The Capitals entered the NHL in 1974 along with the Kansas City Scouts. They were literally the worst team ever, setting records for futility in their first year and only winning one road game all year. In fact, their first eight years were usually bad, with talk of them actually being moved out of the DC area. In 1982, David Poile would become General Manager and orchestrate a trade that would solidify their blue line, as Rod Langway came over from Montreal that same year. Add to the likes of Bengt Gustafsson and Mike Gartner, and the Captials would finally break through into the playoffs that year. The problem was that the New York Islanders were in the midst of their dynasty, and they were thus knocked out in the first or second rounds. They would make the Conference finals in 1990, where they were swept by Boston. In 1991, the Capitals would begin what became a recurring theme in the playoffs, as they encountered their kryptonite in the Pittsburgh Penguins, losing to them nearly every time they made the playoffs in a stretch from 1991 until 2001 (That theme would carry over a few years after that, but that will be covered later.). In 1994, the Capitals did manage to get one over on the Penguins, but were promptly pushed aside by the eventual champions of that year in the New York Rangers. 1998 was a banner year for the Capitals, as they would make the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in their history on the back of Olaf Kolzig and Peter Bondra. However, their maiden trip was anything but joyous, as the Detroit Red Wings swept them aside on their way to winning back to back Stanley Cups. After more Penguin pain, in the 2001 offseason, the Capitals would poach the Penguins roster for Jaromir Jagr. Unfortunately, success did not follow him to Washington, nor did it reverse the team's fortunes, as they would only make the playoffs once in his time there, losing to Tampa Bay in 2003. They hit rock bottom in 2004, trading nearly everyone with value, including Jagr.
In the 2004 NHL Draft, the Capitals picked a generational talent in Alexander Ovechkin, who would have his rookie year in 2005 thanks to the lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 season. The team still stunk, but Ovechkin began pumping life into the team. It wasn't until the middle of the 2007-08 season, when Bruce Boudreau was installed as head coach and Nicklas Backstrom had a coming out year that the Capitals made the playoffs once again. Once again, they couldn't get past the second round, as among their owners, the Pittsburgh Penguins resurfaced after a tear down and rebuild of their own to take the Capitals down in 2009. 2010 was a good year, at least in the regular season, as the Capitals won their first Presidents' Trophy. However, they fell to Jaroslav Halak and the Montreal Canadiens in the first round. For the next few years, the Capitals still couldn't get past the second round, as the New York Rangers took ownership of the Capitals from 2012 to 2015. In that time, the team went through four head coaches, and there were constant rumors of Ovechkin getting moved. Things didn't get better, as Pittsburgh returned to take ownership of the Capitals in 2016 and 2017 en route to their Stanley Cup championship in those years.
The 2017-18 season was one with considerably less expectations, as the Capitals were on the verge of salary cap hell, as they were forced to let key players such as Karl Alzner, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Marcus Johansson all leave. While they won their division, it also came with an asterisk, as Braden Holtby had a terrible year to the point where Phillipp Grubauer was starting the playoffs as the starting goaltender. Things got off to a rocky start, as they lost their first two games of the first round. However, Holtby was reinserted as the starter, and the Capitals won the next four games and the series. The second round brought a familiar nemesis in Pittsburgh. However, the script was rewritten, as the Capitals finally found a way to beat Pittsburgh and make the Conference Finals and face another potential owner in the Tampa Bay Lightning. It looked like they were going to bow out when they were down 3-2 in the series. However, Holtby summoned his previous Vezina Torphy winner form and shut out the Lightning in the last two games to help guide the team to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second time in team history. After a wild game one against the Vegas Godlen Knights, it looked like the magic would finally run out. However, Holtby would make the save that Capitals fans will be talking about for a long time as the turning point in the series, as they would steal game 2. From there, Ovechkin put the team on his back and the rest of the team provided the necessary support in giving Washington not only their first wins in the Finals, but now, the Stanley Cup to go along with it.
In conclusion, the Stanley Cup win not only erases the failures of Washington's past, but also puts Ovechkin in the conversation as one of the league's all-time greats. In fact, his career trajectory mirrors that of another player that had to wait about 14 years to win his first Stanley Cup in Steve Yzerman, a great player that couldn't win the big one and was once rumored to be on the trading block for Alexei Yashin. All of that is now over for Ovechkin, as he finally has his place in the sun, and the Capitals no longer have to be subjected to endless jokes about never being able to win the big one.
No comments:
Post a Comment