Its games were cancelled as the 2004–05 NHL lockout could not be resolved in time.
As a result, Alexander Ovechkin, the first overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, would not make his NHL debut until the start of the 2005–06 season.
The Capitals preseason and regular season schedules were announced on July 13 and July 14, 2004, respectively.
[1][2] The Capitals were involved in the following transactions from June 8, 2004, the day after the deciding game of the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals, through February 16, 2005, the day the 2004–05 season was officially cancelled.
[3] Washington's picks at the 2004 NHL entry draft, which was held at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina on June 26–27, 2004.