There have been quite a few great American NHL players who have donned the Washington Capitals sweater over the franchise’s history. Many of them were impactful during their tenures in D.C., and some even represented Team USA in international tournaments. Who are the five best in the U.S. to ever suit up for the Capitals as things stand right now?
5.) Dave Christian
Starting off the list is a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that defeated the Soviet Union and then won the gold medal. The Minnesota native Dave Christian was drafted in the 1979 NHL Draft by the Winnipeg Jets with the 40th overall selection.
Christian played in parts of four seasons with the Jets, which included two campaigns with 70+ points. He produced 28 goals and 43 assists for 71 points in 80 games in 1980-81, before he topped that the following season with 25 goals and 51 assists for 76 points.
Prior to the 1983-84 season, Christian was traded to Washington for a first-round pick in the 1983 Draft. He joined a Capitals team that already had well-known stars on it like Mike Gartner, Rod Langway, Larry Murphy, and Scott Stevens. It took no time for Christian to become one of the offensive leaders on the club, as he notched 81 points in 80 games during his first campaign in D.C. He scored 29 goals and led the whole roster in assists with 52. Only Gartner had more points than Christian that season with 85.
Christian continued to play for the Capitals up until the middle of the 1989-90 season. By then he had produced an 83-point campaign in 1985-86 that included Christian’s only 40-goal season (he registered 41 goals in total). Both would be career highs for him. He was dealt to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Bob Joyce. Christian went on to play for Boston, the St. Louis Blues, and the Chicago Blackhawks; before officially ending his playing days in the league. He finished his overall career with 340 goals and 433 assists for 773 points in 1,009 games. Specifically with Washington, Christian played in 504 games and notched 193 goals and 224 assists for 417 points.
4.) Bobby Carpenter
The Capitals drafted forward Bobby Carpenter with the third overall pick in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. The Massachusetts native had been selected by Washington right out of high school, and he made his NHL debut with the team in 1981-82. The jump from high school to the league proved to not be too much, as Carpenter tallied 32 goals and 35 assists for 67 points in 80 games. He finished that campaign ranked fourth on the Capitals in points. The three teammates of his who had more were Dennis Maruk with 136 points, Ryan Walter with 87 points, and Mike Gartner with 80 points.
Carpenter’s best season in D.C. occurred in 1984-85, when he scored 53 goals and 42 assists for 95 points in 80 games. He was proving to be a young star for Washington, but issues between him and the organization became notable. Carpenter and then-Capitals head coach Bryan Murray did not agree on certain things, and his production dipped a little. Things reached a point where then-general manager David Poile decided to move him. Carpenter was shipped to the New York Rangers, and the haul that Poile got back was beneficial. The Capitals received Mike Ridley, Bob Crawford, and Kelly Miller in return for Carpenter. Ridley became one of the best statistical forwards in Capitals history, while Miller played parts of 13 seasons in D.C. Poile was able to take a star player and get the most out of trading him away. It is one of the many examples of why he is one of the best general managers in hockey history.
Carpenter and the Capitals reunited later for the 1992-93 season, and he totaled 28 points in 68 games (11 goals and 17 assists). During his career, he also played for the Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins, and New Jersey Devils. He amassed 728 points in 1,178 games (320 goals and 408 assists).
Looking back, Carpenter is one of the best American players to play for the Capitals because of how much production he got for the little amount of time he was in Washington. He accumulated 395 points in 490 games (188 goals and 207 assists). If he had been around longer, there is a chance he may even be higher on this list. He was solid for Washington while he was with the team, and he grabbed Poile a great return when he was dealt to the Rangers. No matter how someone can look at this, the Capitals won. Despite the issues he had though, Carpenter is one of the best from the United States to ever play for Washington.
3.) Kevin Hatcher
The Capitals have a rich history of great defenders who have played for the organization. Rod Langway is one of the most iconic with his number retired by Washington; but they also had other Hockey Hall of Famers suit up for them in Larry Murphy and Scott Stevens. While not currently in the Hockey Hall of Fame, another star on the backend for the Capitals around this time was Kevin Hatcher. Hatcher was drafted by the Capitals with the 17th overall pick in the 1984 NHL Draft. He fit in right away, as he played in 79 games for them during the 1985-86 campaign.
Hatcher was a Capital for parts of 10 seasons. His best individual campaign came in 1992-93, when he accrued 79 points in 83 games (34 goals and 45 assists). In total, he played 685 games for Washington. He led all Capitals defenders in goals for the team with 149 (before that was surpassed by John Carlson). He is also fourth in overall points for the franchise. The ones who have more for Washington currently are Carlson, Calle Johansson, and Stevens. Playing alongside Hall of Famers like Murphy, Langway, and Stevens in D.C. benefited Hatcher, but he was a great talent in his own right. He posted the following stats during his time with the Capitals:
- 1984-85: one goal in two games
- 1985-86: nine goals and 10 assists for 19 points in 79 games
- 1986-87: eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points in 78 games
- 1987-88: 14 goals and 27 assists for 41 points in 71 games
- 1988-89: 13 goals and 27 assists for 40 points in 62 games
- 1989-90: 13 goals and 41 assists for 54 points in 80 games
- 1990-91: 24 goals and 50 assists for 74 points in 79 games
- 1991-92: 17 goals and 37 assists for 54 points in 79 games
- 1992-93: 34 goals and 45 assists for 79 points in 83 games
- 1993-94: 16 goals and 24 assists for 40 points in 72 games
After Hatcher’s tenure in Washington, he went to the Dallas Stars for two campaigns, before going to Pittsburgh to play for the Penguins. 1999-2000 saw him don the Rangers jersey and his last campaign in 2000-01 was as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes. Hatcher was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame back in 2010.
2.) TJ Oshie
If there have not been arguments against the order of this list yet, there is a good chance there might be with this ranking. I know there are going to be hockey fans who believe that TJ Oshie should be the number one American player on this list, and that argument is valid. What he was able to do in the shootout during Team Russia during the 2014 Winter Olympics was incredible, and he gained more nationwide attention from there on. Not to mention, seasons later, he was a key individual in the Capitals winning their first Stanley Cup.