Once Colorado beat San Jose in overtime last night, the President's Trophy was awarded to the Washington Capitals, who still have 4 games to play. It's the earliest the trophy's been awarded since 2006, when the Red Wings won it with 124 points. It is the first such trophy in Capitals history.
But the success rate of these winners is, shall we say, lacking. The trophy has been awarded 23 times before this year, yet only 7 of those teams have won the Stanley Cup in the same year. The last to do so were the Red Wings in 2008.
But even getting to the big game requires some luck. Only two additional teams, for a total of 9 out of 23, have even made it the Cup finals. Boston fell to the Oilers in 1990 and the Red Wings lost to Jersey before their back to back championships. 9/23 is less than 40%.
Yet more frustrating is the early round losses (first or second). 9 out of 23 times, including 4 in the very first round, have resulted in disappointment to the highest degree. So a President's Trophy winner is equally likely to lose in the first couple of rounds as it is to make it to the finals.
Most disturbing of all is the recent trends. I mentioned the Red Wings did win the Cup in 2008, but the other three teams since the lockout, which represents the most relevant metric for current success, fared very poorly. Of them, Buffalo did the best with 9 playoff wins. San Jose was brushed aside by Anaheim in the first round last season, and Detroit was felled by eventual runner-up (though 8th-seeded) Edmonton in 2006. So, since the lockout, there's an even smaller rate of success for the Cup than in previous years. Blame parity, I suppose.
Washington is only the seventh of 24 winners to be from the Eastern Conference. The success rate is even lower than the other numbers for the EC, at just one of six. At least no Trophy winner from the East has ever lost in the opening round. Still, that's not a precedent the Caps would like to set. The Rangers, who are putting together a small winning streak, almost ended the Caps' season prematurely last spring. Is anyone in DC enthused at the prospect of playing a good defensive team entering the postseason on a hot streak?
Still, as far as curses go, this ranks between the Philadelphia skyline curse and the Madden curse in terms of validity. As a Pens fan, I certainly hope it claims another victim this year.
- Matt
Showing posts with label Capitals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Capitals. Show all posts
Monday, April 5, 2010
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Why Caps Fans Can't Feel Bad About How Their Team's Season Ended
Before I get to the topic at hand, I have some thoughts:
* Holy shit, what a series. I can't honestly remember a series this intense and entertaining in the 20 years I've been watching hockey. I don't think I've ever seen a playoff series in any sport live up to the hype quite like this one.
* Pens fans - can you believe how far the team has come in 3+ months?!? Eastern Conference finalists again! Never take it for granted!
* The new Green Day song is so fucking terrible
* X-Men Origins: Wolverine was also fucking terrible
* It was so nice to see Crosby's skills on display on the national level. This is why he's a big deal. If only they'd covered his off-ice work ethic and beyond-the-call-of-duty charity work. But enough gushing about my favorite player.
Washington Capitals fans:
1. The emergence of Alex Semin and Simeon Varlamov cannot be taken lightly. These two names will be household next season, and they're both amazing players who will make Ovechkin's job so much easier to dominate.
2. Ovechkin is clearly the real deal. 11 goals in 14 games, 21 points in that same span. He was a force on the ice every shift. Whenever he had the puck, my buttcheeks clenched. Point is, he established himself as a true great this postseason.
3. The Caps won their first playoff season in a long, long time (first under Ted Leonsis). If that isn't progress, I don't know what is.
4. Caps fans showed an amazing amount of maturity during the last few minutes of Game 7. Cheering their team constantly, even though there was a clear losing effort, shows an enormous amount of class. This is a foundation of true fanhood, as well as heartbreaking playoff loss. The Caps' fanbase should be in good shape for many years to come.
5. The national exposure generated by this series ensures that the Caps will be one of the most popular NHL franchises for at least the next 5 years. This can only help Caps fans and the organization as a whole. Think about going to NYC for the weekend and being able to talk Caps with random people on the street. If that doesn't make you feel good, I don't know what can.
Anyway, hopefully that shows why the Caps are in good shape for years to come. If Ovechking doesn't win a Cup in the next 10 seasons, I don't know shit about hockey.
- Matt
PS- LET'S GO PENS!
* Holy shit, what a series. I can't honestly remember a series this intense and entertaining in the 20 years I've been watching hockey. I don't think I've ever seen a playoff series in any sport live up to the hype quite like this one.
* Pens fans - can you believe how far the team has come in 3+ months?!? Eastern Conference finalists again! Never take it for granted!
* The new Green Day song is so fucking terrible
* X-Men Origins: Wolverine was also fucking terrible
* It was so nice to see Crosby's skills on display on the national level. This is why he's a big deal. If only they'd covered his off-ice work ethic and beyond-the-call-of-duty charity work. But enough gushing about my favorite player.
Washington Capitals fans:
1. The emergence of Alex Semin and Simeon Varlamov cannot be taken lightly. These two names will be household next season, and they're both amazing players who will make Ovechkin's job so much easier to dominate.
2. Ovechkin is clearly the real deal. 11 goals in 14 games, 21 points in that same span. He was a force on the ice every shift. Whenever he had the puck, my buttcheeks clenched. Point is, he established himself as a true great this postseason.
