TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 22: John Carlson #4 of Team USA makes his way towards the ice during the World Cup of Hockey 2016 against Team Czech Republic at Air Canada Centre on September 22, 2016 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images)
1 of 6
ANNAPOLIS, MD – MARCH 03: A general view of the United States Naval Academy during the national anthem prior to the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals on March 3, 2018 in Annapolis, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Happy Fourth of July, Washington Capitals fans! In this slideshow, we’ll take a look at the top 5 American-born players.
Hockey is diverse when it comes to the game globally. On any given NHL roster, there’s players from all walks of life. Athletes from Canada, Russia, Sweden, the Czech Republic or the U.S. among other countries that weren’t listed.
We’ve got a little bit of everything in this top five list for the younger generation of Capitals fans, to the older generations. One has a cool nickname called the “Secretary of Defense.” Another made a name for himself on Team USA hockey just one one year before the Capitals traded for him.
ANNAPOLIS, MD – MARCH 03: Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson (74) skates Toronto Maple Leafs center Zach Hyman (11) on March 3, 2018, at the Navy – Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, MD. The Washington Capitals defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs, 5-2. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Another player is one who came up through the Capitals organization and established himself as one of the top defensemen in the NHL. And yet there remains two more.
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 02: Army Master Sgt. Caleb Green (L) and Master Sgt. Bob McDonald (R) sing the national anthem before Game Three of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on June 2, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images)
The next two players that round out this list include one with a nicknamed dubbed the “can’t miss kid” from the early-to-mid 1980s and a second stint in Washington in the early 1990s.
We also included the top American-born goalie in Capitals history within this slideshow after he posted a strong rookie campaign in the mid-90s.
Vocalist Bob McDonald pumps his fist after singing the National Anthem before the game between the Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, April 23, 2013. The Capitals defeated the Jets, 5-3, and claimed the NHL Southeast Division title. (Chuck Myers/MCT via Getty Images)
Without further ado, here’s our top-five American-born Capitals players of all-time.
