Washington Capitals: Top Ten Goal Scorers
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
The Washington Capitals have had some pretty great goal scorers. However, there is constantly the argument of whether or not an era hurt (or helped) a player.
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Undeniably, scoring 50 goals in the 1980’s isn’t the same as scoring 50 goals in today’s era. However, until recently, there was no way to even the playing field in this regard.
Recently, a new statistic called “adjusted goals” was created. Adjusted goals adjust goals for the era in which they were scored.
In a way, it removes any effect (positive or negative) that an era might bring to goal scoring. It was created by Hockey Reference.
We will use Gordie Howe‘s 1952-53 season as an example, a season in which Howe scored a career-high 49 goals. The first step in this process is to calculate a schedule adjustment for each player. In order to do this, divide 82 by the number of scheduled games per team. In 1952-53 the NHL played a 70-game schedule, so the schedule adjustment is 82 / 70 = 1.17. The roster size adjustment is computed by dividing the maximum roster size for the season in question by 18. Teams were allowed to carry a maximum of 16 skaters at home and 15 skaters on the road during the 1952-53 season, so the roster size adjustment is 15.5 / 18 = 0.86. Next calculate the era adjustment, which we will do by dividing 6 by the league average goals per game without the player in question. In 1952-53 a total of 1006 goals were scored in 210 games. Without Howe this works out to (1006 – 49) / 210 = 4.56 goals per game, so our era adjustment is 6 / 4.56 = 1.32. Finally, we put everything together. Take the player’s actual goals and multiply by the adjustments we computed above. For Howe in 1952-53 this is 49 * 1.17 * 0.86 * 1.32 = 65 adjusted goals. – Hockey Reference
With this new statistic, we can find out who the real Washington Capitals goal-scoring leaders are. No more era debates. Just goals. Let’s find out who the top ten goal scorers in Washington Capitals history are.
Next: #10: Gonchar
Washington Capitals Top Ten Goal Scorers: Gonchar
Sergei Gonchar is the lone Washington Capitals defenseman on this list. That tells you how good he was at scoring goals. What’s more impressive is that Gonchar did his goal scoring for Washington Capitals teams that didn’t always encourage offense.
Under Jim Schoenfeld and Ron Wilson, the Caps were not a very high scoring team as they were under Bruce Boudreau. Because of this, with all due respect to Mike Green, I consider Gonchar to be the best offensive defenseman in Washington Capitals history.
His rocket from the point was as close to unstoppable as I’ve ever seen.
He had 144 goals for the Washington Capitals over the course of ten seasons and 654 games. He scored .22 goals per game and had 151 goals created. He had 159 adjusted goals.
Sergei Viktorovich Gonchar (born April 13, 1974) is a Russian professional ice hockey defenseman and an alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has also played for the Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins. Sergei Gonchar began his professional career in 1991 with Traktor Chelyabinsk in the Russian Super League. He also played two seasons for Dynamo Moscow. Gonchar was the 1st round pick, 14th overall, of the Washington Capitals in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. He began his North American career in 1994, suiting up in two playoff games for the Capitals’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Portland Pirates. He continued with Portland in 1994–95, before making his NHL debut, with the Capitals, on February 7, 1995 against the Buffalo Sabres. He would appear in 31 games total during the lockout-shortened 1994–95 season. The following year, in his first full-length campaign in the NHL, Gonchar would tally 41 points, showing his potential as an effective offensive defenseman. – Ice Hockey Wiki
Next: #9: Konowalchuk
Washington Capitals Top Goal Scorers: Konowalchuk
Steve Konowalchuk was quite underrated as a forward. However, he was an extremely important part of the Washington Capitals for 13 seasons.
He was mostly a checking line or second line forward who was known more for being an excellent two-way player than his goal scoring.
This was partly due to having the same problem that Gonchar had: playing for coaches that preached defense over offense in an era that did the same.
Over his 13 years with the Capitals, he scored 146 goals. That is good for 161 adjusted goals.
Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Konowalchuk played two years of junior hockey with the WHL’s Portland Winter Hawks. He scored a combined 94 goals and was Washington’s 5th choice, 58th overall in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. Konowalchuk was voted on to the WHL’s First All-Star Team after scoring 51 goals and 104 points in 1991-92. That year he also suited up for the United States when they won the bronze medal at the 1992 World Junior Championships. In 1992-93, the young pivot split his first full pro season between the Caps and AHL’s Baltimore Skipjacks. He joined Washington on a full-time basis in 1993-94 and became a solid checker and reliable 40-point producer as the fourth centre behind Dale Hunter, Michael Pivonka, Joe Juneau, and Dave Poulin. He gradually worked his way up the ladder and was a crucial part of the team when veterans Hunter and Poulin retired. Konowalchuk’s solid all round game was recognized when he played a game for the U.S. when they won the inaugural World Cup of Hockey in 1996. As the Caps began the 2001-02 season with the addition of superstar Jaromir Jagr, Konowalchuk’s role as a solid two-way forward remained vital to the success of the team. A two-time member of the US World Championship team in 2000 and 2002, Konowalchuk was appointed team captain in 2002-03 and remained as the team’s leader in the early stages of the 2003-04 season, until being dealt to the Colorado Avalanche. –Legends of Hockey
Next: #7 (tied): Hunter
Washington Capitals Top Goal Scorers: Hunter
Coming in at number seven (tied) on our list of the best Capitals goal scorers of all-time is the captain Dale Hunter.
While Hunter was not a good coach, he was sure a great player. Hunter, like Konowalchuk, is known more for his defensive prowess (and hard hits) than his goal scoring.
In 872 games with the Caps, Hunter scored 181 goals. In adjusted goals, that’s 165. He’s tied with Nicklas Backstrom, but obviously Backstrom will break that record.
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
Next: #7 (tied) Nicklas Backstrom
Washington Capitals Top Goal Scorers: Nicklas Backstrom
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Coming in at number seven (tied) on our list of the best Washington Capitals goal scorers of all-time is none other than current Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom.
He’s such a good passer that it’s often hard to remember that he can be a goal scorer as well. It’s something that Caps fans can forget at times.
In 577 NHL games (all with the Capitals), Backstrom has 145 goals. That’s good for 165 adjusted goals.
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
Next: #6: Pivonka
Washington Capitals Top Goal Scorers: Pivonka
Coming in at number six on our list of the best Washington Capitals goal scorers is Michal Pivonka. Like Backstrom, Pivonka is often thought of as being a playmaker than a goal scorer.
However, adjusted goals tell us a different story.
In 825 NHL games (all of them with the Caps), Pivonka scored 181 goals. That’s the equivalent of 168 adjusted goals.
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
Next: #5: Ridley
Washington Capitals Top Goal Scorers: Ridley
Coming in at number five on our list of the best goal scorers in Washington Capitals history is forward Mike Ridley. He’s one of the only two players to have played for the Caps in the 1980’s to be on this list.
In 588 games with the Caps, Ridley had 218 goals. In adjusted goals, that is the equivalent of 187 goals.
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
Next: #4: Semin
Washington Capitals Top Goal Scorers: Semin
Coming in at number four on our list of the ten best goal scorers in Washington Capitals history is a current free agent: Alex Semin.
Semin was a pretty polarizing player while he was with the Capitals, but one thing that even his harshest of critics can’t deny is his ability to score.
In 469 games with the Washington Capitals, Semin scored 197 goals. In adjusted goals, that’s equal to 216.