3. The Caps won their first playoff season in a long, long time (first under Ted Leonsis). If that isn't progress, I don't know what is.
4. Caps fans showed an amazing amount of maturity during the last few minutes of Game 7. Cheering their team constantly, even though there was a clear losing effort, shows an enormous amount of class. This is a foundation of true fanhood, as well as heartbreaking playoff loss. The Caps' fanbase should be in good shape for many years to come.
5. The national exposure generated by this series ensures that the Caps will be one of the most popular NHL franchises for at least the next 5 years. This can only help Caps fans and the organization as a whole. Think about going to NYC for the weekend and being able to talk Caps with random people on the street. If that doesn't make you feel good, I don't know what can.
Anyway, hopefully that shows why the Caps are in good shape for years to come. If Ovechking doesn't win a Cup in the next 10 seasons, I don't know shit about hockey.
- Matt
PS- LET'S GO PENS!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Mid-March State of the Blog
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Ok, just gentlemen.
Here's a long-awaited post from me, as I've been slacking a lot, after giving Will a lot of shit earlier. With the Penguins streaking (10 straight games with at least a point earned), I've been spending a ton of time on the Pensblog in a state of maddening joy. But it's time to rap, gents. About the sports.
Baltimore Orioles: Orioles Hangout had a very good post on Brian Matusz's pitching mechanics recently. I recommend reading it, but you may not like what you hear. In short, he needs a lot of work, meaning he probably won't make an impact in the majors until at least 2012. Whatever keeps the arm fresh is good with me though.
And, uh, Orioles will flirt with .500 as late as September. Bank on it.
Baltimore Ravens: It's good that the dirty birds kept Ray Ray. He's one of the most beloved players in Baltimore sports history, no matter what the rest of the country thinks. The only thing to watch is a potential "old guard" versus new D coordinator situation, much like the Steelers experienced with Alan Faneca in their offensive line. Which reminds me, Steelers suck.
San Diego Chargers: Good move restructuring LT's deal without trying to rip him off. He's still a top 5 back in the league, he just needs to get healthy. Cutting down on the money while including guarantees for the roughest position in all of sports is a fair compromise. It's even better that this got resolved early in the offseason, rather than creating a boiler pressure situation after the draft. I'm feeling good about the Bolts next season.
Indianapolis Colts: are gay.
Maryland Terrapins: WOOOOOOOO! I like the first round matchup with Cal. It's a rematch of the football game last fall when the Terps surprised the Bears. MD has a good chance, I'm penciling them in the W column. They're starting to play well on neutral courts, which will be very useful in the very near future.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Streaking! Suddenly, the Pens find themselves in the 5 seed position with 82 points. With 11 games left to play, one figures the Pens need to go 6-5 the rest of the season to be assured a playoff spot. That would be 43 wins and 94 points, which is enough in the post-lockout landscape. Depending on their first round matchup, they could be doing a lot of damage. The first line is looking very good these days, Guerin, Kunitz and Crosby all had 3 points in this afternoon's game. It was good enough to make the scoring race a 1-2 Penguins punch, which is the first time since Lemieux-Jagr that it's happened this late in the season.
Washington Capitals: Whaaa?!? Considering a third of our readership is Caps fans, I'm giving legitimate space to reporting about them without calling them names. Given their stellar track record at home (despite recent struggles), their recent road power show speaks volumes. On the other hand, their first round opponent will come out swinging in the first two games, knowing that the Caps can clean up in another team's arena. Ovechkin in particular has picked up his game away from home, but bank on him creating more points at home in the postseason. The worry spot for fans has to be Green; teams are starting to pick up on his reluctance to take the body. The playoffs are a grind, and dirty goals are a must. The Ovechkin Play (TM) on the power play may not work, so the Caps have to find a way to adjust.
NHL: Red Wings have taken the points lead. Who's surprised? ...Columbus is the lovable underdog in the West, they're in good position to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. ...Philly may make a push for the Atlantic division title if Brodeur stops owning the league soon. They have several games in hand on most Eastern teams. ...It seems only one of the Sabres, Canes and Panthers will make the playoffs. I'm banking on the Hurricanes to finally snap their drought.
Totally wrong NCAA tourney predictions later this week.
- Matt
Here's a long-awaited post from me, as I've been slacking a lot, after giving Will a lot of shit earlier. With the Penguins streaking (10 straight games with at least a point earned), I've been spending a ton of time on the Pensblog in a state of maddening joy. But it's time to rap, gents. About the sports.
Baltimore Orioles: Orioles Hangout had a very good post on Brian Matusz's pitching mechanics recently. I recommend reading it, but you may not like what you hear. In short, he needs a lot of work, meaning he probably won't make an impact in the majors until at least 2012. Whatever keeps the arm fresh is good with me though.
And, uh, Orioles will flirt with .500 as late as September. Bank on it.
