Washington Capitals History: Top 5 Captains Of All Time

Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

#3: Dale Hunter

Coming in at number three on our list of the best Washington Capitals captains of all-time is none other than Dale Hunter. Hunter epitomized what it means to be a Capital as he is the only Caps captain ever to lead the Caps to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Granted, the Caps got swept in the Stanley Cup Finals, but they were facing a far superior Detroit Red Wings team.

During Hunter’s tenure as the Washington Capitals, the Caps were notorious for being physical and very difficult to play against. They worked hard and teams never looked forward to playing against them.

Dale Hunter played a huge role in that, as Hunter himself wasn’t an easy guy to play against. Not only could he score on you, he could beat you up as well. While Hunter was the captain, the Caps took on the personality of Hunter. That’s what great captains do.

However, as a captain, Hunter had his flaws. He racked up penalty minutes, perhaps being a bit too hard of a hitter and too aggressive.

A good captain can’t put his team a man down as often as Hunter did. He wasn’t always the best role model, as he proved against the New York Islanders.

He would later serve as the Washington Capitals head coach during the 2011-2012 season. His experience as a captain helped him take the Capitals to the playoffs and even upset the reigning Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins.

Next: #2: A Future Hall Of Famer