option for an eighth year.

2002: Signed Robert Lang

Before the 2002–03 season, the Capitals made more roster changes, including the signing of highly regarded Robert Lang as a free agent.

2002: Missed Playoffs

In 2002, despite a winning record, the Washington Capitals failed to defend their division title and missed the playoffs after Adam Oates was traded. However, the 2001–02 season marked the highest attendance in franchise history, drawing in 710,990 fans.

2003: Playoff Loss to Tampa Bay Lightning

In 2003, the Washington Capitals returned to the playoffs but lost in six games to the Tampa Bay Lightning after starting off with a two-game lead in the first-round series. Game 6 was a memorable three-overtime game.

2003: Unloaded High-Priced Talent

In the 2003-04 season, the Washington Capitals began unloading high-priced talent, acknowledging the failure of their attempt to build a contender with veteran talent.

2003: Finished in Cellar

In the 2005-06 NHL season, the Capitals again finished in the cellar of the Southeast Division. The Washington Capitals earned 12 more points than the 2003-04 season.

2004: Trades of Key Players

In 2004, Jaromir Jagr was traded to the New York Rangers, followed by the departure of Peter Bondra to the Ottawa Senators, Robert Lang to the Detroit Red Wings, and Sergei Gonchar to the Boston Bruins. The Capitals ended the year with a poor record.

2004: Drafted Alexander Ovechkin First Overall

In the 2004 NHL entry draft, the Washington Capitals won the draft lottery and selected Alexander Ovechkin first overall.

2005: Alexander Ovechkin's Rookie Season

During the 2005-06 season, Alexander Ovechkin had an exceptional rookie season, leading all rookies in goals, points, and shots, and winning the Calder Memorial Trophy.

2005: Off-Season Activities

During the NHL labor dispute of 2004-05, Ovechkin played in Russia, and in the 2005 off-season, the Capitals made Jeff Halpern the team's captain and signed several new players.

2005: Richard Zednik's Disappointing Season with Montreal Canadiens

In 2005, Richard Zednik had a disappointing season with the Montreal Canadiens, scoring 16 goals and 14 assists.

2005: End of Over-the-Air Broadcasts

The Capitals have not aired any games over-the-air locally since the end of the 2005–06 season.

2006: Halpern leaves, Clark becomes Captain, Brashear signed.

In 2006, Halpern left the Capitals to join the Dallas Stars, and Chris Clark became the Capitals' new captain. Richard Zednik returned to the Capitals, and Donald Brashear was signed.

2006: Career Years and Milestones

In 2006, several Washington Capitals players had career years, including Dainius Zubrus with 57 points, Halpern with 33 assists, and Matt Pettinger with 20 goals and 38 points. Olaf Kolzig won his 250th game in goal, and Andrew Cassels played his 1,000th game. Jeff Halpern was named captain.

2006: Capitals Sign Nicklas Backstrom and Semyon Varlamov

In 2006, the Capitals signed Nicklas Backstrom, the fourth overall pick in the NHL entry draft, and Semyon Varlamov to entry-level contracts.

2006: New Practice Facility Opened

In 2006, the new practice facility opened on top of a renovated parking garage and entertainment center, known as the Ballston Quarter, in the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington County, Virginia. The practice facility is known as the MedStar Capitals Iceplex.

2006: Capitals miss playoffs.

In the 2013-14 season, the Capitals missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006-07.

June 22, 2007: New Uniforms Unveiled

On June 22, 2007, the Capitals unveiled new uniforms which coincided with the 2007 NHL entry draft and the new league-wide adaptation of the Reebok-designed uniform system for 2007–08. The change marked a return to the red, white and blue color scheme originally used from 1974 to 1995.

2007: Dave Fay Receives Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award

In 2007, Dave Fay, a sports journalist for The Washington Times, was a recipient of the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame.

2007: Hanlon fired, Boudreau hired

In 2007, after starting the season with a 6-14-1 record, the Capitals fired head coach Glen Hanlon and replaced him with Bruce Boudreau on Thanksgiving Day.

2007: Capitals Sign Poti, Kozlov and Nylander

In 2007, the Capitals signed Tom Poti, Viktor Kozlov, and Michael Nylander to address needs at defense, right wing, and center, respectively, raising hopes for the 2007-08 season.

2007: Capitals Division Titles

In 2007, the Capitals started their run of consecutive division titles.

January 10, 2008: Capitals Sign Ovechkin to NHL-Record $124 Million Contract Extension

On January 10, 2008, the Capitals signed Ovechkin to an NHL-record $124 million contract extension for 13 years.

2008: WJFK-FM airs postseason games

In 2008, WJFK-FM began airing postseason Capitals games during the playoffs.

2008: Mike Green and Ovechkin's Play

The 2008-09 season was highlighted by the play of Mike Green, who led all NHL defensemen in goals and points, and Ovechkin.

2009: Capitals win Southeast Division Title

In 2009, the Capitals finished the regular season with a record of 50-24-8 and a team-record 108 points, winning their second consecutive Southeast Division title.

