The San Jose Sharks, after 25 years of waiting, finally made it to their first Stanley Cup Final, and Joel Ward scored two goals in Game 6 against the St. Louis Blues.
Last summer, when Ward signed with the Sharks as a free agent he had said he was looking for the chance to win the Cup with the Sharks. I remember laughing and saying that the Sharks won't even make the playoffs but boy, was I wrong.
Ward scored two goals in the game, and further cemented his status as a clutch playoff performer. Here's to many more goals that Ward will score in the Final, but go Lightning!!!
When Jeff Schultz left the Washington Capitals in 2013, the next season, with the Los Angeles kings, he won the Stanley Cup. One season after leaving the Capitals.
Last year, four major players left the Capitals: Mike Green, Troy Brouwer, Joel Ward, and Eric Fehr. Of those four players, only one does not remain in the Cup hunt, and that is Green, as his Red Wings were ousted in the first round by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Capitals ... it was supposed to be their year. But now, we get to sit back, while the BLUES, who are often compared to the Capitals, are in the Conference Final. And they usually get first round exits. AND IT IS NOT FAIR. Because Troy Brouwer is on the Blues, and he scored the series-winning goal in the first round. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MAKE HIM REGRET LEAVING US. If I see him hoist the Cup those year, I will... I don't know... UGH.
I cannot reemphasize how much I get annoyed when I think about Fehrsie, my former favourite player. AHEM.. I mean FEHR. He is just... infuriating. He scored the game-winning goal for the Penguins in Game 2 and said it gave him more satisfaction that it was against the Caps. I DO NOT WANT TO SEE HIM IN THE FINAL.
Him!!! Wardo!!! My favourite player... at one point. That was in the past. When he left the Caps and got on the Sharks, he said that he is looking to win the Cup and he thinks he will get that chance with the Sharks. That was back when the Sharks were a non-playoff team. But now, for the first time in my memory, the Sharks are in the Conference Finals. I TOLD YOU IT WAS A CURSE.
Unfortunately, either Ward or Brouwer will have to play in the Cup Final. Very, very unfortunately. WE WANTED TO MAKE THEM REGRET LEAVING US. But, there's still hope. The Tampa Bay Lightning are just emerging. All they have to do is destroy Fehr's Penguins in the Conference Finals, then destroy whoever gets to the Cup Final, and I won't have to go through the pain of seeing the curse come true. LET'S GO LIGHTNING!!!!!!!!!!!
In another heartbreaking, wretched NHL trade, Brooks Laich, Washington D.C.'s longest-tenured athlete, is no longer a Capital. He is a Leaf, after being a faithful, amazing Capital for 12 years, ever since I was only three years old. Boo.
The Capitals traded away Laich, Connor Carrick, and a second-round pick for Daniel Winnik and a fifth-round pick. In my opinion, the Capitals are trading away their future, as they now do not have any first- or second-round picks for the next draft. On top of that, the Leafs are winning more in this trade because they get better players.
“Daniel is a versatile player who plays with grit and can be used in all situations,” general manager Brian MacLellan said. “This move enables us to add some depth to our forward group and balances our lineup. We would like to thank Brooks for all of his contributions to our organization over the past 10 years. Brooks is a true professional and we wish him all the best in the future.”
The only problem with Laich is that after health complications (injury to the groin) in 2011, he never was the player he had been before and became a fourth-line centre on the Capitals, never again living up to his $4.5 million cap hit. Winnik is much cheaper and by acquiring him and getting rid of Laich's contract, the Capitals have gained $2.2 million in cap space. Still, the trade is heartbreaking, for a multitude of reasons.
The Wawota, Saskatchewan native was a fan favourite in Washington for many reasons. Right after the Capitals' devastating first-round playoff exit in the 2010 playoffs to the Montreal Canadiens, two female Capitals fans were stranded on the side of the road with a messed-up tire. Although the team had just lost and it was clear Laich was going through a tough time, he stopped by the side of the road to fix the tire for them, immediately making their days.
Not only that, but his shenanigans with Michael Latta and Tom Wilson about an Instagram follow were hilarious, with Wilson and Latta leaving comments on his Instagram posts begging for a follow multiple times. Laich had a drone from his fiancee Julianne Hough, and he used it for another hobby of his, film-making, where he filmed several scenes when he had time and used time-lapse on them. I thought it was pretty amazing. He was going to get married to Julianne this August, but I guess, sadly, us Caps fans will not see it.
He even made this hilarious video telling fans five things every man should know how to do:
On his last days in Washington, Laich and Hough, along with TJ Oshie and his wife Lauren, went to a Carrie Underwood concert all together. Laich, my man. This is even worse than losing Eric Fehr and Joel Ward in the offseason. Brooksie, you will be missed. If the Capitals get their Stanley Cup win this year, it will be bittersweet, as D.C.'s longest-tenured athlete and most faithful player, who has been with the Capitals starting from the 2004 rebuild and is the last remaining piece of Peter Bondra, is now gone. Good luck with your new team, Brooksie, and we hope to have you back in a Capitals uniform soon.