With Semin’s military obligations fulfilled, he agreed to a two-year contract with the Capitals on April 11, 2006, resolving the conflict between the two parties. Playing in his first game for the Capitals in two years, Semin scored the team’s first goal of the 2006–07 season against the New York Rangers on October 5, 2006. In his next game, against the Carolina Hurricanes, he recorded a hat-trick. On March 18, 2007, Semin tallied the second natural hat-trick of his career against the Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring three goals on three successive shots in a span of 7:04 in the second period. Late in the season, Capitals Head Coach Glen Hanlon started Alexander Ovechkin and Semin together on the powerplay and occasionally on the team’s first scoring line. Ovechkin and Semin finished as the team’s top two scorers, and Semin soon became known as “The Other Alex.” He completed the season with 38 goals (13th in league scoring) and 73 points in 77 games, missing five games to an injury early in the season. Semin was one of three 30-goal scorers for the Capitals for the season, along with Ovechkin and captain Chris Clark. After a successful NHL comeback in 2006–07, Semin struggled in comparison during the 2007–08 season, scoring 42 points while being sidelined for 19 games. Along with Ovechkin and second-year forward Nicklas Bäckström, Semin helped form a highly offensive core with the Capitals in 2008–09. On March 3, 2009, Semin’s 25th birthday, he scored his 100th career goal, against the Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward. Semin spent much of the first couple months of the season as the league’s top point-scorer, but tailed off as he began to experience injury troubles. Regardless, he finished with a career-high 79 points in just 62 games, third in Capitals scoring behind Ovechkin and Bäckström. In the 2009 playoffs, Semin added 14 points in 14 games, including a three-point effort (two goals and an assist) on April 20, 2009, leading the Capitals to a crucial playoff win against the New York Rangers in Game 3 of the opening round. Midway through the 2009–10 season, Semin signed a one-year, $6 million contract extension with the Capitals. Semin played for Team Russia in the 2010 Winter Olympics. In Washington’s 2010 quarter-final match-up against the Montreal Canadiens, Semin received large amounts of criticism due to his poor play, as he did not score any goals despite firing 44 shots on Canadiens goaltender Jaroslav Halák. He finished the series with just two assists in seven games, as Montreal upset Washington 4–3 in the series, with the Capitals blowing a 3–1 series lead. Semin signed another one-year extension with the Washington Capitals on January 27, 2011, worth $6.7 million. He became an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2012. On April 5, 2012, Semin became the fifth highest all-time leading goal scorer of the Washington Capitals with his 197th goal. – Wikipedia
Next: #3: Gartner
Washington Capitals Top Goal Scorers: Gartner
Coming in at number three on our list of the best goal scorers in Washington Capitals history is a Hall of Famer who played in the 1980’s: Mike Gartner. Gartner scored a lot of goals for the Caps, so it’s easy to see why he ranks so highly on this list.
Over ten seasons, Gartner played in 758 games. He scored 397 goals for the Washington Capitals. That’s the equivalent of 316 adjusted goals.
Gartner was drafted 4th overall during the 1979 Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals. He made an instant impact on his new club, leading the team in both goals (36) and points (68). Over the next eight seasons, Gartner never scored fewer than 35 goals, hitting the magical 50-goal mark during the 1984-85 season. He led the Capitals in scoring on four occasions, and prior to his trade to Minnesota in 1989 he had tied or set 12 team records including career goals (397) and points (789), all of which he accomplished on a team that missed the playoffs three times and bowed out in the first round three other times. The poor playoff performances by the Capitals enabled Gartner to become an experienced member of Canada’s National Team. Always answering the call when asked, Gartner suited up for the 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1993 World Championship squads. Additionally, he was named to the Canada Cup clubs in 1984 and 1987, narrowly missing a third tournament as the final cut in 1981. Combined with his World Junior bronze medal, Gartner won two gold and three bronze medals in international competition, scoring a total of 19 goals and 29 points. After two short half-season stints with the North Stars, Gartner was traded to the New York Rangers in March 1990 where over the next three seasons he continued his goal scoring consistency with totals of 49, 40 and 45. He had now recorded 30-or-more goals in 14 consecutive seasons, a new NHL mark. During his stint in the Big Apple, Gartner became just the 16th player to reach the 500-goal mark, 6th to reach 600 goals and 33rd player to hit the 1,000-point milestone. Prior to the 1994 trade deadline, Gartner was dealt to his boyhood home, Toronto. Continuing his record-setting streak with a 34-goal season, he was again disappointed as the Maple Leafs were ousted in the Stanley Cup semi-finals. Playing two more seasons for the Maple Leafs, Gartner was named as a Commissioner’s Selection to the 1996 All-Star Game team. This marked his seventh and final appearance, which included an MVP performance of four goals and an assist in 1993. It was during the annual Skill’s Competition, however, that he excelled. Gartner captured the “Fastest Skater Competition” each of the three years he entered, including 1996, at age 36. During the 1985-86 season, Gartner once said, “I have a God-given ability to skate. I haven’t really worked on my legs at all during my career.” He continued to prove his ability until his retirement in 1998. –Legends of Hockey
Next: #2: Bondra
Washington Capitals Top Goal Scorers: Bondra
Coming in at number two on our list of the best goal scorers in Washington Capitals history is none other than the legend himself: Peter Bondra. He suffered from playing on Washington Capitals teams that were defense focused and did not always utilize his abilities to the best. In 961 games with the Washington Capitals, he scored 472 goals. That’s the equivalent of 517 adjusted goals.
