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Washington Capitals: All-time defensemen lineup

By Michael Marzzacco |
NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 08: Former Washington Capitals captain Rod Langway is shown with his former general manager, David Poile, prior to the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and Anaheim Ducks, held on March 8, 2018, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Langway was Poile's first major trade and his first captain. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 08: Former Washington Capitals captain Rod Langway is shown with his former general manager, David Poile, prior to the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and Anaheim Ducks, held on March 8, 2018, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Langway was Poile's first major trade and his first captain. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 07: John Carlson #74 of the Washington Capitals celebrates with the Stanley Cup in the locker room after his team defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Capitals won the series 4-1. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 07: John Carlson #74 of the Washington Capitals celebrates with the Stanley Cup in the locker room after his team defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Capitals won the series 4-1. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images) /

A few weeks ago we took a look at the greatest Washington Capitals lineup of all-time among the forwards. Now it’s time for the defensemen.

We took a look at the present and past Washington Capitals teams and came up with six defensive pairings. Each are three right handers and left handers.

Without further ado, let’s begin.

The third pair

9 Jun 1998: Sergei Gonchar #55 of the Washington Capitals in action during the NHL Stanley Cup Finals game against the Detroit Red Wings at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The Red Wings defeated the Capitals 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Robert Laberge /Allsport
9 Jun 1998: Sergei Gonchar #55 of the Washington Capitals in action during the NHL Stanley Cup Finals game against the Detroit Red Wings at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The Red Wings defeated the Capitals 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Robert Laberge /Allsport /

Sergei Gonchar-Mike Green

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 08: Mike Green #52 of the Washington Capitals reacts between plays in the third period during an NHL game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Verizon Center on February 8, 2015 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 08: Mike Green #52 of the Washington Capitals reacts between plays in the third period during an NHL game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Verizon Center on February 8, 2015 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images) /

The third pair will be offensively loaded with Sergei Gonchar and Mike Green, two back-to-back generation Capitals blueliners. When both would lineup to take a one-timer slapshot, the blast would always seem like a rocket. A netminder would be frightened should these two both be on the ice together.

Sadly we never got to see this materialize. Sergei Gonchar was traded in the middle of the 2003-04 season and the team drafted Green with the 29th pick that summer. Gonchar was the first Russian defenseman to score 20 goals during the 1998-99 season and that wasn’t even his best season in D.C. In 2001-02, Gonchar scored a career-high 26.

Mike Green smashed Gonchar’s record with 31 goals in the 2008-09 season including a goal-scoring streak of eight consecutive games, an NHL record for defensemen. Green spent 10 seasons in Washington before joining the Detroit Red Wings in the summer of 2015 as a free agent. Even though he’s gone, he’ll always be remembered among Capitals fans as one of the early faces of the “Young Guns” era.

The second pair

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – 1988: The New Jersey Devils’ Scott Stevens takes a break in front of his teams bech during the Patrick Division Finals against the Washington Capitals at the Meadowlands Arena circa 1987-88 season in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Focus on Sport via Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – 1988: The New Jersey Devils’ Scott Stevens takes a break in front of his teams bech during the Patrick Division Finals against the Washington Capitals at the Meadowlands Arena circa 1987-88 season in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Focus on Sport via Getty Images) /

Scott Stevens-John Carlson

LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 07: John Carlson #74 of the Washington Capitals carries the Stanley Cup in celebration after his team defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 07: John Carlson #74 of the Washington Capitals carries the Stanley Cup in celebration after his team defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

The middle pair features two of the best two-way defenders in Capitals history. Scott Stevens was drafted fifth overall in the 1982 NHL entry draft and scored on his first shot on his very first shift as an 18-year old, making an immediate impact on a Capitals team destined to turn the corner. Stevens finished third in the Calder Trophy voting at the conclusion of his rookie year.

Everyone talks about Rod Langway being the main face of the “Save the Caps” movement and rightfully so, but another big face in that surge that put the Caps in the playoffs year after year was Stevens. The Capitals made the playoffs in each of his eight seasons and games at the Capital Centre were the hottest ticket in town.

John Carlson is more than just a defenseman, he’s an American hero. The Massachusetts native was drafted by the Capitals in the first round at 27th overall in 2008. He’s the only defenseman that’s on the active Capitals roster among this list and he enters his age-30 season with a chance to lead the defensive corps with Brooks Orpik’s retirement.

Carlson is coming off his best season recording a career-high 57 assists and 70 points along with 13 goals. Whether it’s Karl Alzner or Michal Kempny, Carlson has always been the premier shutdown partner and CC middle pair would be deadly in Washington.

The first pair

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – 1988: The New Jersey Devils’ left wing Perry Anderson #25 and the Washington Capitals’ defenceman Kevin Hatcher #4 skate near the boards during the Patrick Division Finals at the Meadowlands Arena circa 1987-88 season in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Focus on Sport via Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – 1988: The New Jersey Devils’ left wing Perry Anderson #25 and the Washington Capitals’ defenceman Kevin Hatcher #4 skate near the boards during the Patrick Division Finals at the Meadowlands Arena circa 1987-88 season in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Focus on Sport via Getty Images) /

Rod Langway-Kevin Hatcher

2000 Season: Rod Langway, Washington Capitals. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)
2000 Season: Rod Langway, Washington Capitals. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images) /

No Washington Capitals top defensive pair would be polarizing without the secretary of defense. Rod Langway helped save a franchise when owner Abe Pollin and company made a blockbuster trade with the Montreal Canadiens. It was a part of a package deal with Doug Jarvis, Craig Laughlin and Brian Engbolm as well.

A playoff drought of eight since entering the league, Langway helped lead the Capitals to the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history. The Capitals made the playoffs all 11 seasons Langway was a member of the squad. While Langway wasn’t much of an offensive threat, his defensive tenacity made those Washington teams unstoppable and fans gave him the nickname the “Secretary of Defense”.

Langway won back-to-back Norris Trophies in 1983 and 1984 as the league’s top defenseman. He also has his number hanging on the rafters atop Capital One Arena.

Kevin Hatcher was drafted in the first round by the Capitals in 1984 at 17th overall. Hatcher and Langway were teammates for nine of Langways 11 seasons in the Nation’s Capital before the latter retired after the 1992-93 season. That 1992-93 season was Hatcher’s best season where he scored a career-high 34 goals and 79 points. He led all NHL defensemen that season.

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That is our list of our all-time defensemen lineup. Do you agree with our selections? Did we miss someone? Let us know in the comments!

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