Capitals promote Chris Patrick to Senior Vice President and General Manager

Today is an exciting milestone for our organization as we introduce Chris Patrick as our seventh General Manager in the franchise’s 50th season in the National Hockey League. Chris has been a key member of our team for over 15 years, overseeing our analytics team and professional scouting team, and being a loyal steward of our minor league teams, one of which recently won back-to-back AHL championships. His intelligence, exceptional work ethic and extensive experience make him the perfect choice for this role.

With Dick Patrick as Chairman, Brian MacLellan as President and Chris as General Manager, we believe we have a dynamic leadership team that will continue to move our hockey operations forward. They share a cohesive plan and philosophy that encompasses all aspects of our organization. As our team continues to evolve, we are confident this move will strengthen our overall performance and future prospects.

I am immensely proud of the historic continuity in our hockey operations. Under Dick’s leadership, we have consistently had talented individuals in long-term roles leading our organization. Their collective focus on building a team with a strong identity, system and philosophy has produced impressive results. Since I took over the team in 1999 and under Dick’s leadership, we have won one Stanley Cup and three Presidents’ Trophies and made the playoffs 18 times, the most playoff appearances in the NHL during that same time period. During that same time period, the Capitals rank third in the NHL in wins (991), points (2,229) and home point percentage (.640).

I am proud of the work Brian has accomplished since being named head of our hockey operations in 2014. Brian is a man of integrity, intelligence and strong leadership. During his tenure, we won the franchise’s first Stanley Cup, secured two Presidents’ Trophies, five Metropolitan Division titles (2014-2020) and six 100-point seasons. Among general managers with at least 500 games of experience, only two others in NHL history have a higher points percentage than Brian’s .631.

We are at a pivotal point in our franchise’s history. One of the great qualities of our hockey operations team is their transparency with me and our fans. It is no secret that our core players are at the end of their illustrious careers. We are deeply grateful for their continued excellence on the ice. However, we must also look forward. I am confident that this leadership group has done an excellent job of identifying and signing the right players to help us reposition ourselves and compete for another championship.

Since winning the Stanley Cup, we have focused on recruiting and renewing our farm system. Our AHL team, the Hershey Bears, won two consecutive championships for the second time in 15 years. Two of our top talents helped lead Team USA to gold at this year’s World Junior Championship. Our young players are learning how to win early in their careers and are developing in the right direction.

With Dick, Brian and Chris at the helm, I look to the future of our organization with confidence and enthusiasm.

–Ted Leonsis