12 days until the Capitals' preseason starts, 31 days until their opener against the New Jersey Devils. Can't wait, eh? Well, there is much to be optimistic about this season. From the acquisition of T.J. Oshie to the signing of Justin Williams, be prepared for an exciting year. I expect the Capitals to at least reach the Final this year, if not hoist the Cup.
The Caps made several huge offseason moves:
Their earliest was signing advanced stats deity Justin Williams, who last played for the LA Kings. Williams, known as Mr. Game 7, is a huge playoff performer, and scored one of the goals in Game 5 of the Cup Final 2014, where the Kings won the Cup.
However, they lost Joel Ward, who signed with the San Jose Sharks and was also a clutch playoff performer.
The Capitals also aquired T.J. Oshie from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Winter Classic game-winning-goal scorer Troy Brouwer, as well as AHL-caliber goalie Pheonix Copley and a 2016 draft pick. T.J. Oshie is best known for his performance in the 2014 Sochi Olympics, where he singlehandedly helped Team USA beat the Russians in a seven-round shootout.
The Capitals also re-signed playoff performer Evgeny Kuznetsov. Expect a lot from him his sophomore year; his playoff numbers were no joke. Kuznetsov should combine with fellow sophomore Andre Burakovsky for at least 60 goals.
Bottom-sixer Jay Beagle was also re-signed; he should help the Capitals acheive their goal.
Marcus Johansson, who should assume the role of third-line centre, was also re-signed; he hit career highs in goals, assists, and points last season. He might be able to do it again.
Last, but not least, Braden Holtby, one of the elite NHL goalies, was resigned. If Holtby puts up the numbers he did in 2014-15, expect him to be a Vezina finalist, if not the winner.
The Capitals should go deep into the playoffs this year. I nominate them to represent the east in the Final. Are you optimistic heading into this season? You should be. Let me know in the comment box.
Evgeny Kuznetsov had a wonderful game - tallying two goals and three points, and Jason Chimera, Jay Beagle, Marcus Johnasson, and Karl Alzner each registered two points.
In the background however, it was Joel Ward doing most of the work - setting up goals unnoticed, and helping Kuzetsov get his first playoff goal and his first playoff multi-goal game. What a huge night for Kuzya and the Capitals.
After Kuznetsov's first goal, he said in Russian that "his heart jumped from happiness", but he was able to control his emotions for the rest of the game, and he was able to tally his second goal. When asked about which was his favorite goal of the game, he said Alzner's was, because it "was the game-winner and a very important goal". World, meet Evgeny Kuznetsov.
Game 6 in Nassau Coliseum is an important one - the Capitals can make it or break it.
Kuzya was mic'd up for his first goal - check it out:
So, great game to Joel Ward, who played the best today (quietly, in the background), Jay Beagle, Jason Chimera, Karl Alzner, and Marcus Johnasson, who each registered two points in the game, Evgeny Kuznetsov, who tallied two goals and three points and became the third rookie in Capitals history to tally three points in a playoff game,
And congratulations to that Russian on being able to be unselfish and with his limited ability to speak English on being able to deflect every single question praising him to the team as a whole.
And best of all, Tom Wilson was his usual hard-hitting self. GO BABY WILLY! BEAT THEM UP!
Oh, and Tom WIlson's best friend/roommate Michael Latta was so happy during Alzner's game-winning goal, he gave him a big kiss on the helmet.
The Capitals and Blue Jackets had a great game yesterday, with Eric Fehr scoring the winning goal for Washington, tricking Sergei Bobrovsky with a backhand for the overtime winner.
Goals scored in the first period were by Joel Ward (ASST: Eric Fehr, Karl Alzner), and Jason Chimera (ASST: Michael Latta, Brooks Orpik), putting the Caps up 2-0.
In the second period, the Jackets retaliated on two power-play goals by Jack Johnson (ASST: Nick Foligno, James Wisniewski), and Nick Foligno (ASST: Kevin Connauton, Ryan Johansen).
Early in the third period, the Jackets had the lead, on Nick Foligno's second goal of the night (ASST: Jeremy Morin, Brian Gibbons), and then the Caps tied it up on a goal by Karl Alzner (ASST: Michael Latta, Jason Chimera), and the Jackets regained the lead on a goal by Michael Chaput (ASST:Jared Boll, Matt Calvert). The Caps tied it up again with a goal by Troy Brouwer (ASST: Mike Green), and only 42 seconds into overtime, Fehr gave the Caps their two points with his overtime winner (ASST: Mike Green).
