 After playing parts of six seasons with the North Stars, Rouse was traded to the Washington Capitals at the trade deadline of the 1988–89 NHL season in the deal that also sent Dino Ciccarelli to the Capitals.His steady and tough style of defensive play helped guide the Capitals to their first semifinals appearance, in 1990.During the middle of the 1990–91 season he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, along with Peter Zezel, in exchange for Al Iafrate.