Washington Capitals: Top 5 team captains of all-time

#2 Rod Langway

Rod Langway aka the Secretary of Defense is a Hall of Fame. He was the captain of the Capitals from 1982-1993. During that stretch, the Capitals never missed the playoffs. It was arguably their most successful 10 year period in franchise history thanks in large part to their defense.

While Langway hardly scored points, he was a shutdown defenseman who put fear in every forward that he came across. He laid the foundation with his hard hits, tenacious defense and his drive to be a better all around player.

Langway was acquired in a blockbuster trade just prior to the start of the 1982 training camp. Langway was on his way to the Capitals along with Doug Jarvis, Craig Laughlin, and Brian Engblom in exchange for Ryan Walter and Rick Green. The Caps immediately named Langway their captain right after the trade.

Over the next 10 seasons, Langway was a pillar of strength on the Capitals defense. He was known for his fearless shot blocking and goal stopping. He was willing to sacrifice his body for the club. He also represented Team USA on the international stage. Despite never winning the Stanley Cup, Langway was one of the most respected in that locker room.