Looking at the top-ten points leaders in Washington Capitals history, some names stick out immediately. Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom are the top two with 1,550 and 1,033 points, respectively. John Carlson, who leads the franchise among defensemen in all-time points, is fifth overall with 674. Then, you have some of the best from the past, like Peter Bondra (third overall with 825 points) and Mike Gartner (fourth overall with 789 points).
However, some names, like forward Mike Ridley, don’t get talked about much despite being in the top ten in all-time points. He is an underrated name in Capitals history and deserves to be remembered for being a significant contributor to the club.
Becoming A Capital
Ridley joined the New York Rangers as an undrafted free agent before the 1985-86 season. He spent the previous two seasons playing for the University of Manitoba of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC). In 69 games, he posted 62 goals and 77 assists. He caught the eye of the Rangers, and then-general manager Craig Patrick signed him to a contract. Ridley immediately impressed in his first NHL campaign, finishing the regular season as the team’s leading scorer, with 65 points in 80 games (22 goals and 43 assists) – only Tomas Sandstrom (25) and Bob Brooke (24) had more goals than his 22.
As impressive as Ridley’s quick transition into the NHL was, his tenure with the Rangers was brief. During his second season, he was traded along with Kelly Miller and Bob Crawford by new general manager Phil Esposito to the Capitals for Bobby Carpenter and a second-round pick in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft.
Writer Tom Castro has this transaction ranked as one of the top five worst trades in Rangers history. Even during his partial tenure with the Blueshirts in 1986-87, Ridley had 16 goals and 36 points in 38 games – almost a point-per-game player. What Esposito shipped out was a huge gain for the Capitals and their general manager, David Poile.
Ridley’s Time in D.C.
Ridley finished the 1986-87 season with 15 goals and 34 points in 40 games. He joined a talented Capitals team – the top two players in points that season were Hockey Hall of Famers, defenseman Larry Murphy (with 81) and Gartner (with 73). The locker room also had Hall of Famer Scott Stevens, Craig Laughlin, Michal Pivonka, Hall of Famer Rod Langway, and Kevin Hatcher.
It was quite a group, especially on the backend. Some of these players defined the organization before the Ovechkin Era, yet Ridley became a staple for Washington in his own right, amassing the following point totals in the regular season for the organization:
- 1986-87: 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points in 40 games
- 1987-88: 28 goals and 31 assists for 59 points in 70 games
- 1988-89: 41 goals and 48 assists for 89 points in 80 games
- 1989-90: 30 goals and 43 assists for 73 points in 74 games
- 1990-91: 23 goals and 48 assists for 71 points in 79 games
- 1991-92: 29 goals and 40 assists for 69 points in 80 games
- 1992-93: 26 goals and 56 assists for 82 points in 84 games
- 1993-94: 26 goals and 44 assists for 70 points in 81 games
In addition, Ridley was an asset in helping Washington make the playoffs every season he was there. In the postseason, he chalked up the following stats:
- 1986-87: two goals and one assist for three points in seven games
- 1987-88: six goals and five assists for 11 points in 14 games
- 1988-89: five assists in six games
- 1989-90: three goals and four assists for seven points in 14 games
- 1990-91: three goals and four assists for seven points in 11 games
- 1991-92: 11 assists in seven games
- 1992-93: one goal and five assists for six points in six games
- 1993-94: four goals and six assists for 10 points in 11 games
The 1988-89 season was Ridley’s best in the league. His 89 points led the team in scoring, and his 41 goals were second behind Geoff Courtnall’s 42. He was a great fit in Washington; unfortunately, there was no Stanley Cup to show for it. He will not be remembered as much as Langway, Stevens, Dale Hunter, or Gartner, but Ridley played his role perfectly and got solid results.
Ridley’s Later Days in Canada
The 1994-95 lockout-shortened season was Ridley’s first not being a Capital. Washington dealt him before the 1994 Draft to the Toronto Maple Leafs, along with their first-round selection (16th overall) for Rob Pearson and the 10th pick, which was used to select defender Nolan Baumgartner.
Ridley only played one season in Toronto, scoring 10 goals and 37 points in 48 games. That was good for third on the roster in points, as only Mats Sundin (47 points) and Dave Andreychuk (38 points) had more. Along with Doug Gilmour and reuniting with Gartner, this talented core helped the Maple Leafs make the 1995 Playoffs, but they only played seven games before being eliminated. Ridley had four points in that series (three goals and one assist).
Related: The TJ Oshie Trade Analyzed
The last NHL team Ridley suited up for was the Vancouver Canucks. He was there for parts of two seasons, with 21 points in 37 games in 1995-96 and finished his career strong with a 52-point campaign in 75 contests (20 goals and 32 assists) in 1996-97. He ended his last season ranked fourth on the team in points – only Alexander Mogilny, Martin Gelinas, and Pavel Bure had more points.
If there is one word to describe Ridley’s career, it would be consistency. He broke into the NHL and was the Rangers’ top scorer in his first season. Some Rangers fans probably wish the trade for Carpenter never happened. Ridley was one of the best Capitals of the late 1980s and early 1990s, and he became a franchise leader in points before he became a complementary contributor in both Toronto and Vancouver. He finished his NHL career with 292 goals and 466 assists for 758 points in 866 games.
Ridley may not be one of the first players who comes to mind when you think of the all-time Capitals point leaders. But he was a great talent and helped define the franchise’s offense on the teams of the 1980s and 1990s. He was a huge part of Washington’s success during that time, and he is a crucial part of the organization’s history. He deserves his flowers for his impact.
