Washington Capitals Top Ten Centers In Team History

Washington Capitals Top Ten Centers: #10

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Starting off our list is Jeff Halpern. Halpern was not only a solid center for the Washington Capitals. He also hails from the nation’s capital.

After signing with Washington in March 1999, Jeff spent the remainder of the season in the AHL with Portland; he scored two goals and had one assist in six games. In 1999-2000, Halpern had a sensational rookie season with the Washington Capitals. Jeff played center in 79 games and scored 18 goals, had 11 assists, and 39 penalty minutes. In five playoff games, Halpern had two goals and one assist. Among rookies during the regular season, Halpern ranked No. 1 in shooting percentage (16.7%), No. 2 in short-handed goals (four), No. 1 in plus/ minus (+21), and No. 6 in goals scored. Halpern improved during the 2000-01 season and surpassed his previous year’s scoring totals. Jeff played in 80 games, scored 21 goals (one short-handed and five game-winning), with 21 assists (six power play assists) for 42 total points; he also had 60 penalty minutes and +13 plus/minus rating. His 19.1 shooting percentage (21-110) was among the highest in the league. The Capitals finished in first place in the Southeast Division with a record of 41-27-10 (96 points). He signed a two-year contract with Washington during training camp and was considered a key player entering the 2001-02 season. Although the Caps had added superstar Jaromir Jagr to its roster, they struggled throughout the year and finished in second place in their division with a record of 36-33-11 (85 points). Unfortunately, Halpern tore his anterior cruciate ligament on January 16 in a game against the Montreal Canadiens and had season-ending surgery. Prior to his injury, Halpern, who had gained a reputation as a defensive center in his first two NHL seasons, played in 48 games and was eighth on the team with 19 points (5 goals and 14 assists). During the 2002-03 season, Halpern appeared in all 82 regular season games as center of the Capitals’ checking line, one of the best defensive lines in the league. Washington finished the season in second place in the Southeast Division with a record of 39-29-8-6 (92 points). Halpern scored 13 goals and 21 assists; he was eighth on the team with 34 total points. The No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Caps played the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the playoffs. After winning the first two games of the series, the Caps lost the next four, including a triple-overtime thriller in Game 6. He registered one assist in the series, but took the most face-offs on Washington. – Jewish Virtual Library

Halpern played in 507 games for the Washington Capitals. Here’s how he compares to the other centers who qualified:

• 507 games played (sixth out of 23)
• 91 goals (11th out of 23)
• 139 assists (13th out of 23)
• 230 points (13th out of 23)
• +1 plus-minus rating (10th out of 23)

Jeff Halpern didn’t get the flashy stats because he was a checking line center. His job? Hound the other team’s best line. Halpern was a master of winning face-offs and was always a pain in the butt to play against. To sum it up, he was a great checking line center. And he’s an even greater person.

Next: Number Nine: The HAWORTH Of A Man

Washington Capitals Top Ten Centers: #9

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Coming in at number nine on our list of the best Washington Capitals centers in team history is an underrated center from the 1980’s. That center? Alan Haworth.

In Washington Alan would develop into a very good player that the Sabres would have liked to have had in their lineup. He became a consistent 25 goal threat while rounding into a solid two way player. In 1985-86 he enjoyed his best year in the NHL, scoring 34 goals and 73 points while posting another 10 points in 9 playoff games. He had great speed and a hard slap shot, but also became a dependable defensive player.  In 1987-88 Haworth was a key part of one of the biggest trades in NHL history. He, along with fellow native-Quebecer Gaetan Duchesne and a first round draft choice (used to select the wonderful Joe Sakic) were traded to Quebec for goalie Clint Malarchuk and leader Dale Hunter. The move was especially controversial because of Hunter’s surprise departure. Haworth, a natural center, was brought in as his replacement. Those were awfully big skates to fill, but Alan did an admirable job, turning in a career second-best 57 point season including 23 goals and 34 assists. – Washington Capitals Legends

Here’s how Haworth stacks up against the other Washington Capitals centers who qualified.

• 346 games played (11th out of 23)
• 129 goals scored (eighth out of 23)
• 139 assists (12th out of 23)
• 268 points (11th out of 23)
• 67 plus/minus rating (second out of 23)

Alan Haworth was a great two-way center for the Washington Capitals. In an era dominated by scoring, his defense stood out, and he was still able to be a pretty productive player.

