Stars and Sticks
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Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis thinks NHL favors Penguins

By Dave Stevenson|
Jan 15, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; (L-R) Liza Berg, fiancee of Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (19) along with daughter Haley and son Vince and Backstrom and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis and Capitals team president Dick Patrick stand on the ice as Leonsis presents Backstrom with a gold stick during a ceremony honoring his 500th career NHL assist prior to the Capitals game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Verizon Center. The Capitals won 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports/Pool Photo
Jan 15, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; (L-R) Liza Berg, fiancee of Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (19) along with daughter Haley and son Vince and Backstrom and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis and Capitals team president Dick Patrick stand on the ice as Leonsis presents Backstrom with a gold stick during a ceremony honoring his 500th career NHL assist prior to the Capitals game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Verizon Center. The Capitals won 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports/Pool Photo

Does the NHL favor the Pittsburgh Penguins? Washington Capitals majority owner Ted Leonsis sure does. 

The Washington Capitals have seen their team getting eliminated numerous times over the years by the Pittsburgh Penguins. They are their fiercest rivals. The mere mention of Sidney Crosby in America’s capitol city brings jeers and boos. Capitals fans hate very few things in life more than the Penguins.

Caps majority Ted Leonsis is the same way. He’s an open advocate for his sport teams and he’s about the closest thing the NHL has to Mark Cuban. Leonsis is one of the few owners anyone could name. Most of them rarely, if ever, insert themselves in their team’s activities. Meanwhile, Leonsis takes selfies with celebrities and fans at games. In many ways, he’s just like the fans because, well, he is a fan of his teams.

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And just like fans (which descends from “fanatics”), Leonsis has some crazy ideas. Some of which require an aluminum foil hat in order to say. A recent article at Deadspin suggests Leonsis believes the NHL favors the Penguins.

"Ted then calls me over to sit by him at his desk and starts clicking his mouse to show me lots of game videos he’d stored on his computer that prove that the NHL wants the Pittsburgh Penguins to win and the Capitals to lose. I was too giddy at what was taking place to retain much of what I was shown, but remember clips of hits by Caps, including Alex Ovechkin, that garnered NHL suspensions, alongside clips of similar hits by Penguins players on Ovechkin and others that went unpunished by the league."

Personally, this doesn’t add up. Leonsis has a decent point. But come on. The NHL would have to actively help the Penguins for this to be true. Knowing how horribly incompetent the league is, it would be painfully obvious if they were helping them. Also, why did Matt Niskanen get no suspension for hitting Sidney Crosby in the head? Even if it was a clear accident?

Next: Test Your Fandom With The Ultimate Fan Test!

This is one heck of a conspiracy theory. I want to know more. So Mr. Leonsis, if you’re reading this, please invite me over. We can discuss conspiracy theories in great depth. Like how the NHL rigged the 2005 NHL Draft Lottery.

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