WASHINGTON, D.C. – Right wing Chris Clark, a former all-star at Clarkson University, will serve as the Washington Capitals' new team captain, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today at Ashburn Ice House in Ashburn, Va. Clark, 30, becomes the 13th captain in franchise history.
"Leadership is not a sometime thing or a come and go thing," said McPhee. "It is an all-the-time thing. Chris Clark has all-the-time leadership qualities. He is a leader in the mold of one of our all-time favorites, Dale Hunter; a quiet man off the ice, a cantankerous, ultra-competitive player on the ice."
Clark, a South Windsor, Conn., native, is entering his seventh season in the NHL, his second with the Capitals. Clark established career highs in goals (20) and points (39) in his first season in Washington, leading the team with a career-best +9 rating and 110 penalty minutes. His goal total was tied for third on the team and doubled his previous career high. He posted his 100th career point on March 12 and recorded his first career hat trick on March 18.
A 6'0", 200-pound right wing, Clark was acquired from Calgary on Aug. 4, 2005, with a seventh-round draft choice in the 2007 Entry Draft for a seventh-round choice in 2006 and a sixth-round choice in 2007. He has 55 goals and 55 assists (110 points) in 356 games in his NHL career and was part of the Calgary Flames team that reached the Stanley Cup finals in 2004.
Clark has also been very active in the Washington, D.C., community. He serves as the Capitals' spokesperson for the Cause Gift Pack Drive, which provides comfort items for soldiers recuperating from wounds and injuries suffered in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also participates in the Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation and was a guest instructor at a local elementary school during Teach for America Week last year.
The Capitals open their 2006 training camp Thursday, Sept. 14, with physicals and media availability at Verizon Center (closed to the public). Their first on-ice session is Friday, Sept. 15, at the Ashburn Ice House beginning at 10 a.m. All on-ice sessions are open to the public and free of charge.
Capitals season ticket plans are now available for the 2006-2007 season. Full season tickets, weekend plans and 11-game plans start as low as $14 per game. Plan holders can also take advantage of the Caps PowerPay option – monthly payments with no fees or charges. Single-game tickets go on sale Saturday, Sept. 16, at all TicketMaster outlets. Call 202-266-CAPS, email ticketsales@washcaps.com or visit WashingtonCaps.com for more information.