2008–09 Washington Capitals season explained

League:	NHL
Season:	2008–09
Year:	2008
Team:	Washington Capitals
Conferencerank:	2nd
Divisionrank:	1st
Record:	50–24–8
Homerecord:	29–9–3
Roadrecord:	21–15–5
Goalsfor:	272
Goalsagainst:	245
Attendance:	17,943 (98%)
Goalsleader:	Alexander Ovechkin (56)
Assistsleader:	Nicklas Backstrom (66)
Pointsleader:	Alexander Ovechkin (110)
Plusminusleader:	Alexander Semin (+25)
Pimleader:	Donald Brashear (121)
Winsleader:	Jose Theodore (32)
Gaaleader:	Semyon Varlamov (2.37)
Divisionwin:	Yes

The 2008–09 Washington Capitals season was the team's 35th in the National Hockey League. The Capitals finished the regular season with a record of 50–24–8 and a team-record 108 points, and they won their second consecutive Southeast Division championship. They defeated the New York Rangers in the first round of the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs 4–3, overcoming a 3–1 series deficit. The Capitals were then defeated by the eventual champion Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in seven games.

Pre-season

Schedule/Resultsfrom capitals.nhl.com

Opponent	Result	Score
@ Carolina Hurricanes	W	4-1
vs Carolina Hurricanes	W	5-2
@ Boston Bruins	W	4-3
@ New Jersey Devils	W	3-2
@ Philadelphia Flyers	L	1-2
vs Philadelphia Flyers	W	5-1
vs Boston Bruins	OTL	4-5

Regular season

Conference standings

Schedule and results

Full schedule, results, and recaps at capitals.nhl.com

• Green background indicates win. (2 points)
• Red indicates loss. (0 points)
• White background indicates overtime/shootout loss (1 point).

