Washington Capitals - NHL.com

Retired Numbers
7 YVON LABRE
Yvon Labre’s contributions to the success of the Washington
Capitals extended well beyond the boundaries of the rink. A
member of the inaugural 1974-75 Capitals, Labre was a rugged
defenseman whose solid, physical play paced the early expansion
team. Labre is notably remembered for scoring the Capitals’ first
goal at the Capital Centre Oct. 15, 1974, against Los Angeles. He
finished fourth in team scoring during Washington’s first season
and recorded more than 20 assists in a season twice in his career.
From 1976-78 Labre wore the "C" on his sweater, utilizing his
leadership qualities to the fullest extent.
5 ROD LANGWAY
Known to many Capitals fans as the “Secretary of Defense,” Rod
Langway anchored the Washington defense for 11 seasons and
more than 700 games. Dealt by Montreal to Washington in one of
the biggest trades in franchise history, Langway brought instant
respectability to the Capitals’ squad. His arrival and dominating
physical presence helped lead Washington to its first postseason
appearance in 1982-83.
The taste of the Stanley Cup playoffs was only a sign of things
to come. The Capitals made the playoffs during every season
32 DALE HUNTER
Referred to by many as the “heart and soul” of the Washington
Capitals, Dale Hunter was well respected for his dedication to the
game. His 19 seasons in the NHL, 1,407 regular-season games
and 186 playoff games serve as testimony to that dedication.
At the time of his retirement following the 1998-99 season, only
seven players in NHL history had appeared in more total games.
Hunter left the game having firmly etched his name in the
Capitals’ record book. In regular-season play he finished his
career ranked first in penalty minutes (2,003), second in games
played (872), tied for second in power-play goals (72), third in
11 MIKE GARTNER
Mike Gartner, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame who ranks
second in Capitals history in goals (397), assists (392) and points
(789), became the fourth player in Capitals history to have his
number retired when the No. 11 was raised to the rafters on Dec.
28, 2008.
Gartner spent the first 10 seasons of his 19-year NHL career with
the Capitals after Washington selected him in the first round,
fourth overall, in the 1979 NHL Draft. He led the team in goals five
times and in points four times, scoring at least 35 goals in each
of his first nine years in Washington (he had 26 goals when he
was traded 56 games into 1988-89, his 10th season). He left the
team as its all-time leader in games played, goals, assists, points,
power-play goals and game-winning goals.
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WASHINGTON CAPITALS OFFICIAL GUIDE
Retired Nov. 7, 1981
After retiring in 1981 Labre became an assistant coach before
stepping into the role of color commentator for the team’s
broadcasts. In 1983 Labre became the Capitals’ director of
community relations and continued in that position until the start
of the 1996-97 season, when he began a four-year stint as director
of special programs.
From the moment he took to the ice in a Capitals uniform to his
commitment in community programs and youth hockey, no one
served as a better ambassador for hockey in the Washington area
than Labre.
Retired Nov. 26, 1997
of Langway’s tenure. Recognized as the best in the business,
Langway captured back-to-back Norris Trophy honors in 1982-83
and 1983-84. The team recorded more than 100 points in three
consecutive seasons, including a record 107-point, 50-win year in
1985-86.
A strong leader in the locker room, Langway captained the team
for more than a decade and was truly one of hockey’s all-time
greats, evidenced by his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame
in 2002.
Retired March 11, 2000
assists (375), third in points (556), tied for fifth in game-winning
goals (29) and tied for eighth in goals (181). He retired leading the
franchise in virtually every category: games played (100), goals
(25), assists (47), points (72), power-play goals (11) and penalty
minutes (372).
Perhaps Hunter summed up his contributions best at his
retirement ceremony March 11, 2000, when he said, “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.”
Retired Dec. 28, 2008
Gartner was a member of the first six Capitals playoff teams,
leading four of those teams in playoff scoring. He recorded 43
points (16 goals, 27 assists) in 47 playoff games for the club and
at the time of his trade was Washington’s all-time leading playoff
scorer.
Gartner played 1,432 career games with five teams in his career,
recording 708 goals (sixth in NHL history) and 627 assists for
1,335 points. Inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001, Gartner
holds the NHL record for the most 30-goal seasons (17) and
shares the record for most consecutive 30-goal seasons (15).
He played in seven NHL All-Star Games and three times won the
NHL’s fastest skater competition at the NHL All-Star Game.