Baltimore Ravens: It's good that the dirty birds kept Ray Ray. He's one of the most beloved players in Baltimore sports history, no matter what the rest of the country thinks. The only thing to watch is a potential "old guard" versus new D coordinator situation, much like the Steelers experienced with Alan Faneca in their offensive line. Which reminds me, Steelers suck.
San Diego Chargers: Good move restructuring LT's deal without trying to rip him off. He's still a top 5 back in the league, he just needs to get healthy. Cutting down on the money while including guarantees for the roughest position in all of sports is a fair compromise. It's even better that this got resolved early in the offseason, rather than creating a boiler pressure situation after the draft. I'm feeling good about the Bolts next season.
Indianapolis Colts: are gay.
Maryland Terrapins: WOOOOOOOO! I like the first round matchup with Cal. It's a rematch of the football game last fall when the Terps surprised the Bears. MD has a good chance, I'm penciling them in the W column. They're starting to play well on neutral courts, which will be very useful in the very near future.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Streaking! Suddenly, the Pens find themselves in the 5 seed position with 82 points. With 11 games left to play, one figures the Pens need to go 6-5 the rest of the season to be assured a playoff spot. That would be 43 wins and 94 points, which is enough in the post-lockout landscape. Depending on their first round matchup, they could be doing a lot of damage. The first line is looking very good these days, Guerin, Kunitz and Crosby all had 3 points in this afternoon's game. It was good enough to make the scoring race a 1-2 Penguins punch, which is the first time since Lemieux-Jagr that it's happened this late in the season.
Washington Capitals: Whaaa?!? Considering a third of our readership is Caps fans, I'm giving legitimate space to reporting about them without calling them names. Given their stellar track record at home (despite recent struggles), their recent road power show speaks volumes. On the other hand, their first round opponent will come out swinging in the first two games, knowing that the Caps can clean up in another team's arena. Ovechkin in particular has picked up his game away from home, but bank on him creating more points at home in the postseason. The worry spot for fans has to be Green; teams are starting to pick up on his reluctance to take the body. The playoffs are a grind, and dirty goals are a must. The Ovechkin Play (TM) on the power play may not work, so the Caps have to find a way to adjust.
NHL: Red Wings have taken the points lead. Who's surprised? ...Columbus is the lovable underdog in the West, they're in good position to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. ...Philly may make a push for the Atlantic division title if Brodeur stops owning the league soon. They have several games in hand on most Eastern teams. ...It seems only one of the Sabres, Canes and Panthers will make the playoffs. I'm banking on the Hurricanes to finally snap their drought.
Totally wrong NCAA tourney predictions later this week.
- Matt
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
WOOOOOOOOO
(Click on it to make it bigger)
Fuck Filthadelphia! Next up: the Crapitals. If the Pens win, they'll have beaten their two main rivals in two days and the momentum on the season will have shifted.
Also, the Pensblog is now on www.thepensblog.com. Amazing recaps there, which is why I only recap Chargers/O's games on this site. Go Pens. Fuck Philthy/DC.
- Matt
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Arch-rivalry part 1: Capitals on the Rise
So here's the event that happens only four times a year. Hopefully more than that, but it's only October. The Penguins have owned the Caps after the lockout, going 10-1-1 in 12 games (10-1-0 without King Crosby). Ovechkin is the best goal scorer in the game. Crosby is the best player in the game. Malkin is not far off, but not nearly as clutch.
Not blog style this time, but things bear mentioning early in the 1st. Crosby starts things off with a bang by out-Ovechkining Ovechkin. The next 10 minutes is hardcore defensive battle.
The Caps' power play is a thing of beauty. Semin is a hilarious name. The Pens' PK is even better.
Go-Go scores on a silly PP. The Pens control the puck on their man-up for the first time this season (at least it felt like it). After a good pass by Bing, Malkin fires it in and Goligoski gets a great chance. He bobbles, shoots once he gets control and Theodore demonstrates why he shouldn't be a starter. 1-0 PENGUINS!
Another thing of note is that Zigomanis might be the best pickup in recent Penguins history. They got him from the Coyotes for "future considerations" aka a sammich.
The Caps look really good, and will most likely win their division once the Canes pull their annual choke job. However, two things will keep them out of the SCF barring a lot of luck:
1. Jose Theodore. You can take Olie the Goalie out of Washington, but you can't... take the spirit of Olie the Goalie out of Washington. Hm.
2. Penalties. I know you're all fired up and stuff, but play smarter. Your defense is not exactly stellar and your goaltenders are atrocious. UPDATE: As I typed this, Malkin scored a PP goal. 2-0 PENGUINS!
3. Fewer games vs. Southeast opponents. That's at least 4 fewer wins this year, meaning crucial jockeying for position in the East. They absolutely have to win the division to get home ice at any point.
Getting time to go to practice. Bing (Crosby for you Pensblog virgins) has 2 A before the end of the first, and the Caps just got the gayest penalty (Too Many Men). Malkin has 1 G and 1 A, meaning the dry spell is over for both.
Earlier today I predicted 5-3, decided by an empty netter, in favor of the home team (PIT). I stand by this prediction even with a 2-0 lead. GO PENS, I'm out to buy beer. I mean play water polo >_>
- Matt
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