Washington Capitals: Top 10 Defensemen In Team History

Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Capitals have been in existence for 40 seasons. Since the 1974-1975 season, there have been some great and entertaining players who have worn a Washington Capitals sweater.

Defensemen will be the first part of our series of the best players in Washington Capitals history by position.

To be eligible for selection, players have to meet our qualifications. Here are the criteria that helped decide which Washington Capitals players were eligible and where they will fit on this list.

• At least 150 games played with the Washington Capitals
• Only games with the Washington Capitals count as far as stats. Stats that will be used to judge a player are goals, assists, points, and +/-. The quality of the team around them will matter as well.
• Post-career honors and awards (such as a Hockey Hall of Fame induction or retired jersey number) count

Using those qualifications and criteria, 34 Washington Capitals defensemen qualified for the list. While several defensemen clearly stand out among those who qualified, compiling the top ten list for defensemen was extremely difficult.

That says more about the number of great defensemen that the Washington Capitals have had than anything else.

To make this list, we had to look not just the stats compiled by each player. Things such as time with the Washington Capitals and memories of that player will come into play. In some cases, two or more players are very similar as far as stats are concerned.

It’s always fun to try to guess which players will make the list and where they will be placed on the list. We all have our personal favorites. This is our personal top ten.

Without further ado, here are our top ten Washington Capitals defensemen in franchise history. We hope you all enjoy it!

Next: Honorable Mentions

Washington Capitals Top Ten Defensemen: Honorable Mentions

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Obviously, we can’t honor all the worthy defensemen that the Washington Capitals have had, so here are a few of the honorable mentions.

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• Brendan Witt was a team favorite with his hard-hitting style of play. He played 626 games with the Caps. In those 626 games, he scored 83 points (20 goals, 63 assists). He had a -50 plus-minus. While he did play for some bad teams, he had a -11 plus-minus during the 1997-1998 season, when the Washington Capitals made their Stanley Cup run. He had 1035 penalty minutes serving as an enforcer for the Caps. He’s also a terrific follow on Twitter.
• Joe Reekie was one of the best stays at home defensemen that the Washington Capitals have ever had. In 515 games with the Caps, he scored just 75 points. However, points are not where Reekie earned his paycheck. He ranks third in all-time plus-minus with a +86 rating. He had 688 penalty minutes. Reekie was a valuable member of the Capitals blue line throughout his career, averaging 18:51 of ice time per game.
• Ken Klee was a reliable defenseman for the Washington Capitals for nine seasons. He played in 570 games for the Caps. In those 570 games, he scored 111 points. He also had a plus-minus of +13 with 608 penalty minutes. He averaged 19:44 of ice time. Klee was especially important to the Caps Stanley Cup run back in 1998.
• Karl Alzner has been extremely reliable for the Caps, as has his buddy John Carlson. In a few years, I could see both of them being in the top ten, especially if Carlson wins the Norris Trophy this season.

Next: Number 10: The Hardest Shot Around

Washington Capitals Top Ten Defensemen: #10

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Al Iafrate is often overlooked when it comes to defensemen. However, no one who watched him play hockey (or had to block one of his famous slap shots) would ever question how great of a defenseman he was. Iafrate didn’t play that long with the Capitals, but he sure made his presence felt. 

He played in four seasons for the Capitals after trading Peter Zezel and Bob Rouse to the Toronto Maple Leafs for him during the 1990-1991 season. Here’s how he ranks among all the qualified defensemen.

• 176 points (ninth out of 34)
• 58 goals (ninth out of 34)
• 118 assists (tenth out of 34)
• +25 plus-minus rating (15th out of 34)

What made Iafrate so great was his slap shot. In fact, he owned the All-Star Game record for the hardest shot back in 1993. That record stood until Zdeno Chara broke the record in 2009.

In his two full seasons with the Capitals, (the 1991-1992 season and the 1992-1993 season), Iafrate had over 50 points. He was on pace to get over 50 points in the 1993-1994 season before being traded to the Boston Bruins.

The main reason Iafrate isn’t ranked higher on this list despite his offensive prowess is because he only spent two full seasons with the Washington Capitals. He probably would have been much higher on this list had he spent more time with the Caps.

However, he still deserves to be honored because he accomplished quite a bit to the Washington Capitals, and he was a very good defensemen for them. The fact that he isn’t higher on this list is a testament to how good the rest of the guys on this list are.

