Washington DC's NHL franchise, granted to local construction tycoon Abe Pollin, began play in 1974-1975 season, entering alongside the Kansas City Scouts.
Pollin acquired the team as a companion to his NBA Baltimore Bullets1 franchise.
In their inaugural season, the Caps were awful. In their first year, the Caps set NHL records for fewest wins (eight), fewest points (21), most losses (67) and most road losses (39). Late that season, after going 0-37-0 on the road, they finally won a road game, on March 28, 1975 in Oakland, beating the California Golden Seals 5-3. The relieved and giddy players grabbed a trash can and had an impromptu Stanley Cup style celebration with it. The following year they won only 11 games, and endured a 57 days, 25-game nightmare winless stretch, going 0-22-3.
The Caps have a record of Stanley Cup playoff futility, and have never won a Stanley Cup. The are often eliminated from the playoffs by the Pittsburgh Penguins, but are most famously remembered for a heartbreaking Easter loss in quadruple overtime of a game seven matchup with the New York Islanders. They reached the Stanley Cup finals in 1998 but lost to the Detroit Red Wings in 4 straight games.
The Caps play at the "MCI Center".
Team colours : Originally white, blue, and red, now ... ?
Retired Numbers:
- ... later the Washington Bullets, now the Washington Wizards.
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