Kosice supporters were upset by Bondra’s sudden departure for the Washington Capitals in 1990, but he was eager to show the NHL team which had drafted him 156th overall in that year’s draft what he was worth. In his third season, 1992-93, he led Washington with 37 goals and 85 points. He enjoyed great support, both on and off the ice, from Czech center Michal Pivonka, who had been with the Capitals since 1986. Pivonka helped Bondra and his family get used to a new way of life. The two would also become holdouts in the fall of 1995, when neither player could agree to contract terms with the Caps; during their absence they played together briefly for the Detroit Vipers of the IHL. During the NHL lockout of 1994-95, Bondra made a temporary return to Kosice. When play resumed in North America, the right wing had a breakthrough year with a league leading 34 goals in only 47 games. In 1995, Bondra became a Slovakian citizen, and during his standoff with the Capitals he played for the national team in an Olympic qualifying round as well as at a four-country tournament for the Pragobanka Cup, held in Zlin, Czech Republic. After re-signing with Washington he appeared in only 67 games, but still managed to score 52 goals. Bondra took part in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, where he played for Slovakia and scored three goals in three games. He was also a member of the national squad that hoped to qualify for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Bondra, and Florida Panthers defenseman Robert Svehla, took part in the third game of a three-game preliminary round. However, Slovakia did not play as well in the preliminaries as the surprising team from Kazakhstan, and so was denied the chance to proceed to the final round. When the NHL season resumed after a three-week break for the Olympics, Bondra picked up where he left off, scoring a league-high 52 goals. If that weren’t enough, the Washington Capitals fought their way to the club’s first-ever appearance in the Stanley Cup finals. Bondra was truly a workhorse for the team, which even managed to eliminate the Buffalo Sabres who were led by the phenomenal netminding of Dominik Hasek in the Eastern Conference finals. After that victory, however, Washington was swept in four games by the powerful Detroit Red Wings. During the 2003-04 NHL season the Caps were struggling and had dealt superstar Jaromir Jagr prior to the All-Star Game and made note to every team that several players from their roster would be available to those interested. Thus on February 17, 2004 Bondra’s 14-year career with the Caps came to an end, as he was dealt to the Ottawa Senators for young prospect Brooks Laich and a 2nd round draft pick in 2005. – Legends of Hockey
Next: #1: Ovechkin
Washington Capitals Top Goal Scorers: Ovechkin
Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Coming in at number one on our list of the best goal scorers in Washington Capitals history is none other than the king of goal scoring himself, Alex Ovechkin.
Adjusted goals help put Alex Ovechkin’s success in perspective. It’s truly incredible what he’s accomplished in such a short period.
In 760 games for the Washington Capitals, Ovechkin has scored 475 goals. That’s the equivalent of 544 adjusted goals. The Washington Capitals needed a miracle to save them in 2004.
That miracle happened when the Caps won the draft lottery and got the right to draft Ovechkin. He’s saved the franchise and he will hopefully one day lead the Washington Capitals to a Stanley Cup.
If he does it, it’ll be because of his elite ability to score goals.
Next: Top 10 Wings In Washington Capitals History