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In 11 years as vice president and general manager of the Washington Capitals, George McPhee has overseen the club’s development with an emphasis on scouting, drafting, coaching and building from within. McPhee has provided solid direction for the Capitals franchise by instituting a team-first philosophy that has extended from his hockey operations staff to the players on the ice. McPhee has led a Capitals organization that has grown from a lottery team to Southeast Division champions in 2007-08. Named the fifth general manager in team history June 9, 1997, McPhee found immediate success with the Capitals while engineering the club’s first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in his first season (1997-98). Under his leadership the team has claimed three Southeast Division championships (1999-00, 2000-01 and 2007-08), four 40-or-more win seasons (1997-98, 1999-00, 2000-01 and 2007-08) and a 102-point season (1999-00) – the team’s first campaign of at least 100 points since 1985-86 and only the fourth in franchise history. In efforts to further cultivate the Capitals as a competitive and progressive franchise, McPhee has stressed the growth of the Washington organization through scouting, coaching, amateur drafts, free agency, trades and minor-league development. These focus points have resulted in 15 first-round draft picks during the last seven years, the most of any NHL team, including the No. 1 overall pick in 2004, Alex Ovechkin, the first player in league history to win both the Calder Trophy and the Hart Trophy in a three-year span. Capitals prospects have enjoyed tremendous success as well, leading the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League to the 2006 Calder Cup championship and the AHL’s best record in 2006-07. The 2007-08 club featured a number of those former Bears, a group that was bolstered by the promotion of head coach Bruce Boudreau from Hershey in November and three shrewd moves by McPhee at the trading deadline. Together those players put together an 11-1-0 run to end the season, including wins in the last seven games, to capture the Southeast Division title. Prior to joining the Capitals, McPhee spent five seasons as the vice president and director of hockey operations as well as alternate governor for the Vancouver Canucks, assisting then general manager Pat Quinn with all hockey-related matters. In his time with the Canucks, the team enjoyed four trips to the playoffs, a division championship and a trip to the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals. McPhee began his playing career in his hometown of Guelph, Ont., with the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Guelph Platers, leading them to the 1978 Centennial Cup, Canada’s Tier II championship. Following his stint with the Platers, McPhee attended Bowling Green State University of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, where he became one of college hockey’s most decorated players. A four-year letterwinner from 1978-82, he was the recipient of the 1982 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given to the top player in college hockey. His other accolades included a first-team All-CCHA selection in 1982, second-team All-CCHA honors in 1979 and 1981 and his selection as the CCHA’s Rookie of the Year in 1979. Earning a degree in business, he became the first player to be named to the CCHA All-Academic Team in three consecutive seasons. Upon the completion of his college career, McPhee signed as a free agent with the New York Rangers and started his NHL career during the 1982 Stanley Cup playoffs. Following his seven-year playing career with the Rangers and New Jersey Devils, McPhee earned his law degree from Rutgers University in 1992. |