He is, however, the best #34 that the Washington Capitals have ever had. It’s not that close either. Only two Caps who have worn #34 stuck with the Caps for longer than two seasons.

Next: Number Nine: A Hall of Famer

Washington Capitals Top Ten Defensemen: #9

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Number nine on our list is a Hockey Hall Of Famer: Larry Murphy. 

Early in his fourth season with L.A., Larry was traded to the Washington Capitals. On October 18, 1983, the Kings sent Murphy to the Nation’s Capital in exchange for Ken Houston and Brian Engblom. It turned out to be one of the most lopsided trades of all-time. While Houston and Engblom scored a combined 93 points over the remainder of their careers, Larry Murphy added another 1,009 points before retiring in 2001. Larry Murphy continued his offensive exploits with Washington, earning his first selection to the NHL’s All-Star Team in 1987. Murphy was selected to the league’s Second Team after compiling 23 goals (a career best) and 81 points, the second highest total of his career. On March 7, 1989, just before the playoff run, Larry was part of a blockbuster trade that saw him and Mike Gartner go to the Minnesota North Stars, while Dino Ciccarelli and Bob Rouse packed for Washington. – Washington Capitals

Murphy played 453 games with the Capitals. Here’s where he ranks among the qualified defenseman.

• 344 points (sixth out of 34)
• 85 goals (sixth out of 34)
• 259 assists (fifth out of 34)
• 57 in plus-minus (sixth out of 34)

Murphy was obtained by the Washington Capitals back in 1983. The Caps traded him to the Minnesota North Stars in 1989. He later went on to sign with the Pittsburgh Penguins and helped them win back to back championships. He also helped the Detroit Red Wings accomplish that same feat.

Murphy would be ranked higher on this list, but he only played in 453 games for the Caps, which is quite low when compared with the other members of this list.

Still, he’s a member of the Hockey Hall Of Fame, and only two other members of this list are members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Next: Number Eight: A Hockey Ambassador

Washington Capitals Top Ten Defensemen: #8

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Next on our list is Sylvain Cote. Like Iafrate, he is often times overlooked by Washington Capitals fans. However, Cote was a very productive and reliable defenseman for the Washington Capitals.

Cote played five years in Hartford before being traded to the Washington Capitals on September 8, 1991. In 1993-94, Cote registered a career-high 51 points and remained a steady performer on the Capitals’ defense until being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Jeff Brown in March, 1998. In the summer of 2000, Cote signed as a free agent with the Washington Capitals and went on to play two full seasons with the club before calling it a career after being released after only one game in 2002-03. – Washington Capitals

Cote played 622 games for the Caps. Here’s how he ranks among all qualified defensemen.

• 270 points (seventh out of 34)
• 75 goals (seventh out of 34)
• 195 assists (seventh out of 34)
• +60 plus-minus rating (fifth out of 34)

He was a two-way defenseman who was a threat both in the defensive zone and the neutral zone. Cote tends to get overlooked, but we made sure that he got the credit he deserved by being included on this list.

However, he wasn’t the offensive threat that the guys above him were.

Cote played ten seasons for the Capitals. Over those ten seasons, he amassed 336 penalty minutes and averaged 18:40 of ice time per game. He wore the number three.

He’s arguably the second best Capitals player ever to wear that number. The undisputed best Caps player to wear the number three is included later on in this list.

Next: Number Seven: It's Not Easy Being Green

Washington Capitals Top Ten Defensemen: #7

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Next on the list is an offensive defenseman who made his presence felt whenever was on the ice: Mike Green.

Mike Green was born October 12, 1985 in Calgary, Alberta. The first round, 29th overall selection of the Washington Capitals in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Green is a graduate of the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades. An offensively gifted defenseman, Green played five seasons in the WHL registering 172 points (37-135-172). A member of the WHL East First All-Star Team (2004-05), Green went on to make his NHL debut with Washington during the 2005-06 season while seeing the majority of his playing time with the AHL’s Hershey Bears. Green went on to register 18 points (3-15-18) in 21 AHL playoff games, leading the Bears to the 2006 Calder Cup title. In 2006-07 Green became a regular on the Capitals blueline, appearing in 70 games. He broke out the following season by recording a career-high 18 goals and 56 points as the Capitals entered the playoffs for the first time since 2003. On the international stage, Green represented Canada at the 2008 World Championship. – Legends of Hockey

Green played 575 games for the Capitals. Here’s where he ranks among the qualified defensemen:

• 360 points (fifth out of 34)
• 113 goals (tied for third out of 34)
• 247 assists (sixth out of 34)
• +58 plus-minus (seventh out of 34)

Green probably should have won at least one Norris Trophy. He was especially deserving in 2008-2009 when he had a really good case to win the Hart.

