Capitals I think are benefiting from lowered expectations and pressure this year.
Crazy how last years loaded team couldn’t get it done and this years might, but that’s hockey.
Do you see any guys in our pipeline who might fit that description?Schmidt is having himself a hell of a game. He's a great example of a younger guy that was once trapped behind a number of more established guys on a deep defense, but who has flourished once that block was removed and he was given a bigger role.
A different type of defender, but maybe Schmaltz?Do you see any guys in our pipeline who might fit that description?
Capitals I think are benefiting from lowered expectations and pressure this year.
Crazy how last years loaded team couldn’t get it done and this years might, but that’s hockey.
Heck, you could even make a case for Edmundson since he still seems to be improving all the time. I’d like to see him on the top pairing with Petro full-time.A different type of defender, but maybe Schmaltz?
The last two years they also went up against a team with a healthy Crosby, Malkin, and Kessel. Maybe the Caps have been this good for 3 years now but we're only seeing it now that they made it past the Pens
The Blues went through a stretch like that losing to LA and Chicago who went on to win the Cup.The Caps would have made 3 consecutive Conference Finals if not for the worst playoff format in sports. Their reward for winning the President's trophy back to back years was getting the 2nd best team in the East in round 2 and then being labeled chokers because they lost to the eventual Cup champs. They put up a better fight against the Pens last year than the Preds did and I'd argue they gave them just as good of a fight in 2016 (all 4 losses were by 1 goal).
Nothing about the last 2 years has proven that they weren't a top 3 NHL playoff team, they just got screwed by the playoff format. They have a history of underperforming in the playoffs, so it is an easy narrative to latch on to. But I don't think this team is any better than the one from the last couple years.
The Blues went through a stretch like that losing to LA and Chicago who went on to win the Cup.
You're not wrong, but I think those teams were demonstrably better than us those years. I think the Caps were closer to beating the Pens the last two years than we were and I have less confidence that the Blues would have been near-locks for victory against anyone else in the Conference. I firmly believe that the Caps would have won the Cup in one of the last 2 years had someone else taken down the Pens. I don't think that about the Blues.
I was just thinking about that last night. We really seemed to be the epitome of a sad sack franchise when it comes to playoff success. I think I understand why other fans label us as chokers. We really don't choke when we pretty much expect failure.So with that win last night, Vegas has just equaled the Blues most successful playoff run in franchise history - 10 wins.
Being a Blues fan is much easier if you just resign yourself to the idea that they’ll never win a championship. Can’t be let down if you don’t expect anything!