Next: Number Eight: A Player Who We All LAICH

Washington Capitals Top Ten Centers: #8

Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Coming in at number eight on our list of the best Washington Capitals centers in team history fans favorite Brooks Laich. Laich was traded to the Washington Capitals for Peter Bondra.

Laich played in all 82 games for the Capitals during the 2007–08 season, and set career highs in goals, assists and points. His 21 goals ranked third overall on the team. He led the Capitals with two short handed goals, and played in his 200th career regular season game. After a two-goal game against the Atlanta Thrashers, Laich summed up his philosophy towards scoring: “If you want money, go to the bank. If you want bread, go to the bakery. If you want goals, go to the net.” During the playoffs, Laich had a five-game point streak in the Eastern Conference quarter-finals against the Philadelphia Flyers. This tied him for the longest point streak during the first round of the playoffs. As a restricted free agent after the season, Laich signed a three-year deal with the team on July 9, 2008. The 2008–09 season saw Laich play in all 82 games for the Capitals again, where he set new career highs in goals, assists and points; he scored 23 goals and added 30 assists, breaking the 50-point plateau for the first time in his career. During the Capitals’ playoff run, Laich played in 14 games and added seven points. He assisted on the overtime winning goal in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Final against the eventual Stanley Cup champions Pittsburgh Penguins. Laich’s streak of consecutive games played was broken in the 2009–10 season, when he missed four games with a cheekbone injury in February 2010. He still managed to set new career highs in both goals (25) and assists (34). On February 10, shortly after returning from injury, Laich recorded his first career NHL hat trick against the Montreal Canadiens. During the playoffs, Laich scored the last goal of the Capitals season during Game 7 against the Montreal Canadiens. – Wikipedia

Here’s how Brooks Laich compares to the other centers who qualified.

• 682 games played (third out of 23)
• 132 goals (seventh out of 23)
• 185 assists (eighth out of 23)
• 317 points (eighth out of 23)
• -1 plus-minus rating (12th out of 23)

Sadly, injuries have negatively affected Laich’s career. Hopefully, Washington Capitals fans will remember Laich as the net crashing, hard checking, penalty killing forward that he still is to this day.

Next: Number Seven: A Carpenter

Washington Capitals Top Ten Centers: #7

Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Coming in at number seven on our list of the best Washington Capitals centers in team history is Bob Carpenter. He spent two stints with the Caps, one in the 1980’s, and one in the early 1990’s. From the day he was drafted, Carpenter had an ego that refused to allow him to fail.

The Hartford Whalers had made public that they would select him with their first pick in the 1981 draft, fourth overall, and Carpenter was looking forward to playing near home. But the night before the draft, Washington made a trade with Colorado, selecting third, and on the big day it was the Capitals, not Whalers that selected him. Furious, Carpenter, left the Montreal Forum where the draft was running its course, and this was this first of many public relations gaffes that were to dog his career. Carpenter eventually signed with Washington and became the first player to go right from U.S. high school to the NHL, scoring 32 goals as a rookie and setting a record for American-born players when he scored 53 in his fourth year. The pervious record had been 41 by Joe Mullen. He became a staple on America’s international teams, though the results were not impressive at the 1981 World Juniors, 1984 and 1987 Canada Cups, or 1987 Worlds. In the summer of 1985 he signed a huge four-year contract with Washington, but within a year he had a falling out with coach Bryan Murray. He left the team and forced a trade, to the Rangers, but within weeks his welcome had run out and he was sent to Los Angeles in a deal that brought Marcel Dionne to Broadway. It was his third team in one season, and even that stay didn’t last long. Carpenter played with Boston, Washington again, and New Jersey (where he won his only Stanley Cup) before retiring, never scoring more than 25 goals in any one year after his big season. A superb career fizzled quickly, and he retired with none of the cockiness he had been known for as a young prospect. – Legends of Hockey

Carpenter, along with the additions of Langway, Stevens and Gartner, helped the Washington Capitals become a legitimate NHL team. Here’s how he stacks up against the other Washington Capitals centers who qualified.

