1997–98 Washington Capitals season


The 1997–98 Washington Capitals season saw the team reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in club history. Peter Bondra's 52 goals led the team; veterans Dale Hunter, Joe Juneau and Adam Oates returned to old form; and Olaf Kolzig had a solid.920 save percentage as the Caps got past the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres en route to the team's first Stanley Cup Finals appearance. The Capitals won six overtime games, three in each of their series against the Bruins and Sabres. However, they were no match for the defending cup champs, the Detroit Red Wings, who won in a four-game sweep.
After this season, none of Washington's "big four" professional sports team would ever make the semi-final playoff round until the Capitals themselves returned to the Conference finals in 2018. The WNBA's Washington Mystics reached the semifinals in 2002 and 2017, but reached the WNBA Finals in 2018. Finally, after 20 years, the Capitals returned to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second time in franchise history and won their first Stanley Cup.

Offseason

Regular season

The Capitals had a very effective penalty kill during the regular season, allowing the fewest power-play goals and finishing with the highest penalty-kill percentage.

Season standings

Schedule and results

Playoffs

Eastern Conference Quarter-finals

Eastern Conference Semi-finals

Eastern Conference Finals

Stanley Cup Finals

Player statistics

Regular season

;Scoring
PlayerPosGPGAPtsPIM+/-PPGSHGGWG
RW76522678441411513
C82185876366323
D7315203530-111011
LW80102434809202
C569223126-8411
D646253124-10410
RW651792628-2202
C82818261031001
LW28111223122402
D7251621662200
D478917399010
LW287101738-1401
C3861016141101
C485111618-5000
D591151636-5000
LW746915189-3000
LW76771441-2033
LW452121430-3001
LW20210122-4102
D6828107015001
LW116396-3502
C33369205001
D64178112-11000
C333478-11001
D5142646-3001
D906664000
RW1741510-5201
C/LW3613416-2000
C903361000
D401100000
C601161000
G64011120000
G2201100000
LW200000000
D600042000
LW200020000
D8000121000
C300000000
C100040000

;Goaltending
PlayerMINGPWLTGAGAASOSASVSV%
3788643318101392.20517291590.920
1183227122552.790555500.901
Team:4971824030121942.34522842090.915

Playoffs

;Scoring
PlayerPosGPGAPtsPIMPPGSHGGWG
C21710178114
C21611178111
C211131412100
LW2167136201
RW17751212302
D21741130312
RW17731016200
D21281016000
LW2133620100
D180444000
C2104430000
LW131236001
D2112320000
D2112342000
C130330000
D20220000
C/LW120222000
LW2110121001
D910110000
LW1810126000
D1610114000
LW100114000
G210004000
RW10002000
C10000000

;Goaltending
PlayerMINGPWLGAGAASOSASVSV%
135121129441.954740696.941
Team:135121129441.954740696.941

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes; PPG=Power-play goals; SHG=Short-handed goals; GWG=Game-winning goals
MIN=Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; SO = Shutouts; SA=Shots Against; SV=Shots saved; SV% = Save Percentage;

Awards & records

Transactions

Roster

Final

Draft picks

Below are the Washington Capitals' selections at the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, held on June 21, 1997 at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Round#PlayerPosNationalityCollege/Junior/Club Team
19Nick BoyntonDOttawa 67's
235Jean-Francois FortinDSherbrooke Faucons
489Curtis CruickshankGKingston Frontenacs
5116Kevin CaulfieldRWBoston College
6143Henrik PetreDDjurgårdens IF-jr.
8200Pierre-Luc TherrienGDrummondville Voltigeurs
9226Matt OikawaRWSt. Lawrence University

Farm teams