Washington Capitals are a professional hockey team that plays in the National Hockey League (NHL). The team competes in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference. The Capitals play in the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
The Capitals entered the NHL as an expansion team for the 1974-1975 season. The team struggled during its early years and did not make the playoffs until the 1982-1983 season. The team then made the playoffs 14 straight seasons. Stars during these years included goalie Al Jensen, right wingers Mike Gartner and Dave Christian, left winger Bengt Gustafsson, and center Bob Carpenter. Washington reached the Stanley Cup finals in 1998 before losing to the Detroit Red Wings . That team was led by goalie Olaf Kolzig, center Adam Oates, and right winger Peter Bondra.
Washington had varying amounts of success during the early 2000’s. However, the Capitals featured one of the new stars in the NHL in left winger Alexander Ovechkin , who won the Calder Memorial Trophy for 2005-2006 as Rookie of the Year. Ovechkin, defenseman John Carlson, and center Nicklas Backstrom led Washington to many division championships beginning with the 2007-2008 season. The Capitals won their first Stanley Cup in 2018. Ovechkin won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player in the playoffs. 
