Washington Capitals legend Peter Bondra played his final season with the Caps during the 2003-04 campaign when he was dealt to the Ottawa Senators at the trade deadline as part of a massive sell-off. The team’s choice to rebuild under then-GM George McPhee led to them finishing with their worst record in 26 years and the third-best odds in the 2004 NHL Draft Lottery, eventually winning the first overall pick.
With that selection, the Capitals changed the trajectory of their franchise forever by selecting Alex Ovechkin. The high-scoring Russian winger shattered all expectations over the next two decades, pushing to another level above Bondra, leading the Caps to their first-ever Stanley Cup, and breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record.
“When Ovechkin came to Washington, he took all my records,” Bondra recently joked with Sportovy’s Marian Korbel, per a translation by Google Translate. “I thought the train would stop, but he ran right through me, like through Kysak (a village in Slovakia), where the train does not stop. But records are meant to be rewritten. It was a big deal not only for Ovechkin but for the entire NHL.”
When Bondra wrapped up his 14 seasons with the Capitals, he departed as the franchise’s leader in goals (472), points (825), power play goals (137), shorthanded goals (32), even strength goals (303), game-winning goals (73), playoff goals (30), shots on goal (3,290), and hat tricks (19).
Now, 21 years later, he is the owner of just one of those records, topped in every other category by Ovechkin.
Ovechkin vs. Bondra
| Capitals totals | Ovechkin | Bondra |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 897 | 472 |
| Points | 1,623 | 825 |
| Power play goals | 326 | 137 |
| Shorthanded goals | 5 | 32 |
| Even strength goals | 566 | 303 |
| Game-winning goals | 136 | 73 |
| Playoff goals | 77 | 30 |
| Shots | 6,864 | 3,290 |
| Hat tricks | 32 | 19 |
Bondra has always been supportive of Ovechkin rewriting the franchise’s record books and achieving new high-water marks for the Capitals. The Slovak sniper is still employed by the organization, working with the club as the head of their alumni association and participating in marketing and commercial efforts.
While Ovechkin may have pushed him a rung below in every Capitals’ offensive statistic, Bondra is still one of the greatest players ever to throw on a Capitals jersey. The club’s owner, Ted Leonsis, spoke last year about how the franchise has plans to honor Bondra once the ongoing renovations to Capital One Arena are complete.
No Capitals player since the 2005-06 season has worn Bondra’s 12 on the back of their jersey, but the team has yet to officially retire the number.
