The Washington Capitals might be eliminated from the postseason, but that won’t stop most fans from watching the remainder of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Here’s your guide on who to root for.
It is mid-May, and once again the Washington Capitals will be on the golf course early, while their fans find themselves either hiding in a dark place or, in the more likely scenario, watching the rest of the playoffs in despair trying to decide which team they hate the least. This, usually, is the team that they will root on to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup.
After the San Jose Sharks won game seven of their series against the Nashville Predators on Thursday night, we now are left with the final four teams who will battle it out to win a championship.
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There are several unique teams remaining this year, so follow along as we help you decide who to pin your hopes on for the next month or so.
San Jose Sharks
San Jose is the semi-new residence of former Capital, Joel Ward. Ward was a fan favorite during his four years in DC, and is one of the most likable former Caps out there. The world’s greatest beard lives there as well, consuming almost all of Joe Thornton’s face. Easy to root for, for sure.
Even better, many people like to compare the Washington Capitals and the Sharks, as both teams have been good for perennial playoff disappointments. Neither team has even won a championship, but this year appears to be different (wow, they really are like the Capitals). They took care of the Los Angeles Kings relatively quickly in round one, and took the win in a game seven blowout over the Nashville Predators on Thursday.
The Sharks are basically the Capitals, and they stopped Filip Forsberg from winning a championship before Washington. However, they are only compared to the Caps because they are destined for a flame-out, pretty much like clockwork.
The verdict: If you are prone to breakdowns after watching yearly playoff disappointments, stay far, far away.
St. Louis Blues
The Blues are a very solid team, and like the Washington Capitals, they have gone too long without ever having won a Stanley Cup. They dispatched the Chicago Blackhawks and also the number one seed in the Western Conference, the Dallas Stars. This team is really, really good.
The Caps and the Blues made one of the offseason’s biggest trades last July, essentially exchanging T.J. Oshie for Troy Brouwer – a move that has benefited both teams in a big way. Brouwer was a good player and good guy while he was with the Capitals, so there isn’t any real reason to root against his new team. Oshie also said he would be rooting for his old team yesterday during breakdown day.
It isn’t all perfect. The Blues have their own problems in the playoffs, but either them or the Sharks will officially break that trend and be on their way to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The verdict: See: San Jose Sharks. If you like Troy Brouwer more than Joel Ward, this is an easy decision.
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Tampa Bay Lightning
Last year’s runner-ups, the Lightning have seemingly gone a bit under the radar in this year’s playoffs. They stumbled out of the gate to open the season and appeared to be approaching a disaster after the breakdown of their relationship with a potential future star in Jonathan Drouin, but have recovered very nicely.
They handled a Detroit Red Wings team that didn’t stand much of a chance to begin with, and then took care of the New York Islanders in just five games as well. This is a team that has only lost two games in the postseason so far – without their best player in Steven Stamkos, while also missing one of their top defensemen in Anton Stralman.
This team will likely get two of their best players back soon. They are incredibly dangerous, and they are also playing the Pittsburgh Penguins, so no elaboration should be necessary there.
The verdict: Most of us will at least be rooting for them in the Eastern Conference Finals. If you hate seeing former Washington Capitals experience joy, the Lightning are your only hope remaining.
Pittsburgh Penguins
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Good luck with your rooting choices. Hopefully it helps heal the wounds for everyone in this dark time.