• 490 games played (seventh out of 23)
• 178 goals (second out of 23)
• 207 assists (seventh out of 23)
• 395 points (sixth out of 23)
• -38 plus/minus rating (19th out of 23)

Carpenter was relied on to provide a lot of offense for the Washington Capitals back in the 80’s. That’s precisely what he did.

Next: Number Six: Let's Celebrate The Player, Not The Coach

Washington Capitals Top Ten Centers: #6

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Coming in at number six on our list of the best Washington Capitals centers of all-time is a former Caps coach who helped the Capitals get to their first ever Stanley Cup appearance: Adam Oates.

Oates spent parts of six seasons with the Bruins where he established a career-high 45 goals and 97 assists for 142 points in 1992-93. He joined the Washington Capitals in the late stages of the 1996-97 season and, upon arriving, was instrumental in leading the Caps to their first Stanley Cup Final in 1998. Following parts of six seasons with the Capitals, Oates was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers at the March trading deadline in 2002. However, Oates’s tenure with the Flyers would last but 14 games as he became a free agent during the off-season and signed with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Even though he was hampered by injuries during the 2002-03 season, he still managed to reach 1,400 points and ranked sixth all-time in career assists with 1,063 at the end of that season. – Washington Capitals Oates played with Boston until the 1996-97 NHL season, when a blockbuster trade took him, Bill Ranford and Rick Tocchet to the Washington Capitals for Jim Carey, Anson Carter, Jason Allison and a draft choice at the 1997 trading deadline. Oates helped lead the Capitals to the Stanley Cup finals the next season, but failed to win as the Capitals lost to the Red Wings. Oates continued to have productive seasons with the Caps, leading the league in assists in 2000-01 and 2001-02, despite nearing 40 years old. – Greatest Hockey Legends

During the Caps Stanley Cup run, Oates had 17 points (six goals and 11 assists) in 21 games. One of the most impressive things about Oates as a player is that he rarely committed penalties. He relied more on his speed and playmaking abilities to make plays. Here’s how Oates compares to other Washington Capitals centers who qualified.

• 387 games played (ninth out of 23)
• 73 goals (12th out of 23)
• 290 assists (fifth out of 23)
• 387 points (seventh out of 23)
• 5 plus/minus rating (eighth out of 23)

He might have been an awful head coach who did many horrible things, but we’re not here to honor or dishonor Oates as a coach. As a player, he was a pleasure to watch. It’s sad that his coaching is so bad that people might forget how great of a player he was.

Next: Number Five

Washington Capitals Top Ten Centers: #5

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Coming in at number five on our list of the best Washington Capitals centers of all-time is a record holder of a record that might never be broken: Dennis Maruk.

Maruk was a very small player who had a huge chip on his shoulder because he constantly felt like he needed to prove himself. And even when he did prove himself, he never seemed to get the respect that he believed that he deserved.

That chip on his shoulder combined with his skill made him an excellent and driven player.

In a questionable move, the North Stars unloaded his rights to the Washington Capitals, in spite of his impressive numbers. It seemed that the diminutive centreman was having difficulty securing the respect that he deserved. The Stars evidently preferred to invest in their bigger prospect, Bobby Smith. The Stars’ loss, however, was a clear gain for the Caps. In Washington, Maruk caught fire as one of the NHL’s top scorers. In his second full season with the club, he potted 50 goals as a mere warm-up to his third campaign when he poured in 60 goals and 76 assists for a total of 136 points. But again, in spite of his phenomenal output, he was traded back to the Minnesota North Stars for the start of the 1983-84 campaign. The Stars were in the process of giving up on centre Bobby Smith and decided that perhaps Maruk would be useful after all. The move back to Minneapolis was his final NHL destination. He skated for another five-plus seasons of reasonably solid offensive production before being demoted to the Kalamazoo Wings of the IHL where he retired in 1988-89. In considering his prime years with Washington, only nine players in league history have scored as many goals in a single season as Dennis Maruk and only eight players equaled or surpassed his single-season point totals. As a result, Maruk was selected for the All-Star team in 1978 and 1982. – Washington Capitals

So what record does Maruk hold that will likely never be broken? He holds the Caps record for most points in a season with 136. He scored 136 points (60 goals, 76 assists) during the 1981-1982 season. The most that Ovechkin has scored in a season? 112. In fact, Maruk is the only Capitals forward in the top five for points in a single season that is not named Ovechkin. Here’s how Maruk stacks up against the other Capitals centers who qualified.

