Skrudland2Lomakin
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- Jan 1, 2011
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It has been 9 years since the Washington Capitals last retired a number, in that time many fans have asked the question why have Olaf Kolzig and Peter Bondra not yet been honored and if that time will actually come? Below is an examination of the cases of both players and whether they deserve the honor.
Reviewing the Past
To understand if Bondra and Kolzig make the cut it's important to establish what standards have been used to retire numbers. The Washington Capitals currently have four numbers retired, below are the players in order of retirement accompanied by their stats with the team. It's important to remember stats only tell one part of the story, for many of these players their contributions to the team require the context surrounding the team during their duration (Labre) or the understanding of the intangibles they offered (Hunter).
Yvon Labre #7
Dated # Retired: 11/22/1980
Years w/ Caps: 7
GP w/ Caps: 334
Goals: 12
Assists: 84
Points: 96
Notable Accomplishments: Member of inaugural team, team captain from 76-78
Rod Langway #5
Dated # Retired: 11/26/1997
Years w/ Caps: 11
GP w/ Caps: 726
Goals: 25
Assists: 177
Points: 202
Notable Accomplishments: 6 time All-Star w/ Caps, 2 time Norris winner, finished top 5 in Hart voting twice, Captain from 82-93, HOF inductee
Dale Hunter #32
Dated # Retired: 03/11/2000
Years w/ Caps: 12
GP w/ Caps: 872
Goals: 181
Assists: 375
Points: 556
Notable Accomplishments: 1 Time All-Star, 2nd Most Penalty Minutes in NHL history, captain from 94-99
Mike Gartner #11
Dated # Retired: 12/28/2008
Years w/ Caps: 10
GP w/ Caps: 758
Goals: 397
Assists: 392
Points: 789
Notable Accomplishments: 6 time All Star while w/ Capitals, one of only 7 players w/ 700 career goals, HOF inductee, owner of multiple team records.
Making the Case
Peter Bondra #12
Dated # Retired: N/A
Years w/ Caps: 14
GP w/ Caps: 961
Goals: 472
Assists: 353
Points: 825
Notable Accomplishments: 5 time All-Star, IIHF HOF, multiple team records, league leader in goals in '95 and '98
Olaf Kolzig #37
Dated # Retired: N/A
Years w/ Caps: 16
GP w/ Caps: 711
Wins: 301
SV%: .906
GAA: 2.7
Notable Accomplishments: King Clancy Award winner, Vezina winner, 2 time All-Star
Analysis
Contributions to the Organization
It's hard to ignore the fact that both Bondra and Kolzig was mainstays during arguably the Capitals second most competitive run. From 1990-2002 the Capitals failed to qualify for the playoffs only twice. During this impressive run we would see the team rise to heights we have yet seen them return to, a Stanley Cup Final. In that run Bondra would have 12 Pos in 17 GP including 2 GWG's. Kolzig would post an amazing 1.95 GAA a .941 SV %, and who could forget him standing on his head and out shining the Dominator in the Easter Conference Final? If you're looking for guys who came up big when it mattered these guys were there.
Context to the Competition
This is when we talk about the Labre problem. Yvonn's number was retired after the team had only been in existence for 6 years. His statistics don't hold the water well and as time goes on the move seems more and more like the attempt of a flailing organization to inject some artificial prestige and tradition into the organization. It's hard to hold the competition discussion because outside of being one of the fan favorites on a very bad Capitals team and being here for the inception, not a lot of guys wouldn't be Labre in a "stats-off". That all said, we don't really need to worry about Labre dragging the standards down because when you look at Bondra and Kolzig's stats they stand up on their own compared to the more deserving competition. Both men are the two most tenure players on this list, for the most part they spent their entire careers with the Capitals. Kolzig owned just about every single Capitals goaltending record until Holtby showed up, and while that alone is impress the duration of his consistency is really what stands out the most.
Bondra's numbers are where the real glaring oversight begins to pop. Gartner and Langway are both HOFers but a decent portion of their HOF resume's came with other teams. Bondra is a guy who will likely end up in the Hall of the Very, Very, Very Good, but the vast majority of his numbers came during his time in DC. He put together a fringe HOF career and it happened all in the nations capital.