2009: Capitals Win Presidents' Trophy

In 2009-10, the Capitals finished first in the NHL with 121 points, winning the Presidents' Trophy.

2009: Capitals face the Pittsburgh Penguins

In 2016, the Capitals faced the Pittsburgh Penguins for the first time since 2009 in the second round. They lost the series in six games, with the Penguins going on to win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2009.

2009: Won First President's Trophy

In the 2009-10 season, the Washington Capitals won the franchise's first Presidents' Trophy, awarded to the team with the most points at the end of the regular season.

2010: Ron Weber Awarded Foster Hewitt Memorial Award

In 2010, play-by-play radio broadcaster Ron Weber was awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hall of Fame for his contributions to hockey broadcasting.

2010: Capitals Division Titles

In 2010, the Capitals ended their run of consecutive division titles.

2010: Capitals Southeast Division Champions

In the 2010-11 season, the Capitals repeated as the Southeast Division champions and as the top team in the Eastern Conference.

2010: Teams win back to back President trophies

The Capitals became 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.

February 1, 2011: Capitals Honored Dino Ciccarelli

The Capitals wore the same jersey, minus the NHL Winter Classic patch, on February 1, 2011, to honor Hockey Hall of Fame winger Dino Ciccarelli.

September 16, 2011: Third Jersey Announcement

On September 16, 2011, the Capitals announced that they would wear a third jersey modeled after the Winter Classic jersey for 16 road games during the 2011–12 season.

2011: Capitals Defeat Penguins in 2011 Winter Classic

The 2010-11 season was highlighted by the Capitals' participation in the 2011 Winter Classic, where they defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 at Heinz Field.

2011: Teams win back to back President trophies

The Capitals became 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.

2011: Capitals fire Boudreau, hire Hunter

The Capitals started the 2011-12 season with a 7-0 record, but after winning only five of their next 15 games, general manager George McPhee fired head coach Boudreau and hired Capitals legend Dale Hunter as his replacement.

2012: WJFK takes over all coverage

In 2012, WJFK took over all Capitals coverage, though WFED continued to broadcast games as a network affiliate to leverage its signal.

2012: Capitals Shock NHL, Defeat Bruins in Seven Games

In 2012, the Capitals, with Braden Holtby as their goalie, shocked the NHL by defeating the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins in seven games. Every game in the series was decided by a one-goal margin.

2012: Capitals off to a rocky start.

In the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, the Capitals got off to a rocky start, managing just two wins in their first ten games.

2013: Capitals win Southeast Division.

In 2013, the Capitals rebounded to win the Southeast Division, earning the third seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2013 playoffs.

2013: Capitals strong start.

In the 2013-14 season, the Capitals started strong by winning five of their first 10 games.

April 26, 2014: Capitals Announce Departure of McPhee and Oates

On April 26, 2014, the Capitals announced they would not renew general manager George McPhee's contract and fired head coach Adam Oates.

May 26, 2014: Capitals Announce MacLellan as GM and Trotz as Head Coach

On May 26, 2014, the Capitals announced the promotion of Brian MacLellan to general manager and the hiring of Barry Trotz as the new head coach.

November 4, 2014: Ovechkin Becomes Capitals' All-Time Points Leader

On November 4, 2014, in his 691st NHL game, Ovechkin became the Capitals' all-time points leader during a game against the Calgary Flames, surpassing Peter Bondra.

2014: Capitals Last Playoff Miss

The 2022–23 season saw the Capitals miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

January 1, 2015: Capitals Defeat Blackhawks in 2015 Winter Classic

On January 1, 2015, the Washington Capitals defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 in the annual 2015 Winter Classic at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

2015: Winter Classic Jersey

For the 2015 Winter Classic, which took place on New Year's Day at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., the Capitals wore a newly designed jersey intended to pay homage to hockey's outdoor roots. The primary color of the jersey was a vintage deep red.

2015: Stadium Series Uniform Features

For the 2018 Stadium Series, the Capitals used newly designed navy uniforms that included the presence of a slightly altered W logo from the 2015 Winter Classic on the pants.

2015: Capitals finish first place

In the 2015-16 season, the Capitals finished in first place in the league with a record of 56-18-8 and 120 points.

2015: Won Second President's Trophy

In the 2015–16 season, the Capitals won their second President's Trophy.

2015: Fedorov and Housley Inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame

Sergei Fedorov and Phil Housley, Capitals players, were the most recently inducted Capitals players to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.

2015: Throwback Red Third Jerseys

Starting with the 2015–16 season, the Capitals wore their throwback red third jerseys, replacing the white Winter Classic thirds.

2016: Capitals face the Philadelphia Flyers

In 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Capitals won the series against the Philadelphia Flyers in six games to advance to the second round of the playoffs.

2016: Capitals won their second Presidents' Trophy

In 2016-17, the Capitals won their second Presidents' Trophy in a row

2016: Won Third President's Trophy

In the 2016-17 season, the Washington Capitals won the franchise's third Presidents' Trophy.

2016: WJFK-FM drops Capitals

In the 2016–17 season, WJFK-FM attracted controversy when it elected to drop the Capitals, leaving the Capitals to air solely on WFED.

