The 1998–99 Washington Capitals season was the Washington Capitals 25th season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Capitals missed the playoffs for the first time since the 1996–97 season, despite their amazing run to the 1998 Stanley Cup Finals the previous year.
Regular season The Caps opened the 1998–99 season by raising their "Eastern Conference Champions 1997–1998" banner to the rafters of the MCI Center then shutting out the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 1–0 with Olaf Kolzig making 29 saves.
On January 16, 1999, Kelly Miller scored just nine seconds into the overtime period to give the Caps a 3–2 road win over the Carolina Hurricanes. It would prove to be the fastest overtime goal scored during the 1998–99 regular season.
On February 3, 1999, the Caps defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning at home by a score of 10–1. Peter Bondra scored four goals in the game. It was the first time that Washington had scored ten goals in a regular-season game since December 17, 1993, when they defeated the Ottawa Senators at home by a score of 11–2.
On March 23, 1999, the Caps traded captain Dale Hunter, Joe Juneau (who had scored the OT goal that led the Caps to the 1998 Stanley Cup Finals), and Craig Berube.
A month after the season finale owner Abe Pollin announced he had sold the team to Ted Leonsis
The Caps were shut out an NHL-high 11 times. They also tied the St. Louis Blues for the fewest power-play opportunities, with just 301. The Caps failed to make the playoffs after playing in the 1998 Stanley Cup Finals. They led the NHL in man-games lost to injury with 511.
Final standings
Schedule and results
|1||October 10, 1998||1–0 || style="text-align:left;"| Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1998–99) ||1–0–0 ||
|2||October 13, 1998||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Detroit Red Wings (1998–99) ||1–1–0 ||
|3||October 16, 1998||2–2 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Montreal Canadiens (1998–99) ||1–1–1 ||
|4||October 18, 1998||4–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Tampa Bay Lightning (1998–99) ||2–1–1 ||
|5||October 21, 1998||1–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Vancouver Canucks (1998–99) ||2–2–1 ||
|6||October 23, 1998||1–0 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1998–99) ||3–2–1 ||
|7||October 24, 1998||2–2 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Florida Panthers (1998–99) ||3–2–2 ||
|8||October 28, 1998||2–8 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1998–99) ||3–3–2 ||
|9||October 30, 1998||0–0 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Calgary Flames (1998–99) ||3–3–3 ||
|10||November 1, 1998||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1998–99) ||3–4–3 ||
|11||November 4, 1998||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Tampa Bay Lightning (1998–99) ||3–5–3 ||
|12||November 6, 1998||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Carolina Hurricanes (1998–99) ||3–6–3 ||
|13||November 7, 1998||8–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Ottawa Senators (1998–99) ||4–6–3 ||
|14||November 12, 1998||0–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres (1998–99) ||4–7–3 ||
|15||November 14, 1998||5–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Islanders (1998–99) ||5–7–3 ||
|16||November 18, 1998||4–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1998–99) ||6–7–3 ||
|17||November 20, 1998||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Ottawa Senators (1998–99) ||6–8–3 ||
|18||November 21, 1998||4–5 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins (1998–99) ||6–9–3 ||
|19||November 25, 1998||5–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1998–99) ||7–9–3 ||
|20||November 27, 1998||0–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Dallas Stars (1998–99) ||7–10–3 ||
|21||November 28, 1998||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ St. Louis Blues (1998–99) ||7–11–3 ||
|22||December 1, 1998||0–4 || style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey Devils (1998–99) ||7–12–3 ||
|23||December 4, 1998||5–1 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Islanders (1998–99) ||8–12–3 ||