Right now, Green’s ranked eighth on the list because the other seven ahead of him had longer, more successful careers with the Washington Capitals. If he re-signs in Washington, he could propel himself into the top five by the time his career is over.

Had he not had injuries, he would probably be higher on this list as well.

Another thing that we had to take into consideration was who he played with. This is not Green’s fault, but he has sure benefited from playing alongside Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin.

One has to wonder how Murphy and a few of the other guys on this list could have done they played alongside those two future Hall of Fame caliber forwards.

One thing’s for sure: Green is arguably the best offensive weapon that the Washington Capitals have ever had on the blue line. His 2008-2009 season is the most productive season that a Caps defenseman has ever had.

Next: Number Six: A Russian With A Rocket

Washington Capitals Top Ten Defensemen: #6

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Before Mike Green, there was another offensive defenseman who rocked the red. His name? Sergei Gonchar. Gonchar put up some incredible numbers with the Washington Capitals despite not getting to play with Ovechkin and Backstrom. One can only imagine what he could have done had he been able to play with those two while he was in his prime.

Watching Gonchar play, the first thing you notice is his powerful wrist shot. Often you don’t even see the puck flying through the air; you only spot it when it’s already in the net. He didn’t have such a powerful shot playing back in Russia. Gonchar transferred smoothly to the North American style of hockey. In a way, he was lucky that his first season was during the 1994 NHL lockout. Gonchar had a two-way contract with the Capitals, so he was able to spend the lockout months with Portland of the AHL, the Capitals’ farm team. He perfected his English and started learning the North American playing style. In the second half of the season, Gonchar was called up to the regular team but was slow to get accustomed to his new milieu. At first he communicated only in Russian with Dmitri Khristich and Peter Bondra (a Slovak who spent the first 14 years of his life in the Ukrainian city of Lutsk and speaks perfect Russian). Eventually, though, he widened his circle. New Capitals coach Ron Wilson has had an influence on Gonchar’s career. Within six months they had gotten to know each other better, and Wilson soon considered Gonchar indispensable to the team. Gonchar’s trip to Nagano, Japan, with the Russian Olympic team helped raise his profile. In Nagano he performed well, and back in Washington his star began to shine. In the 1998-99 season, Gonchar became the first Russian defenseman to score over 20 goals in regular-season play. Gonchar is regarded as one of the most offensive defenseman in the NHL and proved it yet again in 2001-02 when he scored 26 goals and finished with a career high 59 points. The smooth skating defenseman saw the defensive aspect of his game improve in 2002-03, while establishing career highs in assists and points. In 2003-04, Gonchar and the Caps struggled and piece by piece high profile members of the team were traded away. Sergei Gonchar found a new home with the Boston Bruins. – Washington Capitals

Gonchar is an extremely impressive offensive defenseman who holds a few of the records for the Washington Capitals. He played 654 games with the Capitals over 10 seasons. Here’s how he stacks up against the rest of the defensemen who qualified.

• 416 points (fourth out of 34)
• 144 goals (second out of 34)
• 272 assists (fourth out of 34)
• +51 plus minus rating (eighth out of 34)

Gonchar deserves some credit for being a leader on some very good teams and for being very good on some bad teams. Had he not been traded to Boston and kept playing for the Capitals, Gonchar would probably be in the top five. Gonchar could be a future Hockey Hall of Famer. Not just because he’s a great defenseman, but because he has been a huge influence on Russian defenders.

Next: Number Five: Down the Hatch(er)

Washington Capitals Top Ten Defensemen: #5

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Number five on our list of best Washington Capitals defensemen is Kevin Hatcher. Hatcher was a huge part of the Capitals from the mid 1980’s to the early 1990’s.

