Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Capitals and CEO of Monumental Sports and Entertainment, notched his 1000th win since becoming majority owner of the team in 1999. This makes him the second-fastest active NHL owner to reach the 1000-win mark, doing so in just 1,907 games. He was beat out only by Jeremy Jacobs of the Boston Bruins.
Ted Leonsis is a well-loved figure in the Washington Capitals organization. He was honored in the locker room post-game, being given a milestone puck by his captain, Alex Ovechkin, and cheered on by the team. Leonsis was all smiles, saying “You know I love you guys. I love the team. I love the community. I think we’re the fastest ownership group in the league right now to 1,000 wins so it’s a real accomplishment. It’s the organization that we built, and I’m really, really proud of you. This is a feel-good moment. 25 years, 1,000 wins. Let’s do it again.” It’s no secret that the Washington Capitals have thrived under the ownership of Ted Leonsis– he has helped the team win a Stanley Cup (2018), three Presidents’ Trophies (2017, 2016, 2010), 12 division titles, and 18 playoff appearances in his 24 years with them. Washington also ranks third in the NHL in wins (1,000) and standings points (2,247) under Leonsis.
Spencer Carbery remarked on his time knowing and working for Ted Leonsis, beginning in 2011-2012 with the South Carolina Stingrays. “It’s been impressive because I’ve been able to, not just from being here two years, I remember this back in South Carolina when I was starting in 2011-12, coming up here and just noticing little things about the organization,” he said. “You can just tell when you’re around the people in this organization, it starts right at the top, how they treat people, their work ethic, their commitment to excellence, their care for the community. You just feel it in our entire organization: it starts with him.”
The thousandth victory for the team came in a 3-2 win over Nashville at home. The game was tight and evenly matched throughout, with Washington totaling 36 shots on goal to Nashville’s 35. Both goaltenders, Logan Thompson and Juuse Saros, made clutch saves to keep the game even until the middle of the third period. Alexander Ovechkin brought the Capitals ahead when he scored the game-winning goal, his 861st of his career and his fifth in as many games this season. His linemates, Aliaksei Protas and Dylan Strome, have proven themselves clutch in his success so far this season. “Goal scorers find a way to get open, and it’s our job — myself and Pro and whoever’s around the ice with him — to get him the puck,” said Dylan Strome. Pro and Stromer do their jobs well, notching the assists on Ovi’s goals time and time again. Spencer Carbery remarked that when Ovechkin touches the puck, everybody holds their breath a bit, and when he scores, “our bench just goes bananas every time.” Capitals players and fans alike all know Alex Ovechkin is on the brink of history, making each goal that much more exciting.
Should Ovechkin keep up his current goal-scoring pace, he could pass Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record this season. Ted Leonsis and the Capitals organization will certainly be celebrating hard.