|24||December 5, 1998||1–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1998–99) ||8–13–3 ||
|25||December 9, 1998||1–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1998–99) ||8–14–3 ||
|26||December 11, 1998||0–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1998–99) ||8–15–3 ||
|27||December 12, 1998||1–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ San Jose Sharks (1998–99) ||8–16–3 ||
|28||December 17, 1998||3–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (1998–99) ||9–16–3 ||
|29||December 19, 1998||0–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1998–99) ||9–17–3 ||
|30||December 23, 1998||4–0 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Florida Panthers (1998–99) ||10–17–3 ||
|31||December 26, 1998||1–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Nashville Predators (1998–99) ||10–18–3 ||
|32||December 28, 1998||5–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins (1998–99) ||11–18–3 ||
|33||December 30, 1998||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey Devils (1998–99) ||11–19–3 ||
|34||January 1, 1999||3–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Ottawa Senators (1998–99) ||11–20–3 ||
|35||January 2, 1999||5–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1998–99) ||12–20–3 ||
|36||January 7, 1999||5–1 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Rangers (1998–99) ||13–20–3 ||
|37||January 9, 1999||3–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New Jersey Devils (1998–99) ||14–20–3 ||
|38||January 11, 1999||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Islanders (1998–99) ||15–20–3 ||
|39||January 13, 1999||0–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia Flyers (1998–99) ||15–21–3 ||
|40||January 15, 1999||0–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Montreal Canadiens (1998–99) ||15–22–3 ||
|41||January 16, 1999||3–2 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Carolina Hurricanes (1998–99) ||16–22–3 ||
|42||January 18, 1999||4–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1998–99) ||16–22–4 ||
|43||January 21, 1999||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1998–99) ||16–23–4 ||
|44||January 26, 1999||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Rangers (1998–99) ||16–24–4 ||
|45||January 29, 1999||3–6 || style="text-align:left;"| Los Angeles Kings (1998–99) ||16–25–4 ||
|46||January 30, 1999||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1998–99) ||16–26–4 ||
|47||February 1, 1999||3–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Rangers (1998–99) ||17–26–4 ||
|48||February 3, 1999||10–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Tampa Bay Lightning (1998–99) ||18–26–4 ||
|49||February 5, 1999||4–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Carolina Hurricanes (1998–99) ||19–26–4 ||
|50||February 7, 1999||3–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres (1998–99) ||20–26–4 ||
|51||February 9, 1999||2–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Islanders (1998–99) ||21–26–4 ||
|52||February 12, 1999||3–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New Jersey Devils (1998–99) ||22–26–4 ||
|53||February 13, 1999||1–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Ottawa Senators (1998–99) ||22–27–4 ||
|54||February 15, 1999||3–7 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1998–99) ||22–28–4 ||
|55||February 18, 1999||2–2 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Carolina Hurricanes (1998–99) ||22–28–5 ||
|56||February 20, 1999||3–1 || style="text-align:left;"| San Jose Sharks (1998–99) ||23–28–5 ||
|57||February 22, 1999||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1998–99) ||24–28–5 ||
|58||February 24, 1999||1–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix Coyotes (1998–99) ||24–29–5 ||
|59||February 27, 1999||3–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins (1998–99) ||24–30–5 ||
|60||February 28, 1999||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1998–99) ||25–30–5 ||
|61||March 2, 1999||8–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Tampa Bay Lightning (1998–99) ||26–30–5 ||
|62||March 4, 1999||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Rangers (1998–99) ||26–31–5 ||