Kevin Hatcher was Washington’s first pick in the 1984 Entry Draft. Although he played most of the 1984-85 season with the North Bay Centennials, he did don a Capitols’ sweater twice during that season. The full time job started the next year, when Hatcher played in 79 games, totaling 19 points and 119 penalty minutes. The following year saw Hatcher tally a career high 144 penalty minutes in 78 games. In 1987-88 Hatcher logged plenty of ice time with the Caps and also appeared with Team USA in the Canada Cup. Although he missed 15 games with two broken bones in his foot the following season, he bounced back in 1989-90 and was the only Washington defenseman to appear in all 80 games. He made NHL All-Star debut in 1990 as well. Steady work apparently agreed with Hatcher, who missed only one game the following season and led his team in points with 74. He also made his second All-Star appearance. In 1991-92, he again represented Team USA in the Canada Cup. He also scored his 300th NHL point and appeared in his third consecutive All-Star game. In 1992-93, he scored a career-high 34 goals and became only the seventh defenseman in league history score thirty goals in a single season. He ended the season with a career high 79 points. – Washington Capitals

Hatcher played 10 seasons with the Capitals from 1983-1984 to 1993-1994. Here’s how he compares to the other defensemen who qualified:

• 426 points (third out of 34)
• 149 goals (first out of 34)
• 277 assists (third out of 34)
• -10 plus minus rating (24th out of 34)

Hatcher was an extremely good defenseman. He was an important part of the Caps and their teams in the 80’s and 90’s. Like Gonchar, one has to imagine how much better Hatcher could have done had he had better talent around him during his career with the Washington Capitals.

Next: Number Four... The Original Enforcer and Captain

Washington Capitals Top Ten Defensemen: #4

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Number four on our list of best Washington Capitals defensemen is the original captain of the Caps: Yvon Labre. 

When Yvon Labre strapped on his hockey gear, he became a pure foot soldier who fought his battles in the toughest trenches of any arena in which he played. He launched his advent to the big leagues with the Toronto Marlboros as a defensive defenseman who played tough, engaged in scraps, and inspired his teammates with his big heart. He made his NHL debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1970 before being dispatched to the minors where he played in Baltimore, Amarillo, and Hershey. He won a return engagement with the Pens in 1973-74 and was then returned to the minors until the Washington Capitals selected him in the 1974 Expansion Draft. His transition to the Caps marked his arrival as a full-fledged NHLer. He survived by throwing every ounce of his heart into clearing creases and engaging in fights that, more often than not, he lost because his arms were too short, as he once joked. By 1980-81, Labre’s knee gave out, forcing his early retirement. As a tribute to his career, he was invited out to centre ice where the Caps acknowledged his contribution to the club. In the process, he was stunned to learn that his #7 was to be retired to the rafters of the MCI Center. Labre has since stayed on with the Caps’ organization as a director of special programs. – Washington Capitals

Labre played seven seasons with the Capitals. He played 334 games with them. His stats don’t come close to justifying his position, but his stats are not why he is on this list. Labre is on this list because of the influence that he had on the Capitals.

Labre was the original captain of the Caps. When the Caps were bad, he gave them a reason to fight. He helped bring hockey to the nation’s capital. Labre set the tone for the franchise for years to come. It’s sad that he never got to play in the playoffs for the Caps because he deserved to play for a good team.

Next: Number Three: Another Hockey Hall of Famer

Washington Capitals Top Ten Defensemen: #2

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Number two on our list is the Swedish legend himself: Calle Johansson.

Johansson was the first round draft pick, 14th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres at the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. He joined Buffalo in 1987-88 and impressed with 42 points and selection to the NHL All-Rookie Team. That year he led all first year players with a plus/minus rating of +12 and finished second with 38 assists. He started slowly the next season and was included in a multi-player deal with Washington that brought goalie Clint Malarchuk to the Sabres. Upon his trade to Washington in 1988-89, Johannson became a fixture on the team’s blueline. He scored at least 40-points four times and was a major part of the Caps’ special teams and transition game. The talented blueliner helped Washington reach the semi-finals in 1990 and the final in 1998. In 1999-00 the veteran rearguard led all NHL defenseman with 2,389 shifts. Johansson went on to play 15 seasons in Washington before opting to call it a career at the end of the 2002-03 season. However, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed the veteran rearguard at the 2004 trade deadline for the remainder of the 2003-04 season, in hopes of adding some depth to their blueline. The Leafs failed to win the cup that season and Johansson retired for good after the playoffs. – Washington Capitals

Johansson played 983 games with the Washington Capitals, which is the most game played in a Capitals sweater of any player ever. How do his stats compare to other defensemen who qualified for the list?