January 11, 2017: Ovechkin Reaches 1,000-Point Milestone

On January 11, 2017, Ovechkin reached the 1,000-point milestone with a goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins, becoming the 84th NHL player to reach the milestone.

January 2017: Temporary deal with WWDC-HD2

In January 2017, The Capitals reached a temporary deal to place the rest of its games on WWDC-HD2 due to WFED signal issues.

2017: Capitals Lose Players to Free Agency and Expansion Draft

After the 2017 playoffs, the Capitals lost several players, including Kevin Shattenkirk, Karl Alzner, Justin Williams, and Daniel Winnik to free agency, and Nate Schmidt to the 2017 NHL expansion draft. Marcus Johansson was traded to the New Jersey Devils.

2017: Rebranding to NBC Sports Washington

In 2017, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic (CSN) was rebranded as NBC Sports Washington.

2017: New partnership with Adidas and new uniforms

Prior to the 2017–18 season, the NHL announced a new partnership with Adidas, and the Capitals unveiled new uniforms with minor changes.

May 7, 2018: Capitals Beat Penguins in Second Round

On May 7, 2018, the Capitals defeated the Penguins in the second round of the playoffs with an overtime goal by Evgeny Kuznetsov. It marked the first time in 20 seasons that the Capitals made the conference finals and the first time in 24 seasons that they had defeated the Penguins in a playoff series.

2018: Clinched Metropolitan Division Title

During the 2018-19 season, the Capitals clinched their fourth straight Metropolitan Division title.

2018: Stadium Series Uniforms

For the 2018 Stadium Series, the Capitals used newly designed navy uniforms, honoring the fact that the game was held at the U.S. Naval Academy.

2018: Weber rejoins announcers for Stanley Cup Finals

In 2018, Ron Weber rejoined current announcers Walton and Sabourin for the first period of game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

2018: Clinched Metropolitan Division for Third Straight Year

In 2018, the Capitals clinched the Metropolitan Division for the third straight year and qualified for the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs for the 10th time in 11 years.

2018: Won Stanley Cup

In 2018, the Washington Capitals won the Stanley Cup, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.

2018: Return of Capitals' Red Throwback Uniforms

In the 2018–19 season, the Capitals' red throwback uniforms returned as their alternates.

2019: Capitals Eliminated in First Round

In 2019, the Capitals were eliminated in the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games.

2019: Capitals Clinched Another Division Title

In the 2019–20 season, the Capitals clinched another division title.

2020: Capitals Lost in First Round

In the 2019–20 season, the Capitals lost to the New York Islanders in the first round of the 2020 playoffs.

2021: Reverse Retro Uniform Series

In 2021, as part of Adidas' "Reverse Retro" uniform series, the Capital unveiled a recolored version of their blue "screaming eagle" uniform used from 1995 to 2000.

2021: Capitals Finished Second in Division

In the 2020-21 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.

2022: Second Reverse Retro Uniform Released

In 2022, a second "Reverse Retro" uniform was released, this time featuring a black version of the "screaming eagle" uniform with blue and copper accents.

2022: Capitals Fell to Fourth Place

In 2022, the Capitals fell to fourth place in the division, qualifying for the second wild card and losing to the Florida Panthers in six games of the first round of the 2022 playoffs.

2022: Capitals Missed Playoffs

The 2022–23 season saw the Capitals miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

May 30, 2023: Spencer Carbery Hired as Head Coach

On May 30, 2023, the Capitals hired Spencer Carbery to be their new head coach.

December 2023: Partnership with Virginia Governor to Move Capitals and Wizards

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 a planned arena in Potomac Yard in Alexandria, Virginia, by 2028.

2023: Stadium Series Uniform Unveiled

For the 2023 Stadium Series, the Capitals unveiled a white uniform centered around the alternate "Weagle" logo, with its navy wings extending towards the sleeves with white numbers.

2023: Rebranding to Monumental Sports Network

In 2023, NBC Sports Washington was rebranded as Monumental Sports Network (MSN).

March 2024: Deal to Keep Capitals and Wizards in D.C.

In March 2024, Washington mayor Muriel Bowser announced she has signed a deal with both teams' majority owner, Ted Leonsis, to keep the Capitals and Wizards in the District "at least until 2050."

July 8, 2024: Chris Patrick Promoted to General Manager

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.

2024: Uniform Restored as Alternate

In 2022, a second "Reverse Retro" uniform was released, and it was restored as the team's alternate ahead of the 2024–25 season, updated to the Fanatics template.

March 31, 2025: Information Update

Information updated March 31, 2025

2028: Planned Move to Alexandria, Virginia

In December 2023, there were plans to move the Capitals and Washington Wizards to a planned arena in Potomac Yard in Alexandria, Virginia, by 2028.

2050: Deal to Keep Capitals and Wizards in D.C. Until 2050

In March 2024, Washington mayor Muriel Bowser announced she has signed a deal with both teams' majority owner, Ted Leonsis, to keep the Capitals and Wizards in the District "at least until 2050."