The Washington Capitals brought back their black Screaming Eagle jerseys as an alternate for the team’s 50th anniversary season. Now, there’s talk that the team could bring back the beloved Screagle in future years, perhaps in a more full-time role.
The news comes from Monumental Sports Network’s Tarik El-Bashir, who, in his must-read Capitals mailbags, has answered several questions about the popular sweaters and what the future might hold for them.
The mid-90s design, which was retired ahead of the 2007-08 season, initially came back in Adidas’s Reverse Retro line in versions 1.0 (red) and 2.0 (black). The Screaming Eagle logo was used on the crest, and the team’s old Capitol Dome logo sat on the shoulder.
El-Bashir wrote in his September 20 mailbag:
The jerseys are very popular with fans and players—and the decision-makers upstairs know it. So, yes, there are discussions re: putting the screaming eagle jerseys into the regular rotation. But it should be noted that the NHL has the final say on uniform changes.
El-Bashir added in his December 6 mailbag that “my gut tells me there are uniform decisions to be made about next year and beyond,” suggesting that branding changes could be in consideration.
Alex Ovechkin is notoriously a huge fan of design, which he wore during his first two seasons in the NHL. The team revealed the black Screaming Eagle jersey was returning as a gift to him on his 39th birthday.
“It’s so good,” he said, smiling ear-to-ear then.
Ovechkin has scored in all eight games he’s worn the black Screaming Eagle jersey dating back to the 2022-23 season. During that span, the Capitals’ captain scored 12 times and tallied four assists, good for 16 points and two points per game. His most recent triumph came when he scored career goal no. 861, the game-winner, and had two points against the Nashville Predators on November 6.
Ovechkin has also accomplished some major history in the design, too: he scored his 30th career hat trick, passed Gordie Howe for second on the NHL’s all-time goal list, and tied the record for the most 30-goal seasons (17) in NHL history.
Not only does Ovechkin adore the sweater, but it’s also popular among other players on the current team. When the team polled 17 players in October, 14 chose the Screaming Eagle design as their favorite in team history.
The Capitals are scheduled to wear the black Screaming Eagle jersey four more times this season.
- Tuesday, Dec. 31st vs. Boston Bruins
- Saturday, Jan. 18th vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
- Saturday, Feb. 1st vs. Winnipeg Jets
- Sunday, April 13th vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