2008–09 Game log
October: 5–3–1 (home: 3–0–1; road: 2–3–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 1 10 Washington 4 - 7 18,545 0–1–0 0 2 11 2 - 4 Washington 18,277 1-1-0 2 3 13 1 - 5 Washington Johnson 16,847 2-1-0 4 4 16 Washington 4 - 3 Theodore 17,030 3-1-0 6 5 18 4 - 3 Washington SO Theodore 17,904 3-1-1 7 6 21 Washington 1 - 2 Theodore 19,289 3-2-1 7 7 23 Washington 1 - 2 Theodore 14,722 3-3-1 7 8 25 Washington 6 - 5 OT Theodore 18,532 4-3-1 9 9 28 3 - 4 Washington SO Theodore 17,011 5-3-1 11
November: 8-5–2 (home: 6–0–0; road: 2-5–2) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 10 1 Washington 0 - 5 Theodore 18,690 5-4-1 11 11 4 Washington 1 - 2 OT Johnson 18,485 5-4-2 12 12 6 2 - 3 Washington Johnson 17,874 6-4-2 14 13 8 1 - 3 Washington Johnson 17,948 7-4-2 16 14 10 2 - 4 Washington Johnson 17,932 8-4-2 18 15 12 Washington 5 - 1 Johnson 14,261 9-4-2 20 16 14 1 - 3 Washington Theodore 18,277 10-4-2 22 17 15 Washington 5 - 6 SO Theodore 17,051 10-4-3 23 18 19 Washington 6 - 4 Theodore 16,076 11-4-3 25 19 20 Washington 2 - 5 Johnson 17,428 11-5-3 25 20 22 Washington 2 - 7 Johnson 17,496 11-6-3 25 21 24 Washington 3 - 4 Theodore 18,568 11-7-3 25 22 26 3 - 5 Washington Theodore 18,277 12-7-3 27 23 28 0 - 3 Washington Theodore 18,277 13-7-3 29 24 29 Washington 0 - 3 Johnson 17,448 13-8-3 29
December: 11–3–0 (home: 6–1–0; road: 5–2–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 25 2 5 - 3 Washington Theodore 16,792 13-9-3 29 26 4 2 - 5 Washington Johnson 18,130 14-9-3 31 27 6 Washington 2 - 1 Johnson 19,416 15-9-3 33 28 7 Washington 1 - 3 Theodore 15,308 15-10-3 33 29 10 1 - 3 Washington Johnson 17,697 16-10-3 35 30 12 1 - 5 Washington Johnson 17,973 17-10-3 37 31 13 Washington 2 - 1 21,273 18-10-3 39 32 16 Washington 5 - 4 OT Johnson 11,655 19-10-3 41 33 18 2 - 4 Washington Varlamov 18,277 20-10-3 43 34 20 Washington 1 - 7 Theodore 19,897 20-11-3 43 35 23 Washington 5 - 4 OT Theodore 18,200 21-11-3 45 36 26 2 - 3 Washington Theodore 18,277 22-11-3 47 37 28 1 - 4 Washington Theodore 18,277 23-11-3 49 38 30 Washington 4 - 2 Theodore 18,690 24-11-3 51
January: 7–4–1 (home: 5–2–0; road: 2–2–1) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 39 1 4 - 7 Washington Johnson 18,277 25-11-3 53 40 3 1 - 2 Washington Theodore 18,277 26-11-3 55 41 6 1 - 2 Washington SO Theodore 18,277 27-11-3 57 42 9 3 - 0 Washington Theodore 18,277 27-12-3 57 43 10 Washington 4 - 5 Johnson 21,273 27-13-3 57 44 13 5 - 2 Washington Theodore 17,948 27-14-3 57 45 14 Washington 6 - 3 Theodore 16,975 28-14-3 59 46 17 1 - 2 Washington Theodore 18,277 29-14-3 61 47 19 Washington 2 - 1 OT Theodore 15,221 30-14-3 63 48 20 Washington 2 - 3 Theodore 20,125 30-15-3 63 49 27 Washington 2 - 3 OT Theodore 17,565 30-15-4 64 50 31 2 - 4 Washington Theodore 18,277 31-15-4 66
February: 9–3–1 (home: 5–3–0; road: 4–0–1) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 51 1 4 - 7 Washington Johnson 18,277 32-15-4 68 52 3 Washington 5 - 2 Theodore 14,018 33-15-4 70 53 5 5 - 4 Washington Theodore 18,277 33-16-4 70 54 7 1 - 3 Washington Theodore 18,277 34-16-4 72 55 11 Washington 4-5 SO Theodore 18,200 34-16-5 73 56 14 Washington 5-1 17,249 35-16-5 75 57 15 Washington 4 - 2 Theodore 17,279 36-16-5 77 58 18 4 - 5 Washington SO Theodore 18,277 37-16-5 79 59 20 4 - 1 Washington Theodore 18,277 37-17-5 79 60 22 2 - 5 Washington Theodore 18,277 38-17-5 81 61 24 4 - 2 Washington Theodore 18,277 38-18-5 81 62 26 3 - 4 Washington Neuvirth 18,277 39-18-5 83 63 28 Washington 4 - 3 OT Theodore 17,565 40-18-5 85
March: 6–5–2; home: 2–3–1; road: 4–2–1) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 64 1 6 - 2 Washington Theodore 18,277 40-19-5 85 65 3 5 - 2 Washington Neuvirth 17,903 40-20-5 85 66 5 2 - 1 Washington Theodore 18,277 40-21-5 85 67 8 4 - 3 Washington SO Theodore 18,277 40-21-6 86 68 10 Washington 2 - 1 OT Theodore 20,066 41-21-6 88 69 12 Washington 2 - 1 Theodore 14,578 42-21-6 90 70 14 4 - 5 Washington SO Theodore 18,277 43-21-6 92 71 16 Washington 1 - 5 Theodore 13,336 43-22-6 92 72 17 Washington 3 - 0 Theodore 16,940 44-22-6 94 73 19 Washington 5 - 2 Varlamov 17,565 45-22-6 96 74 21 Washington 1 - 4 Theodore 18,680 45-23-6 96 75 24 Washington 2 - 3 SO Theodore 19,362 45-23-7 97 76 27 3 - 5 Washington Theodore 18,277 46-23-7 99
April: 4–1–1 (home: 2–0–1; road: 2–1–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 77 1 3 - 5 Washington Theodore 18,277 47-23-7 101 78 3 5 - 4 Washington OT Varlamov 18,277 47-23-8 102 79 5 4 - 6 Washington Theodore 18,277 48-23-8 104 80 7 Washington 4 - 2 Varlamov 16,027 49-23-8 106 81 9 Washington 4 - 2 Theodore 18,891 50-23-8 108 82 11 Washington 4 - 7 Theodore 18,527 50-24-8 108
Schedule

Playoffs

See main article: 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Washington Capitals won the Southeast Division and qualified for the playoffs for the second straight season. The Capitals would eventually win the first round against the New York Rangers, in seven games, after trailing the series 3–1 for their first playoff series victory since reaching the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998. However, the Capitals would not get past the Pittsburgh Penguins and lost the series in seven games.