|63||March 6, 1999||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Edmonton Oilers (1998–99) ||27–31–5 ||
|64||March 9, 1999||2–3 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Colorado Avalanche (1998–99) ||27–32–5 ||
|65||March 11, 1999||1–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Florida Panthers (1998–99) ||27–33–5 ||
|66||March 13, 1999||4–5 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Calgary Flames (1998–99) ||27–34–5 ||
|67||March 15, 1999||1–1 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Rangers (1998–99) ||27–34–6 ||
|68||March 17, 1999||2–1 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Dallas Stars (1998–99) ||28–34–6 ||
|69||March 20, 1999||1–0 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1998–99) ||29–34–6 ||
|70||March 21, 1999||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins (1998–99) ||29–35–6 ||
|71||March 25, 1999||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Phoenix Coyotes (1998–99) ||29–36–6 ||
|72||March 26, 1999||1–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Colorado Avalanche (1998–99) ||29–37–6 ||
|73||March 30, 1999||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Nashville Predators (1998–99) ||29–38–6 ||
|74||April 1, 1999||5–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Florida Panthers (1998–99) ||30–38–6 ||
|75||April 3, 1999||3–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Tampa Bay Lightning (1998–99) ||30–39–6 ||
|76||April 5, 1999||3–0 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Florida Panthers (1998–99) ||31–39–6 ||
|77||April 7, 1999||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| St. Louis Blues (1998–99) ||31–40–6 ||
|78||April 8, 1999||0–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New Jersey Devils (1998–99) ||31–41–6 ||
|79||April 10, 1999||1–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia Flyers (1998–99) ||31–42–6 ||
|80||April 12, 1999||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Chicago Blackhawks (1998–99) ||31–43–6 ||
|81||April 14, 1999||0–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Carolina Hurricanes (1998–99) ||31–44–6 ||
|82||April 18, 1999||0–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1998–99) ||31–45–6 ||
Legend:
Player statistics
Scoring Position abbreviations: C = Center; D = Defense; G = Goaltender; LW = Left wing; RW = Right wing = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Capitals only. = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Capitals only. Player Regular season 12 RW 66 31 24 55 −1 56 77 C 59 12 42 54 −1 22 90 C 63 14 27 41 −3 20 23 LW 76 17 19 36 −12 26 13 C 73 8 27 35 0 28 55 D 53 21 10 31 1 57 28 LW 75 16 14 30 5 14 6 D 67 8 21 29 10 22 22 LW 45 12 12 24 0 26 8 C 38 7 16 23 3 6 2 D 78 7 13 20 −9 80 44 RW 49 9 8 17 −6 50 15 D 46 2 14 16 −5 80 34 RW 25 6 8 14 −2 12 20 C 36 5 6 11 −6 12 17 LW 23 3 7 10 −4 48 29 D 73 0 10 10 11 68 27 LW 66 5 4 9 −7 166 48 C 16 4 3 7 −1 16 10 LW 62 2 5 7 −5 29 19 D 54 2 5 7 −6 87 36 C 52 4 2 6 −5 50 21 C 21 1 5 6 0 2 24 D 48 0 6 6 −6 108 32 C 50 0 5 5 −7 102 26 C 30 2 2 4 −7 8 18 LW 17 0 4 4 −5 28 39 D 43 2 0 2 −6 103 9 LW 17 0 2 2 −4 4 37 G 64 0 2 2 19 41 D 4 0 1 1 −4 2 14 RW 2 0 0 0 0 0 38 D 5 0 0 0 −3 0 1 G 2 0 0 0 2 14 RW 3 0 0 0 −2 2 3 D 10 0 0 0 −5 6 33 D 22 0 0 0 −8 8 40 G 1 0 0 0 0 4 D 4 0 0 0 0 4 31 G 23 0 0 0 2 4 D 5 0 0 0 −1 0
Goaltending Player Regular season 37 Olaf Kolzig 64 26 31 3 1538 154 2.58 .900 4 3586 31 Rick Tabaracci 23 4 12 3 530 50 2.51 .906 2 1193 40 Mike Rosati 1 1 0 0 12 0 0.00 1.000 0 28 1 Martin Brochu 2 0 2 0 55 6 3.00 .891 0 120
Awards and records
Awards TypeAward/honorRecipientRef League(in-season) NHL All-Star Game selection Peter Bondra NHL Player of the Week Peter Bondra (February 8)
Milestones MilestonePlayerDateRef First game Matt Herr October 10, 1998 Trevor Halverson October 13, 1998 Mike Rosati November 7, 1998 Patrice Lefebvre December 19, 1998 Alexei Tezikov April 8, 1999 Martin Brochu April 14, 1999 1,000th game played Kelly Miller October 21, 1998 1,000th point Brian Bellows January 2, 1999
Draft picks Washington's draft picks at the 1998 NHL entry draft held at the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo, New York.