• 343 games played (12th out of 23)
• 182 goals (third out of 23)
• 249 assists (sixth out of 23)
• 431 points (fifth out of 23)
• -46 plus/minus rating (19th out of 23)

Next: Number Four: Believe It Or Not!

Washington Capitals Top Ten Centers: #4

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Coming in at number four on our list of the best Washington Capitals centers of all-time is Mike Ridley.

While playing youth hockey in Winnipeg, Mike Ridley suffered a few setbacks that served to disguise the great hockey potential that simmered under his helmet. As a midget, his leg was broken as a result of a hit laid on by his future Ranger teammate, James Patrick. Later Ridley suffered a broken collarbone. The net result was that he lost two important years of development while his bones were at rest. By age nineteen, he played Tier II junior for one season. At such an age and in such a setting, he held no consideration of making it in pro hockey. As a result, he hooked up with the University of Manitoba Bisons where, all of a sudden, his talent started to rumble at the rink. By season’s end, he was selected as the Canadian University Player of the Year. And in his second and final campaign on campus he was chosen as an All-Canadian all-star. Halfway through his second year, he was traded to the Washington Capitals where he really made a name for himself as a crafty, productive forward who was usually good for an average of a point a game over his seven-plus seasons with the club. – Washington Capitals

Ridley was a very reliable forward for the Capitals. His creative style of play was extremely fun to watch. He played in an era where point per game forwards weren’t that hard to come by (especially when compared to today’s NHL), but still, being a point per game forward was impressive back then.

Just not as impressive as it is these days. Thanks to his offense, he was also an underrated defensive forward. I’d compare him to Backstrom though I think Backstrom is an overall better player.

Here’s how Ridley stacks up to the other Capitals centers who qualified:

• 588 games played (fourth out of 23)
• 218 goals scored (first out of 23)
• 329 assists (fourth out of 23)
• 547 points (fourth out of 23)

Next: Number Three: The Swede

Washington Capitals Top Ten Centers: #3

Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Coming in at number three on our list of the greatest Washington Capitals centers of all-time is the franchise record holder in assists: Nicklas Backstrom. Backstrom has accomplished a lot in his career thus far.

On October 5, 2007, he scored his first NHL point, an assist on a goal by fellow Swede Michael Nylander, against the Atlanta Thrashers. While Backstrom was decent early in his first season, still adjusting to the smaller ice rinks of North America, his season rapidly improved once an injury to Nylander promoted him to the first line. Playing alongside Alexander Ovechkin, Backstrom set NHL and team records while helping Ovechkin win the Art Ross Trophy and the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy. These two would soon establish themselves among the premier linemates and duos in the league, with the formidability of a top flight scorer and playmaker proving to be hard to defend against. With better talent surrounding him, Backstrom would go on to finish his rookie campaign with 69 points (14 goals, 55 assists), with three goals and 22 assists on the power play. He was named the runner-up to the Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane for the 2007–08 Calder Memorial Trophy for Rookie of they Year (Kane had 1,087 votes to Backstrom’s 872). The Blackhawks’ other superstar rookie, Jonathan Toews, placed third in votes with 647. However, Backstrom was named to the All-Rookie Team along with Kane and Toews. In his second NHL season, Backstrom would go on to lead both the Capitals and Swedish NHL players with 66 assists, and added 22 goals for 88 points, placing him within the top ten NHL scorers in the 2008–09 regular season. Backstrom would again prove to be a force in the playoffs, tallying 15 points in 14 games. Backstrom scored his first career playoff hat-trick, including the overtime game winner against the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs, a round that they lost in seven games. On May 17, 2010, Backstrom signed a ten-year, $67 million contract extension with the Capitals. On December 13, 2014, Backstrom achieved his first hat-trick in the NHL against the Tampa Bay Lightning. On March 15, 2015, Backstrom became the franchise leader in assists for the Capitals. Backstrom led the NHL with 60 assists in the 2014-15 regular season. – Wikipedia

Here’s how Backstrom stacks up against the other Washington Capitals centers who qualified.

• 577 games played (fifth out of 23)
• 145 goals (sixth out of 23)
• 427 assists (first out of 23)
• 572 points (second out of 23)
• 78 plus/minus rating (first out of 23)

Backstrom’s ranking is only going to improve from here on out.

