Owner Abe Pollin who owned the NBA's Baltimore Bullets had desired an NHL franchise for the Beltway. After being granted an expansion franchise he chose to build a new arena in the DC suburb of Landover, Maryland which would play host to both the recently renamed Washington Bullets as well as his expansion NHL team that was set to begin play in 1974.

The arena known as the Capital Centre was one of the first to feature luxury boxes and boasted that no seat was further than 200 feet from the ice. However, when the team named the Capitals finally took the ice on October 9th Pollin probably wished no one could watch his team.

With the WHA competing with the NHL for talent, the expansion Capitals took the ice with a team that probably could not compete in any league as they posted the worst season in NHL history. The Capitals compiled a record of 8-67-5 and set dubious records for a season, among them being: fewest wins (8), most losses (67), most road losses (39 out of 40) most consecutive road losses (37), most consecutive losses (17), and most goals against (446), and finished 20 points worse than their expansion brethren, the Kansas City Scouts, who managed 41 points.