Capital One Arena is set for an overhaul after Ted Leonsis came to terms on a $515 million deal with the city of DC in late March.
Leonsis, founder, chairman, and CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, recently sat down with FOX 5’s Steve Chenevy for an update on the building’s renovation process and shared some insight on what exactly the construction plans entail. Part of the talk revolved around how the team may choose to honor some of the all-time great players to play for the franchises that inhabit the downtown arena.
“I think we’re planning on some interesting things as a way to pay homage to players from all of our teams,” Leonsis said. “Statues, walls of honor, rings of honor – we now have the opportunity to do some advanced planning and take advantage of that. And, we have great players – the Peter Bondras, the Olie Kolzigs. There’s some really, really fantastic players that we have to pay recognition to.”
Bondra, perhaps the most impactful forward in Capitals history before Alex Ovechkin was drafted by the club in 2004, has been waiting quite some time for acknowledgment from the franchise he once perennially led in goal scoring. The Slovakian sniper retired after the 2006-07 NHL season and had been away from the Caps since being dealt by the team in 2004.
The former eighth-round draft selection put together a resume worthy of honor by both the Capitals and the NHL. Bondra ended his career with 503 goals, five All-Star appearances, two 50-goal seasons, and led the league in goals twice before the Rocket Richard Trophy was implemented. He is also one of just 48 players in league history to score five or more goals in one single game.
Kolzig joined Bondra in leading the Capitals to their lone appearance in the Stanley Cup Final (1998) before the team made a victorious return in 2018. No goaltender in franchise history has more appearances (711), wins (301), saves (18,013), or shutouts (35) than Kolzig. In franchise history, only Kolzig, Braden Holtby, and Jim Carey have taken home the Vezina Trophy for the league’s best goaltender.
The South African-born netminder also made two appearances in All-Star games, was named to the overall NHL First All-Star Team in 2000, and won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 2006. Since retiring he has served as a goaltending and player development coach for the Capitals.
Leonsis has previously preached patience when fans have clamored for Bondra and Kolzig to be honored. The last player to have their number retired by the Capitals was Mike Gartner who saw his number 11 raised to the rafters on December 28, 2008.
The Capitals will need to have many more of these types of discussions in the coming years as franchise legends Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Braden Holtby, John Carlson, and TJ Oshie all wrap up their careers. The arena renovations, which Leonsis estimates may take five years to complete, allow for the club to plan out how to celebrate their stars most appropriately.