Next: Number Two

Washington Capitals Top Ten Centers: #2

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Coming in at number two on our list of the greatest Washington Capitals centers of all time is the man who held the franchise record before Backstrom. That man? Michal Pivonka.

Michal Pivonka first caught the attention of NHL scouts as a result of his standout performance at the 1983 European Junior Championships where he was named to the tournaments all-star team. He kept up his stellar play at World Junior tournaments in 1985 and 1986, winning a gold medal in the latter outing. He was selected 59th overall in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals. Pivonka expressed a strong interest in defecting to the NHL but insisted on completing his required military service before making the jump. He joined the Caps in 1986-87 and filled an important void created by the retirement of Bengt Gustafsson. Pivonka centered a line between Bobby Gould and Gatean Duchesne, making a good impression from the start with his strong skating, excellent passing, and willingness to play physically. Pivonka remained as a fixture with the Caps for 12 seasons. By the early nineties, fellow countryman Petr Bondra joined the club, uniting with Pivonka to make an effective offensive duo. In tandem, they raised each other’s game with Pivonka scoring a career- high 80 points in 80 games during the 1991-92 campaign. By the end of the decade, however, his numbers and his legs began to slow. In 1999, he was dispatched to the Kansas City Blades of the IHL where he completed his pro career in 2000. – Washington Capitals

Pivonka was an extremely consistent contributor for the Capitals. Here’s how his numbers compare to the other Caps centers who qualified.

• 825 games played (second out of 23)
• 181 goals (fifth out of 23)
• 418 assists (second out of 23)
• 599 points (first out of 23)
• 18 plus/minus rating (sixth out of 23)

Next: Have You Figured Out Who's Number One Yet?

Washington Capitals Top Ten Centers: #1

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Have you figured out who our number one Washington Capitals center of all-time is? It’s former head coach and arguably the most hated Capitals player (among other fanbases) of all-time: Dale Hunter. Hunter was an easy to player for opposing fans to hate. He was big, he was skilled and he could beat the crap out of anyone. And he wasn’t afraid at all to remind opponents of the latter.

The Quebec Nordiques selected Dale Hunter in the 2nd round, 41st overall, in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft. A native of Petrolia, Ontario, Hunter played three seasons of junior hockey in the OHA with the Kitchener Rangers and the Sudbury Wolves. In his draft year, Hunter scored 42 goals and 110 points in 59 games for the Wolves while spending 188 minutes in the penalty box. In 1980-81, Hunter played in all 80 games for the Nords and scored 19 goals and 63 points while amassing 226 minutes in penalties. Hunter roved to be extremely resilient and reliable, missing just three games in his first six years with the club. His best offensive season was in 1983-84, when he scored 79 points in 77 games. During those years in Quebec, Hunter may best be remembered for fueling an ongoing intense rivalry with the Montreal Canadiens. In 1987, Hunter missed 34 games of the season after breaking his leg. It was the first time he had ever missed any games due to injury. In 1987-88, Hunter joined the Washington Capitals where he played for 12 seasons. The pinnacle of his career in Washington was in 1998 when the team advanced to the Stanley Cup finals before losing to the defending champion Detroit Red Wings. In a last-ditch effort to win a championship, the Capitals sent Hunter to the Colorado Avalanche for the 1999 playoff drive, but the team came up short, losing to the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference finals. Hunter retired at the age of 39, having played 19 years in the NHL. He played in 1,407 games, scoring 323 goals, 697 assists and 1,020 points while spending 3,565 minutes in the penalty box. – Washington Capitals

Hunter was the captain for the Washington Capitals from 1994 to 1999. He leads the team in career penalty minutes with 2,003. He had his number retired and had the penalty box of the old Capitals Center presented to him. He currently coaches the London Knights. Here’s how his numbers stack up against the other Washington Capitals centers who qualified.

• 872 games played (first out of 23)
• 181 goals scored (fourth out of 23)
• 375 assists (third out of 23)
• 556 points (third out of 23)
• -11 plus/minus rating (13th out of 23)

Did we miss anyone? What changes would you make to your top ten? Let us know in the comments!

Next: Washington Capitals Top 10 Defensemen Of All-Time

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