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that he is! Go Golden Knights! Though I wish he was still with the Pens

Yeah, my only connection to Vegas is Fleury, but I love that guy.

I don't see why people are so surprised by Vegas. They had a crazy expansion draft. They got a bunch of really good players because a handful of teams were stacked at certain positions (case-in-point, Fleury). I believe they also made some selections that they later used as ammo for trades.

IMO, the majority of their luck involved having the expansion draft the year that they did.

I can see why people are surprised that a bunch of nobodies slapped together last fall, are in the Stanley Cup final.
They're like the Indians in the movie 'major league'

That's the thing, I wouldn't call a bunch of those guys nobodies. They got a number of pretty solid guys out of the expansion draft.

And you can never understate the importance of getting a Stanley Cup champ caliber goalie.

These guys had chips on their shoulders as they were basically labeled expendables or cast offs.

McPhee did a pretty good job of selecting a team for the present that would gain fan interest plus guarantee a solid future in draft picks.

This is the key. These are good players but the previous teams thought they were making too much money and/or didn't fit into their future plans. I'm sure each one took it as a wake up call or fuel to stick to their former team.

It's a great story from the players perspective. I hope for their sake, they win. I just can't root for Vegas, the city, to win a title in their first year as a franchise. It just feels wrong.

To me, the Caps are the better overall story.

They moved quite a few of the guys they acquired too.

I still don't think this is that great of a roster on paper. Especially in an always tough western conference..

They got a really good goalie who revived his career, but he was also cast out for a younger, very good goalie in Matt Murray (which was the right move for Pittsburgh, Murray is great)

James Neal was a nice pickup, but he was also an up and down player on some pretty good teams in the past.

I can't wait for this final, the hockey is going to be fantastic. Should be a great pace. Both teams aren't going to feel each other out. I don't think the puck will be in the neutral zone very much.

I think Vegas wins in 6 games. I've just been more impressed with how they have played each and every game. Fleury would be an obvious choice for Conn-Smythe if they win.

I think if Ovie has a good series and the Caps win, he will probably be your Conn-Smythe winner. Holtby has also been very good, and quietly played a really good game 6 and 7 with two shutouts.

I see the caps are up 4-0 tonight, and about to take a stranglehold on this series. Even if they go down 3-1, Vegas isn't finished but it's tough to come back from that.
Ovie's destiny.

3-1 series lead. They've been nicknamed the "choking dogs" for a very long time, we'll see if they have it in them to finally do it.

I hope they do. They've suffered enough.

CAPS cal seal it soon enough .. but will they finally do it?

Wouldn't put it past the Caps to blow a 3-1 lead, but man, it doesn't look good for Vegas. Think they finally hit the wall.

Momentum has definitely swung in favor of the Caps (oh wait, according to some, momentum in sports doesn't exist LOL)

Ovie is playing as good as we've seen him. Holtby has been stellar (and if you ask me, and yes I am biased) he's a runaway for the Conn-Smythe if Washington finishes this.

Kinda sucks if this ends in 5. I was hoping for 7. I pretty much went through the whole playoffs just hoping for long series' and good hockey. Would be kind of a meh ending to a fun postseason.

Congrats to the Stanley Cup champions - Washington Capitals. Good for their diehard fans, too. They've been around 44 years or so.

The Caps win the Cup!
The Caps win the Cup!

Thousands of people in the streets!

Can you imagine, and they are talking to each other!
In Washington no less!

Congrats to the Capitals on their first Stanley Cup.



It’s been awhile. I was just out of high school when the Washington Capitals entered the NHL. 44 years ago.

(Along with the long gone Kansas City Scouts.)



I don’t remember ever meeting a Capitals fan.

I’ll mention that Cleveland had an NHL team for 2 years 1976 & 1977. But the team “folded” due to incredible mismanagement and stupidity. What a shocker to us Cleveland fans.

Caps had to fight not only some great playoff opponents but maybe even bigger the "Doubt", "Chokers" or whatever you want to call it monkey that was on their backs for years.A good win and a pretty tough unit!

The Caps seem to have a huge group of haters. I think Ovechkin probably brings out a few of them. He's polarizing. You either love the guy or can't stand him. Not a lot of middle ground there.

I just hope people don't use the "well you guys beat an expansion team" when trying to discount their championship.

That expansion team flew through the regular season and playoffs.

The Stanley Cup is very difficult to win.

There's an old saying: "it only weighs 34 pounds but it takes 20 men to lift it."

I don't care if the Caps beat Vegas, the Lake Erie Monsters or a Peewee team; you win the Stanley Cup, you damn well deserve it.

yup, you know how haters can be though.

People literally use the excuse that Draymond Green was suspended for game 5 when the Cavs beat the Warriors 2 years ago.

Sports fans are hilarious. It's really hard for a lot of people to just tip their cap.

Annnnnnnnnnd that didn't take long.

[img]https://ibb.co/jRY4YT[/img]

Guy is such a snob.

Barry Trotz resigned as the Caps coach. Many ways to look at this one. Trotz upset that the win only triggered a 300,000 per year raise?
Stepping aside to let Todd Reirden step up? NY Isles beckoning him?

Off seasons are fun!

If he's not retiring, that's pretty crazy.

The clause was that if he won the cup he'd get a 300,000 raise and 2 added years. He was pretty low paid at 1.5 mill.
GM said salary and term didn't agree with Trotz so they just ended it.

Doubt he retires. He's about to over take a few guys on the all time win list.

Some pretty interesting moves in the NHL...

John Tavares, easily the biggest FA, signs with Toronto. Pressure is definitely going to be on Tavares and the Leafs.

James Neal with Calgary.

Hawks signed Chris Kunitz and Cam Ward

JVR going back to Philly

Paul Stastny signing with Vegas

Drew Doughty staying home and getting PAID.

DSP staying in Washington

Tavares wasn't the big mystery it was made out to be. A kid is now realizing his dream of playing with his hometown team. Still think they don't have a cup winning defense.

As it stands now, Mutt, we don't have quite the blue line depth we need. Luckily we have young D prospects coming up fast. When we get rid of turnover machine Jake Gardiner, I'll dance a jig.

Tavares turns us into a Cup contender, right now. We are as deep up the middle as any team at this point, including Pittsburgh.