Never in my life had I ever seen a team in the Washington DC area win a championship. The last time that happened was at the start of 1992 with the NFL's Redskins Super Bowl. For that franchise, it has been nothing but mediocrity since. The NBA's Wizards have been on the rise the last ten or so years, but can't advance past the second round. Even with the move from Montreal, MLB's Nationals have been disappointing despite success the last six years.
This is where the NHL's Capitals come in. With their win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, they got their first Stanley Cup wins and their first trophy ever. Similar to the Wizards, they have done well, but have had nothing to show. No joke, they've had best records in seasons and they fail to either the Pittsburgh Penguins, the New York Rangers, or some other team that sneaks up and gets the best of them.
You could tell after they got past the Penguins this year, it could have been an easy ride for them. Getting through Tampa Bay was not a cakewalk either. I did not expect this Stanley Cup Final to be finished that quick. The Golden Knights were a force to be reckoned with. Unstoppable was what I would say regarding their three series prior to the Final. It is still an expansion team, but this should be the standard for what all teams in any sport should look up to. They did a lot more than MLB's expansion teams from the 90s.
Where does this land for the Capitals? If you're Alexander Ovechkin, you just landed yourself a spot in the Hall of Fame when you're finished. It also means for DC, ending a lot of heartbreak since 1982. Looking at Pro Hockey Reference, they have had so many first and second round exits, the question was whether they would win a Stanley Cup at all. A few other guys have cemented their legacies as well. This is something they will savor for the rest of their lives.
Hockey has a new place for the Stanley Cup.
Showing posts with label washington capitals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label washington capitals. Show all posts
Sunday, June 10, 2018
Friday, May 12, 2017
Another Year, Another Capital Disappointment
When a team does well almost every year, that team's fanbase expects a championship almost all the time. For Washington D.C., they haven't seen anything major since the Redskins 1991 football team win a Super Bowl. Since that time, the Redskins have been putrid for a very long time. The Nationals in baseball have started to pick up as a serious team. However, we are looking at the Capitals, the hockey team that can't get past the hump.
Since 1982, the Capitals have been one of the more stronger teams in the NHL. Starting from 82 until 96, they would make the playoffs every year, often losing in the semi-finals or conference finals. After an off year, the 1997-98 team would make its only Stanley Cup appearance, where they lost to the Detroit Red Wings. For the next six years, they would make the postseason three more times before the 2004-05 lockout. Since 2007, they have been one of the more dominant teams, but have squandered big series against teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, and Boston Bruins.
In all honesty, this should be a team that could get past the hump and show a bit of energy. They fought back a three to one Penguins lead in the series to tie it up, and then lose once again in a game 7. Alex Ovechkin is one of the biggest names right now in not just the NHL, but hockey in general. Washington had one of the best defenses and set of goalies this year. The main scoring groups are young and can stay together for a long time. How much more disappointment can there be for them?
Time will only tell if they can beat a Pittsburgh or a New York team. This is one of their biggest obstacles. Can they get past a lot of these mental mistakes? Can they get past all the stuff that they hear from the fans, the press, etc.? Blocking it out could work. You would think so. Ultimately, the Capitals have to focus on hockey come September/October. Frustration is going to mount and either they get that championship or they start losing key players to trades, retirements, and or injuries.
Right now, Ovechkin has at the very least five to eight more years left barring any injuries. Washington has a very tough division which include the Rangers and Penguins. Their conference also has the Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, and whatever surprise team gets in at times. The time to get serious on being contenders is now. If they don't, time will tell when they have another good era that can get them a Stanley Cup.
Since 1982, the Capitals have been one of the more stronger teams in the NHL. Starting from 82 until 96, they would make the playoffs every year, often losing in the semi-finals or conference finals. After an off year, the 1997-98 team would make its only Stanley Cup appearance, where they lost to the Detroit Red Wings. For the next six years, they would make the postseason three more times before the 2004-05 lockout. Since 2007, they have been one of the more dominant teams, but have squandered big series against teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, and Boston Bruins.
In all honesty, this should be a team that could get past the hump and show a bit of energy. They fought back a three to one Penguins lead in the series to tie it up, and then lose once again in a game 7. Alex Ovechkin is one of the biggest names right now in not just the NHL, but hockey in general. Washington had one of the best defenses and set of goalies this year. The main scoring groups are young and can stay together for a long time. How much more disappointment can there be for them?
Time will only tell if they can beat a Pittsburgh or a New York team. This is one of their biggest obstacles. Can they get past a lot of these mental mistakes? Can they get past all the stuff that they hear from the fans, the press, etc.? Blocking it out could work. You would think so. Ultimately, the Capitals have to focus on hockey come September/October. Frustration is going to mount and either they get that championship or they start losing key players to trades, retirements, and or injuries.
Right now, Ovechkin has at the very least five to eight more years left barring any injuries. Washington has a very tough division which include the Rangers and Penguins. Their conference also has the Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, and whatever surprise team gets in at times. The time to get serious on being contenders is now. If they don't, time will tell when they have another good era that can get them a Stanley Cup.
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