Conclusion
The Capitals really whiffed hard, this is the 20th anniversary of the 97-98 ECF team, a better opportunity to retire these numbers really doesn't exist. Both guys are clear retirements, the numbers, context, competition all have them near the top. It's time for the Capitals to get on top of this.
Reviewing the Past
To understand if Bondra and Kolzig make the cut it's important to establish what standards have been used to retire numbers. The Washington Capitals currently have four numbers retired, below are the players in order of retirement accompanied by their stats with the team. It's important to remember stats only tell one part of the story, for many of these players their contributions to the team require the context surrounding the team during their duration (Labre) or the understanding of the intangibles they offered (Hunter).
Yvon Labre #7
Dated # Retired: 11/22/1980
Years w/ Caps: 7
GP w/ Caps: 334
Goals: 12
Assists: 84
Points: 96
Notable Accomplishments: Member of inaugural team, team captain from 76-78
Rod Langway #5
Dated # Retired: 11/26/1997
Years w/ Caps: 11
GP w/ Caps: 726
Goals: 25
Assists: 177
Points: 202
Notable Accomplishments: 6 time All-Star w/ Caps, 2 time Norris winner, finished top 5 in Hart voting twice, Captain from 82-93, HOF inductee
Dale Hunter #32
Dated # Retired: 03/11/2000
Years w/ Caps: 12
GP w/ Caps: 872
Goals: 181
Assists: 375
Points: 556
Notable Accomplishments: 1 Time All-Star, 2nd Most Penalty Minutes in NHL history, captain from 94-99
Mike Gartner #11
Dated # Retired: 12/28/2008
Years w/ Caps: 10
GP w/ Caps: 758
Goals: 397
Assists: 392
Points: 789
Notable Accomplishments: 6 time All Star while w/ Capitals, one of only 7 players w/ 700 career goals, HOF inductee, owner of multiple team records.
Making the Case
Peter Bondra #12
Dated # Retired: N/A
Years w/ Caps: 14
GP w/ Caps: 961
Goals: 472
Assists: 353
Points: 825
Notable Accomplishments: 5 time All-Star, IIHF HOF, multiple team records, league leader in goals in '95 and '98
Olaf Kolzig #37
Dated # Retired: N/A
Years w/ Caps: 16
GP w/ Caps: 711
Wins: 301
SV%: .906
GAA: 2.7
Notable Accomplishments: King Clancy Award winner, Vezina winner, 2 time All-Star
Analysis
Contributions to the Organization
It's hard to ignore the fact that both Bondra and Kolzig was mainstays during arguably the Capitals second most competitive run. From 1990-2002 the Capitals failed to qualify for the playoffs only twice. During this impressive run we would see the team rise to heights we have yet seen them return to, a Stanley Cup Final. In that run Bondra would have 12 Pos in 17 GP including 2 GWG's. Kolzig would post an amazing 1.95 GAA a .941 SV %, and who could forget him standing on his head and out shining the Dominator in the Easter Conference Final? If you're looking for guys who came up big when it mattered these guys were there.
Context to the Competition
This is when we talk about the Labre problem. Yvonn's number was retired after the team had only been in existence for 6 years. His statistics don't hold the water well and as time goes on the move seems more and more like the attempt of a flailing organization to inject some artificial prestige and tradition into the organization. It's hard to hold the competition discussion because outside of being one of the fan favorites on a very bad Capitals team and being here for the inception, not a lot of guys wouldn't be Labre in a "stats-off". That all said, we don't really need to worry about Labre dragging the standards down because when you look at Bondra and Kolzig's stats they stand up on their own compared to the more deserving competition. Both men are the two most tenure players on this list, for the most part they spent their entire careers with the Capitals. Kolzig owned just about every single Capitals goaltending record until Holtby showed up, and while that alone is impress the duration of his consistency is really what stands out the most.
Bondra's numbers are where the real glaring oversight begins to pop. Gartner and Langway are both HOFers but a decent portion of their HOF resume's came with other teams. Bondra is a guy who will likely end up in the Hall of the Very, Very, Very Good, but the vast majority of his numbers came during his time in DC. He put together a fringe HOF career and it happened all in the nations capital.
Conclusion
The Capitals really whiffed hard, this is the 20th anniversary of the 97-98 ECF team, a better opportunity to retire these numbers really doesn't exist. Both guys are clear retirements, the numbers, context, competition all have them near the top. It's time for the Capitals to get on top of this.