• 474 points (first out of 34)
• 113 goals (third out of 34)
• 361 assists (first out of 34)
• +47 plus minus (ninth out of 34)

Johansson’s greatest skill was his durability. Sadly, TOI started to be charted during the 1998-1999 season. However, Johansson averaged over 21 minutes of ice time in his career from 1998-1999 to the end of his career in 2004. Johansson’s puck handling and agility helped make the Capitals relevant in the nation’s capital. It’s a shame his number six hasn’t been retired by the Washington Capitals yet.

Next: Have You Guessed Who's Number One Yet?

Washington Capitals Top Ten Defensemen: #1

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Number one on our list is none other than the Secretary of Defense, Rod Langway. 

Although he wanted to remain in Montreal, the Canadiens were unable to fill Langway’s compensation request due to his loss of revenue because of higher Canadian taxes and the lower Canadian dollar. Just prior to the start of the 1982 training camp, a blockbuster deal was struck with the Washington Capitals, changing the face of both clubs. Langway was on his way to the U.S. capitol, along with Doug Jarvis, Craig Laughlin and Brian Engblom in exchange for Ryan Walter and Rick Green. Immediately, the Capitals named Langway their captain and the tide had begun to turn. After missing the playoffs in every season since their conception in 1974, the newly charged club marched to a winning record and its first playoff berth, led by their captain’s Norris Trophy performance and 1st Team All-Star berth. Over the next ten seasons, Langway was a pillar of strength on the Capitals blueline. A knock-off of old school defensemen from yesteryear, he became known for his fearless shot blocking and goal stopping expertise as confirmed by this Mike Gartner testimony in 1983, “”They’re the guys (along with Engblom) you want out there in the last minute of a 3-2 game because you know they’re going to get the puck out.”” Known in Washington D.C. circles as the “”Franchise Saver””, he was always willing to sacrifice his body for the club, never giving less than his best effort and expected nothing less from those around him. Teammate Al Jensen once stated, “”You have to respect a guy who works as hard as Rod does.”” Langway would capture a second Norris Trophy in 1984, along with another 1st Team All-Star selection and a 2nd Team All-Star selection in 1985, while participating in five more All-Star contests, including the Rendez-vous ’87 match-up versus the USSR National Team. An extremely patriotic person, Langway rarely missed an opportunity to represent his country on the international stage. He was the captain and leader of Team USA on four separate occasions, the 1981, 1984 and 1987 Canada Cup’s, along with the 1982 Pool ‘A’ World Championship. Despite never tasting team success during the high-calibre tournaments, Langway was always considered one of the best at his position, earning All-Star honors along with the USSR’s Viacheslav Fetisov at the 1984 Canada Cup. Langway retired from the Capitals following the 1992-93 season, mainly due to torn cartilage in his knees that was hampering his performance. Immediately he joined the coaching ranks with the Richmond Renegades of the East Coast Hockey League and it wasn’t long before he was back on the ice, suiting up for the club at the end of the 1994-95 season in six regular season and nine playoff games due to injuries. With the juices flowing once again, Langway decided to make a permanent return joining the San Francisco Spiders of the International Hockey League while mentoring many of its younger defensemen. The return lasted only one season before heading back to Richmond in 1996, although he would play 10 final games for the Providence Bruins of the AHL due to a rash of injuries in 1997-98, recording one final assist before hanging the blades up forever to focus on his coaching role. Langway’s accomplishments throughout his career spoke for themselves and were appreciated by all those who had the benefit of watching him play. His first tribute took place during the final game ever played at the old Capital Centre on November 26, 1997, when his number ‘5’ sweater was officially retired by the club and lifted to the rafters. In 1999, he was officially inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and followed that up with his induction into the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001. Finally, the ultimate accolade was received with his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002. – Washington Capitals

He played 726 games with the Capitals. Here’s how Langway stacks up to the other defensemen who qualified for this list.

• 202 points (eighth out of 34)
• 177 assists (seventh out of 34)
• 117 plus minus (first out of 34)

The Washington Capitals were a bad team until they traded for Langway. Once they got Langway, the Capitals became relevant. They never made the playoffs until they traded for Langway. Langway wasn’t a very productive defenseman, but no one guarded the crease like Langway. Without Langway, there’s a decent chance that the Washington Capitals wouldn’t even be in DC.

So, did we forget anyone? Did we rank anyone too high or too low? Let us know in the comments!

Next: Washington Capitals Top Ten Goaltenders

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