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Washington Capitals: A look back at Bobby Carpenter

By Michael Marzzacco

CANADA - FEBRUARY 05: All eyes on the puck: Jim Korn (20); Bill Kitchen (26) an Al lafrate (33) of the Maple Leafs look to the net; where the puck shot by Washington's Mike McEwen settles behind goaltender Tim Bernhardt. It was the Capitals' first goal; coming in the first period. Kitchen has Gaetan Duchesne pinned on the ice; while Bobby Carpenter cruises through the slot. The Caps had lost only one of their previous eight games against Toronto. (Photo by Colin McConnell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
CANADA - FEBRUARY 05: All eyes on the puck: Jim Korn (20); Bill Kitchen (26) an Al lafrate (33) of the Maple Leafs look to the net; where the puck shot by Washington's Mike McEwen settles behind goaltender Tim Bernhardt. It was the Capitals' first goal; coming in the first period. Kitchen has Gaetan Duchesne pinned on the ice; while Bobby Carpenter cruises through the slot. The Caps had lost only one of their previous eight games against Toronto. (Photo by Colin McConnell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) /
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There have been many great players of the past that suited up for the Washington Capitals. Bobby Carpenter was one who you simply couldn’t miss in the early 1980s.

Sports Illustrated didn’t call Bobby Carpenter “The can’t miss kid” for nothing. Selected at third overall in 1981 by the Washington Capitals, Carpenter was the highest drafted American-born player and was the first to play in the NHL straight out of high school.

Carpenter was basically hockey’s LeBron James. He was well known and famous before he even entered the league. Carpenter was a star at St. John’s Prep School and landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated in the middle of his senior year.

Carpenter led the St. Johns Eagles to the 1979 Massachusetts State title in his sophomore year with 23 goals and 31 assists (54 points) in 23 games. Carpenter’s junior year saw him post 65 points (28 goals, 37 assists) in 33 games. In his senior year, despite playing in just 18 games, Carpenter scored 14 goals and 24 assists for 38 points. Carpenter was named Massachusetts High School Player of the Year in both his junior and senior year.

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The Capitals traded up in the 1981 NHL Draft to select Carpenter and at that time, no other American-born hockey player was drafted that high. Carpenter scored 32 goals in his rookie season at age 18 and added 35 assists for 67 points. Despite the sky high expectations that came from the draft selection, the Capitals missed the playoffs in the 1981-92 season but the franchise continued to turn a corner.

Just before the `1982-83 season, the Capitals made their biggest trade in franchise history acquiring Rod Langway, Craig Laughlin, Doug Jarvis and Brian Engblom from the Montreal Canadiens as part of the “Save the Caps” campaign to prevent the team from relocating.

Those four players plus Carpenter helped energize hockey around the city. The Capitals made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history before falling to the New York Islanders in another 32-goal season from Carpenter.

Carpenter’s fourth season in 1984-85 was the best season of his career scoring 53 goals and 42 assists (95 points). Carpenter’s 53 goals led the team and he additionally was the first American-born NHL player to score 50 goals. His teammate Mike Gartner added 50 himself and the two combined for 197 points and the duo was given the nickname “the dust twins”.

Carpenter spent one more full season in Washington before he was traded on New Years Day in 1987 to the New York Rangers for Kelly Miller, Mike Ridley and Bob Crawford. He did return to the Capitals in the 1992-93 season as a free agent, suiting up for 68 games. Carpenter spent seven years with the Capitals, scoring 188 goals and 207 assists (395 points).

Carpenter spent 18 years in the NHL and also saw stops in Los Angeles and Boston before finishing his career with the New Jersey Devils. Carpenter won a Stanley Cup with the Devils in 1995 before retiring from playing the game four years later.

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Carpenter has since worked for the Toronto Maple Leafs as a development coach. He’s currently the Director of Program Development for the Valley Jr. Warriors of the Eastern Junior Hockey League. He has also completed the Boston Marathon twice in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

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