NHL players deserving of statues: Washington Capitals

So I had some down time and wanted to forget this less than fulfilling season. So I started thinking what Capitals are deserving of a statue inside or outside of Capital One Arena (it will always be the Verizon Center to me sorry). I think if its possible to make like a Heisman Park type deal around the arena similar to what Oklahoma football does with all their Heisman winners.

So the obvious answer for almost every Capital fan is going to be Alexander Mikhaylovich Ovechkin, but before I talk about Ovi lets go through some possible guys that could be deserving.

Honorable Mention: THE SAVE!

I don’t think one Capital’s fan would be mad if they made this into a statue especially since how long Holtby was a Cap for.

HM 2: Dale Hunter former “hear and soul” of the Capitals when he was here he made his mark especially with hit gritty play and his not afraid to hit or fight anything in sight mentality. Hunter sits in first all-time in Caps history with 2003 PIMS!!! Hunter had 375 assists and 556 points for the Capitals. He also amassed over 3,000 penalty minutes and over 1,000 points in his career which makes him the only one in history to accomplish this. As he said in his retirement speech “I’m not a Wayne Gretzky. I just tried to give my all every night. That work ethic is what the Caps have always been about.” If that isn’t a guy you wouldn’t run through a brick wall for then I don’t know who is!

First, we have to start off with all the Capital’s Hall of Famers that I think are worthy Mike Gartner and Rod Langway

Mike Gartner played 9 of his 20 seasons in Washington, scoring 40 goals 5 times, with his high being 50 in 84-85. Gartner never had fewer than 68 points for the Caps and scored 397 goals. Gartner is also second to Ovi for most 30 goal seasons with 17. Gartner has the third most game winning goals and hat tricks in Cap’s history. Much deserving of his Hall of Fame induction and his jersey being retired and a possible statue out front of the arena.

Then, we have former Captain D-Man aka The Secretary of Defense Rod Langway which could be one of the greatest deals in Capitals history. The Caps had not made the playoffs before acquiring Langway, and then they made the playoffs in all 11 seasons he was on the team. I’d say that is a big time change of culture with one player. The two time Norris Award winner and Hall of Famer had 9 positive plus-minus seasons and was the total package on defense. Langway holds the Capital’s record in plus/minus at 116 which is an actually insane stat when you think about it.

Next we have a guy who I have no idea why he isn’t in the Hall of Fame yet Peter Bondra. The sharpshooting Slovakian sniper finished his career with 503 goals which used to be the automatic number to get you in the Hall, but he has yet to get the call since he became eligible in 2010. Bondra played in 5 All-Star Games and helped the Caps to their first Stanley Cup final in the 97-98 season where they lost which him not raising Lord Stanley could be one of the factors he isn’t getting the call. Bondra is second in Cap’s history in goals scored, third in points, second in power-play goals, first in short-handed goals, second in hat tricks and game winning goals. Pretty much any scoring category Bondra is second in behind Ovi. So before Ovi arrived Bondra was one of the most feared goal scores in the NHL.

With all this and him not being in the Hall it would be an incredible gesture to give Bondra a statute to say listen you are our Hall of Famer!

Then, we come to the two currently active players on the Capitals who have been through hell and back and finally reached immortally giving us our first Stanley Cup.

Lets start with Nicklas Backstrom our sure headed Assistant Captain. With a 69 point season as a rookie we knew we had something special for the future. Backstrom has the most assists in Capital’s history, the second most games played, second most points, fourth most goals and power play goals. The Caps don’t win the Cup without Backy and that’s enough in my mind for Capitals royalty and should be a lock for the Hall of Fame as well as getting his number retired.

Finally, we come to our current Captain and future unanimous Hall of Famer once he is eligible. The hard hitting Russian beast that is Alexander Ovechkin could go down as the best pure goal scorer of all time and definitely the best of the 21st century. Alex pretty much holds almost every goal scoring stat in Capitals history from power-play goals to game winning goals to hat tricks. Alex has won 3 Hart Trophies, one Art Ross, nine Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies, three Ted Lindsay Awards, one Calder Memorial Trophy, and a Conn Smythe & Stanley Cup. Also it is only a matter of time before he becomes the all-time goal scoring leader where he is only 72 goals behind Gretzky. He has been our GOAT and has been “simply sensational” IYKYK!