Photo: Washington Capitals
During the Washington Capitals’ 50-year history, several players played in their 1,000th game in a Capitals uniform. The players included players who played the entirety of their career with the Capitals, players acquired from elsewhere who spent the bulk of their career with the Capitals, players where the Capitals were a one-way station in a career with many stops, and even a player whose last NHL stop was the Capitals.
The players who achieved this milestone as members of the Capitals were, in consecutive order,
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- Dale Hunter,
- Phil Housley,
- Kelly Miller,
- Adam Oates,
- Calle Johansson,
- Mike Cassells,
- Mike Knuble,
- Justin Williams,
- Alex Ovechkin,
- Nicklas Backstrom,
- T.J. Oshie, and
- John Carlson.
The players will be covered in two parts, the first part about the players who had played with the Capitals before the lockout of 2004-05 and those who played after. None of these 1000-game players played with Washington both before and after the lockout.
Dale Hunter
Photo: Washington Capitals
Dale Hunter played seven seasons for the Quebec Nordiques before getting traded to the Washington Capitals on June 13, 1987. He became an integral part of the Capitals following his arrival. He was named team captain before the 1994-95 season after the departure of the previous Captain, Kevin Hatcher, in free agency.
Hunter’s 1,000th NHL game was against the Montreal Canadiens on April 12, 1993, at the Montreal Forum. The Capitals won that game, 3-2. Hunter was the Capitals’ Captain when they advanced to the Stanley Cup Final against the Detroit Red Wings during the 1997-98 season. His last season with Washington was in 1998-99.
CAPITALS NOTEBOOK – The Washington Post — Article On Hunter Game 1000
Phil Housley
Photo: Washington Times
Phil Housley started his NHL career with the Buffalo Sabres, playing with them for eight seasons. He also had played for the Winnipeg Jets, St. Louis Blues, and Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils before signing with the Washington Capitals prior to the 1996-97 season. The Capitals signed him before that season to boost their defense.
Housley played in his 1,000th NHL game soon after he joined the Capitals – on October 30, 1996, which ended up being a 4-2 loss at home. He remained with the Capitals through the 1997-98 season when he was part of the Capitals team that advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1997-98.
HOUSLEY IS RECOGNIZED PLAYING IN 1,000TH GAME – The Washington Post
Housley’s Deal Makes Him Richest Capital – Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)
Kelly Miller
Photo: Slap Shot Speakers.com
Kelly Miller started his NHL career with the New York Rangers in 1984-85 and was traded to the Washington Capitals on New Year’s Day 1987. He played for the Washington Capitals for the rest of his NHL career, which ended after the 1998-99 season. He was part of the Capitals team that advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in 1997-98.
Miller played his 1000th game against the Vancouver Canucks at home on October 21, 1998, where the Capitals lost 2-1.
Adam Oates
Photo: Robert Laberge/Allsport/Getty Images)
Adam Oates played with several teams in his NHL career, including the Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, and Boston Bruins before getting traded to the Capitals on March 1, 1997. He played his 1000th NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks on the road on December 22, 1999, where the Capitals lost 6-3. Oates became the Capitals Captain during the 1999-2000 with the departure of the previous Captain, Dale Hunter, after a trade. He remained team Captain through the 2000-01 season and retained the captaincy until getting traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2001-02.
Oates was part of the Capitals team that advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in 1997-98.
Capitals Notebook – The Washington Post — About Oates’ 1000 Game
Callie Johansson
Photo: Washington Capitals
Calle Johansson began his NHL career with the Buffalo Sabres but during his second season there, the Sabres traded him to the Washington Capitals on March 7, 1989. He became an important part of the Capitals defense for many years afterward. He was part of the Capitals team that advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in 1997-98.
Johansson played his 1,000th NHL game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on March 19, 2001. The Capitals lost to the Rangers, 6-3. Johansson remained with the Capitals through 2002-23.
After leaving the Capitals, he played in just eight more games in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Johansson had ultimately played in more games (983) for the Capitals than any other player until he was passed by Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and John Carlson.
All five players covered in Part 1 of this series on players playing in Game 1000 with the Capitals were part of the team that made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1997-98 against the Detroit Red Wings where they were swept in four games.
Hunter, Miller, and Johansson were part of the Capitals team that lost to the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1989-90. Part 1 will cover the players who played in their 1000th game after the lockout of 2004-05.
Many fans would have expected long time Capitals defenseman and long time team Captain, Rod Langway, to appear in this list but his final NHL games played total was only 996, missing the 1000 game milestone by just four games.
By Diane Doyle
