These past 3 seasons have been a rollercoaster of emotion filled with the highest highs and now the lowest of the lows.
It stings that the end of the 3-peat dream came by the hands of a very beatable Caps team, but I think we can all take a step back now and realize what we just did. We’re gonna be remembered like the Pens and Wings of the 90’s and the Oilers and the Islanders of the 80’s. That’s company I’d be honored to keep.
This is is not the end. One or two more in the next 5 years is still as likely as it was before we got knocked out. Jake is blooming into something even more special and hopefully he can play flanking Sid most of next year. Malkin isn’t going anywhere, Horny is resigned for the rest of the window, Phil will likely rebound from his arm-amputation.
We do need to address Letang, Sheary, Sprong, Kuhnackl and Hunwick. Letang needs relearn the fundamentals of hockey and realize that he’s not the team. He’s part of the team. Making boneheaded one man army plays to try and put the team on his back ended up sinking the ship instead. Look at the help he has around him. When you make the simple play enough, opportunities will come. Forcing high risk passes in OT while down 3-2 or tied 2-2 in a series is NOT the time to get fancy.
Kuhnackl would be an alright 13th forward but if he’s suiting up for 82 games next year I’m gonna be upset.
At the end of the day, any team would be estatic to be hoisting the cup at year’s end. We just did it two seasons in a row so even after how hard this elimination felt, there’s never going to be anything but love for Sully, the team and the players that made this wild ride possible.