One day shy of the 46th anniversary of the franchise being granted entry into the National Hockey League, the Washington Capitals have finally won the Stanley Cup.
The Capitals' greatest player, Alexander Ovechkin, has waited 13 years. That's but a fraction of the suffering the long time Caps fans have endured, but for a superstar like Ovie, it is an eternity.
The term superstar is used far too liberally these days, but Ovechkin truly is just that. Seven times he has led the NHL in goal scoring. Three times he was named as MVP. Eleven times he has been named to the NHL's First or Second All Star team, including twice in 2013 when he somehow made it as a left wing and again as a right wing. He is by far the most dominant goal scorer of the generation, and the greatest Russian player of all time.
And now he is a Stanley Cup MVP and, most importantly, a Stanley Cup champion.
His resume is just too strong to be denied acceptance as exactly what he is - one of the true all time greats. Now there can be no disputing it.
While in so many ways this championship is about Ovechkin, let's not forget the amazing supporting cast. Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov are unbelievable talents. Tom Wilson became a true impact player. T.J. Oshie, Lars Eller, John Carlson, and of course goaltender Braden Holtby took their turns in the spotlight, while players like Brett Connolly, Devante Smith-Pelley and Jay Beagle all earned our respect as playoff warriors.
Congratulations to the Washington Capitals, deserving winners of the 2018 Stanley Cup!
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