Key: Win Loss Clinch Playoff Series Eliminated from playoffs

Player statistics

Goaltenders

^†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Capitals. Stats reflect time with the Capitals only.
^‡Traded mid-season
Bold/italics denotes franchise record

Awards and records

Trophies and awards

• Alexander Ovechkin – Hart Memorial Trophy (Most Valuable Player)
• Alexander Ovechkin – Lester B. Pearson Award (Most Outstanding Player)
• Alexander Ovechkin – Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy: (56 goals)
• Alexander Ovechkin – Kharlamov Trophy
• Alexander Ovechkin – NHL First All-Star Team
• Mike Green – NHL First All-Star Team

Stars

• Alexander Semin – NHL No. 1 Star of the Month (October 2008)
• Alex Ovechkin – NHL No. 1 Star of the Month (November 2008)
• Nicklas Backstrom – NHL No. 1 Star of the Week (Week Ending November 28, 2008)
• Alex Ovechkin – NHL No. 1 Star of the Week (Week Ending December 28, 2008)
• Mike Green – NHL No. 3 Star of the Week (Week Ending February 1, 2009)
• Mike Green – NHL No. 3 Star of the Week (Week Ending February 8, 2009)

Records

• Mike Green – NHL-record 8-game goal-scoring streak by a defenseman

Milestones

Regular season
Player	Milestone	Reached
	100th NHL win	October 13, 2008
	1200th NHL game	October 16, 2008
	200th NHL game	October 16, 2008
	1st NHL game	October 21, 2008
Sergei Fedorov	474th NHL goal (most by a Russian-born player)	October 25, 2008
	200th NHL game	October 25, 2008
	1st NHL goal	October 25, 2008
	500th NHL point	November 14, 2008
	100th NHL game	November 19, 2008
	1st NHL game	November 26, 2008
	200th NHL goal	February 5, 2009
	8-game goal-scoring streak by defenseman (NHL record)	February 14, 2009

Transactions

Trades

June 20, 2008	To Washington Capitals 1st-round pick (21st overall) in 2008 – Anton Gustafsson	To New Jersey Devils 1st-round pick (23rd overall) in 2008 – Tyler Cuma 2nd-round pick in 2008 – Patrice Cormier
June 20, 2008	To Washington Capitals 1st-round pick in 2008 – John Carlson	To Philadelphia Flyers Steve Eminger 3rd-round pick in 2008 – Jacob DeSerres

Free agents

Player Former team Contract terms Jose Theodore, G $9 million, 2 years^[2]

Player New team Cristobal Huet, G Chicago Blackhawks Matt Cooke,^[3] LW Pittsburgh Penguins Olaf Kolzig, G Tampa Bay Lightning

Claimed from waivers

Draft picks

Washington 's picks at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft^[4] in Ottawa, Ontario.

Round		Player	Position	Nationality	College/junior/club team (league)
1	21 (from New Jersey)	Anton Gustafsson	(C)		Frölunda HC (Sweden Jr.)
1	27 (from Philadelphia)	John Carlson	(D)		Indiana Ice (USHL)
2	57 (from San Jose)	Eric Mestery	(D)		Tri-City Americans (WHL)
2	58 (from Philadelphia)	Dmitri Kugryshev	(RW)		CSKA Moscow (RSL)
4	93 (from Los Angeles)	Braden Holtby	(G)		Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
5	144	Joel Broda	(C)		Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
6	174	Greg Burke	(LW)		New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs (EJHL)
7	204	Stefan Della Rovere	(LW)		Barrie Colts (OHL)

See also

• 2008–09 NHL season
• Brett Leonhardt

Farm teams

Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL.

Notes and References

1. Web site: NHL.com - Recap: Penguins @ Capitals - 13 May 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090805071521/http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008030227 . 5 August 2009 . live . 2009-07-13 .
2. https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/story/?id=242180&hubname=nhl-capitals&lid=sublink06&lpos=headlines_nhl-capitals Capitals sign Theodore, Raycroft joins Avs
3. https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/story/?id=242603&hubname=nhl-penguins&lid=sublink02&lpos=headlines_nhl-penguins Penguins sign Cooke to two-year deal
4. Web site: NHL.com - Stats . 2008-06-21 . 2008-06-21.