2026-07-06 19:34:35 Capitals clinch a Stanley Cup playoff berth for 14th time in 15 years – NEW WTOP Skip to main content

Capitals clinch a Stanley Cup playoff berth for 14th time in 15 years

By J.J. Regan

Capitals clinch a playoff berth for 14th time in 15 years originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

A 4-2 loss by the New York Islanders on Sunday made official something that has already been assumed for several months.

With the loss, the Islanders are officially eliminated from the playoffs and the Capitals — without even taking the ice on Sunday — have clinched the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

This marks the 14th time in 15 seasons Washington has reached the postseason and extends the current streak to eight straight, the second-longest active streak in the NHL. Go back further, and the Capitals have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs 32 times in the past 39 seasons, an astounding run of consistency for almost four decades. 

Despite having already punched its ticket, there remains plenty to play for in the final seven remaining games of the regular season for Washington. While we know all eight playoff teams in the East — and have for some time now — the order of those teams in the standings remains very much influx.

Washington currently sits in the second wild card spot which would mean a first-round matchup against the Florida Panthers.

The Caps, however, trail the Boston Bruins by only three points for the first wild card spot. They also sit three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for third in the Metropolitan Division and that’s with two games in hand. Should the Caps overtake Boston or Pittsburgh, it will mean a first-round matchup against either the Carolina Hurricanes are New York Rangers, both of which look much more beatable than the Panthers.

The playoff lineup also appears to be a work-in-progress. The starting goalie remains a question mark and head coach Peter Laviolette continues to experiment with his lines. Those are things the team will have to continue to work on through these final seven games in order to go on a deep playoff run and compete for the Stanley Cup.

But you can now officially cross Step 1 of that process — reaching the playoffs — off the championship to-do list.

All about Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin with stats and contract info

By NBC Sports Washington Staff
All about Alex Ovechkin with stats and contract info originally appeared on NBC Sports WashingtonEver since making his NHL debut in 2005, Capitals star Alex Ovechkin has proven to be the greatest goalscorer the sport has ever seen.The 2004 No. 1 overall pick scored two goals in his first career game and hasn't stopped finding the back of the net at record pace, putting him within reach of Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals mark. Ovechkin has compiled an impressive trophy case along the way, winning three Hart Memorial Trophy MVPs, a record nine Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophies as the NHL's leading goal scorer, nine NHL First-Team selections, 12 all-star selections, the 2018-19 Stanley Cup title and the Conn Smythe Trophy for the MVP of that year's playoffs.He is undoubtedly one of the greatest hockey players of all time. Alex Ovechkin's BioHeight: 6-foot-3Weight: 238 poundsBirthdate: Sept. 17, 1985 Birthplace: Moscow, RussiaNHL experience: 17 seasonsJersey No. 8Alex Ovechkin's Career StatsAfter showing no signs of slowing down with a 50-goal season in Year 17, Ovechkin has continued to put up mind-boggling stats deep into his 30s. Here are his complete career numbers to date (through Oct 11, 2022): 1,274 games played780 goals scored630 assists1,410 pointsStanley Cup Playoffs:141 games71 goals64 assists135 pointsAlex Ovechkin's Contract DetailsIt was always a matter of "when" and not "if" Alex Ovechkin would sign a contract extension with the Capitals this past offseason. The five-year, $47.5 million deal he signed at the end of July 2021 showed his desire to finish his career in the nation's capital with an eye towards breaking the all-time goals record as well. Ovechkin's deal ends following the 2025-26 season. Where does Alex Ovechkin rank on the all-time goals list? Ovechkin finished his 17th NHL season with a clean 50 goals, bringing his career total to 780. Here's where that ever-growing mark ranks on the all-time goals leaderboard: Wayne Gretzky: 894Gordie Howe: 801Alex Ovechkin: 780Jaromir Jagr: 766Brett Hull: 741Other Alex Ovechkin RecordsMuch has been made about Ovechkin's all-time goals chase, but he's also accumulated some other pretty impressive records along the way as well. Most recently, Ovi broke the all-time power play goals mark with his 275th score on New Year's Eve against the Red Wings. By a second, he narrowly beat the release of Detroit's man in the penalty box to secure the record. Here are some of the Great 8's other all-time NHL records: Most scoring titles: nineMost overtime goals: 24Most consecutive 30-goal seasons: 15 (tied with Jaromir Jagr and Mike Gartner)
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