Four Times A Charm?

I don't think anyone would argue that, prior to the Ovechkin era, there were more important players to the Washington Capitals than both Peter Bondra and Olaf Kolzig. Bondra scored more than 40 goals four times in his Capitals career, including more than 50 twice, and he hit the 70-point plateau six times while with Washington. He still holds the Capitals' record for most shorthanded goals, and he was a five-time NHL All-Star. Along with Bondra, Olaf Kolzig was highly regarded after winning both the 1994 Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as MVP of the AHL playoffs and the 1994 Hap Holmes Memorial Award for the lowest GAA. He and Bondra helped the Capitals reach the 1998 Stanley Cup Final, was a two-time NHL All-Star, and earned the 2000 Vezina Trophy.

Today's article isn't about these two men, but what these men wore when they established a lot of their accolades. As seen in the image above, the two bobbleheads are sporting Washington's famous "Screaming Eagle" jerseys that team wore from 1995-2007 in some form despite fan backlash towards the jerseys and colour scheme. As a Penguins fan, those jerseys always remind me of the Jaromir Jagr trade, so I do hold some contempt for them as well.

The reason I bring these jerseys up is that the Washington Capitals unveiled their new alternate jersey for the 2025-26 season, and it certainly has a familiar feel to it as the screaming eagle is back.

If you're wondering, this is the fourth different jersey that the Capitals have worn that feature the screaming eagle, but it's the first to move away from the angled striping along the bottom of the jersey. I'm not saying that this jersey is better or worse for that aspect - we'll get to that in a second - but there may be some Capitals fans out there who can add a fourth "Screaming Eagle" jersey to their closets. Yes, that's definitely three jerseys too many.

The 1995-07 version of the jersey was the original, and it still holds up as the best of all of them in my view. I know there are Capitals fans who demand that the team be red-white-and-blue only due to their geographical location, but that original "Screaming Eagle" jersey and its funky font hold a special place in Capitals' history.

The second iteration of the screaming eagle saw the Capitals wear red and navy on their 2021 Reverse Retro jersey, and the third variation of the screaming eagle saw them wear black on the 2022-23 Reverse Retro jerseys. Black jerseys are lazy, and I'm not a fan of the Stadium Series red-and-navy colours, so the two Reverse Retros fall below the original "Screaming Eagle" jersey in my grading system.

I am completely against the jumbled mess of the captain's "C" and the jersey ad on the right chest, so that drops this jersey's score. The logo doesn't have to be on the front of the jersey; rather, it can be located on the shoulder. The Capitals have decided that the Capitol logo needs to go there, though, so the mess on that upper-right chest will be there anytime these jerseys are worn. That's terrible.

If the Capitals had used their original colours, these jerseys would be a good blend between two eras of hockey in Washington. The darker red and navy blue have been in effect since the Reebok takeover in 2007, and I don't understand why the Capitals keep going back to it. For a team that keeps swapping colours on jerseys, it might be time to settle on one scheme and stick to it. I'd prefer the original colours.

If you're keeping count at home, the Capitals will begin their 51st season as an NHL team this year. For sixteen of those years, the team has worn some variation of the "Screaming Eagle" jersey including twelve where it was their primary logo. As one non-hockey person said to me when I showed them this jersey, "The Eagles look ok, I guess" which drew a chuckle from me because they're the Capitals, not the Eagles. I only see this as a problem for casual hockey fans.

The biggest issue that stands out to me is that this jersey is now the fourth alternate jersey the team has worn since 2020. In 2019-20, they wore the original Capitals throwback. From 2020-24, they wore the "W" jersey based on their 2015 Winter Classic jersey. Last season, they elevated the 2022-23 Reverse Retro jerseys to alternate status, and this season will see them wear the new "Screaming Eagle" jersey in red. I know that Ted Leonsis isn't hurting for money, so having four different alternate jerseys in six years is completely ridiculous.

Capitals fans will most likely disagree with me, but this jersey is unnecessary while being aesthetically bad. I'd love to see a red-white-and-blue Capitol building jersey at some point, but I feel like me mentioning that will only give the Capitals another idea for a new alternate jersey next season. For the many reasons listed above, this jersey simply wasn't needed, but the Capitals will try to sell a few more jerseys to fans who simply cannot have enough.

You'd think they'd get the message after the first three variations of the "Screaming Eagle" jersey, but I guess the fourth time's a charm? Either way, it might be time to let the screaming eagle find a nest.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!