Yvon Jules Labre (born November 29, 1949) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player.
Labre was born in Sudbury, Ontario. He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins, for whom he played 37 games before being selected by the Washington Capitals in the 1974 NHL Expansion Draft. Labre scored the first-ever home goal for Washington, beating the Los Angeles Kings' goaltenderRogie Vachon. Although he was never one to put up big offensive numbers, Labre's value was noted in being a hard-nosed defensive defenceman on the ice and an active member of community programs and youth hockey programs off it. Such dedication to a team in a location not known for rich hockey history made him one of the Capitals' most popular players during his time there.
Labre served as team captain from 1976 to 1978. He remained in the Capitals organization after his playing career ended. At various times since his retirement, he has served as an assistant coach, colour commentator, scout and the director of community relations for the Capitals. Labre's jersey number (#7) was retired by the Capitals on November 22, 1981, and he is the only player in franchise history to wear the number.
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference and are owned by Ted Leonsis through Monumental Sports & Entertainment. The team initially played its home games at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland, before moving to the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., in 1997.
Rodney Cory Langway is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played for the Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League (NHL) and Birmingham Bulls of the World Hockey Association (WHA). He won the 1979 Stanley Cup with the Canadiens.
Dale Robert Hunter is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and the former head coach of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League and current co-owner, president, and head coach of the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League. He was born in Petrolia, Ontario, but grew up in nearby Oil Springs, Ontario. He is the middle of three Hunter brothers, with older brother Dave and younger brother Mark, to play in the NHL.
Peter Bondra is a Ukrainian-born Slovak former professional ice hockey player. He was the general manager of the Slovakia national team from 2007 to 2011. A two-time 50-goal scorer, Bondra became the 37th player in National Hockey League (NHL) history to score 500 NHL goals; he is one of four eligible 500-goal players not currently in the Hockey Hall of Fame. He has the fewest points among all players who reached that milestone, with 892, making him one of only two 500-goal scorers not on the list of NHL players with 1,000 points. Bondra scored the most goals in the NHL in two seasons, 1994–95 and 1997–98. He is one of the few players who scored five or more goals in one NHL game. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2016.
Olaf Kölzig is a South African-born German former professional ice hockey goaltender and current goaltender coach and player development coach for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). With the exception of eight games with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he played his entire 14-year NHL career with the Capitals.
Ronald Scott Stevens is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. As a defenseman, Stevens played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues and New Jersey Devils, serving as captain of the Devils from 1992 to 2004. Although offensively capable, his defensive play and his heavy body checking on opponents were crucial to his success.
Alexander Mikhailovich Ovechkin is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger and captain of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Ovi" and "the Great Eight" in reference to his jersey number, Ovechkin is widely regarded as one of the greatest goal scorers of all time. Second only to Wayne Gretzky for all-time goal scoring, Ovechkin also holds many records, including the most power play goals, most goals in away games, most overtime goals, and most goals with the same team in NHL history. He is the third NHL player, after Gordie Howe and Gretzky, to score 800 goals in the regular season.
Phillip Francis Housley is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player who is currently an associate coach for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously served as assistant coach for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2019 to 2022. Housley was the head coach of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres from 2017 until 2019.
Michael Alfred Gartner is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Washington Capitals, Minnesota North Stars, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Phoenix Coyotes. He also played one season in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Cincinnati Stingers. He was a two-time Canada Cup champion with Team Canada.
Richard Brooks Orpik is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). A stay-at-home defenseman and locker room leader, Orpik is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, winning with the Penguins in 2009 and with the Capitals in 2018.
Dennis John Maruk is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1975 to 1989, scoring a career-high 60 goals for the Washington Capitals in 1981–82. Maruk is of Ukrainian descent.
Dean Clement Evason is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who currently serves as the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously served as head coach of the Minnesota Wild. Evason was selected by the Washington Capitals in the fifth round of the 1982 NHL Entry Draft. Evason was born in Flin Flon, Manitoba, but grew up in Brandon, Manitoba.
George McPhee is a Canadian ice hockey executive and former player, currently serving as the president of hockey operations for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). McPhee served as the general manager of the Washington Capitals and has also served as alternate governor, vice president and special assistant to the general manager of the New York Islanders. As a player, McPhee won the Hobey Baker Award in 1982 as the best NCAA men's ice hockey player, later playing for the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils.
Carl Christian "Calle" Johansson is a Swedish former assistant coach with the Washington Capitals and former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League between 1987 and 2004, most of it with the Capitals. He has worked as hockey colour commentator for Swedish Canal+ and worked as an assistant for six seasons for Frölunda HC in the Swedish Elitserien before returning to the Capitals organization.
Nicklas Bäckström is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Bäckström was selected fourth overall by the Capitals at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut the following year.
Michael Robert Marson is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played six seasons in the National Hockey League for the Washington Capitals and the Los Angeles Kings from 1974 to 1979. He was the second Black Canadian to play in the NHL.
Timothy Leif "T. J." Oshie is a Native American professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the first round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, as the 24th overall pick. He then spent the first seven years of his NHL career with the Blues before being traded to the Washington Capitals in 2015. Oshie won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Capitals in 2018.
The history of black players in North American ice hockey has roots dating back to the late 19th century. The first black ice hockey star was Herb Carnegie during the Great Depression. Willie O'Ree broke the NHL's black color barrier with the Boston Bruins in 1958.
Nathan Walker is a Welsh-born Australian professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). Walker, who was born in Wales, grew up in Australia and first played ice hockey there. He moved to the Czech Republic in 2007 in order to further his career, and joined the junior program of HC Vítkovice, a member of the Czech Extraliga. He first played for the senior team in 2011, becoming the first Australian ice hockey player to play for a professional senior team in Europe. Along with HC Vítkovice, Walker was loaned to several lower-level Czech teams.
Daniel Sprong is a Dutch professional ice hockey right winger for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Sprong was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft after playing two seasons with the Charlottetown Islanders of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and made the Penguins immediately after being drafted, though he would return to the QMJHL and play two more seasons with the Islanders. He played parts of four seasons with Pittsburgh and their American Hockey League affiliate before being traded to the Anaheim Ducks in 2018, where he spent two seasons before being traded to the Washington Capitals in 2020. He later had tenures with the Seattle Kraken and Detroit Red Wings before joining the Canucks.
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