The Capitals are currently on a 9-0-1 run and have reclaimed top spot in the NHL. Which is fitting because they are the best team in the NHL (with the possible exception of Pittsburgh). But Washington and Pittsburgh aren't just two of the best teams currently playing. I think they may be two of the best teams of all-time.
Check this:
Bad news: The @Capitals are just the 3rd team since 1997 to score 7 goals in a game and lose.
OK, so those standings are a little out of date, but being just the third team in 20 years to score seven and lose is pretty insane. Not like I thought it happened all the time or anything, but I definitely wouldn't have thought it was that rare. That's more rare than a perfect game in baseball.
As to the standings, the Coyotes now have 66 points and lead the Blue Jackests by two. I don't care what the standings say, the Blue Jackets aren't in the same stratosphere as the Capitals, who have now lead the NHL standings for 130 some-odd games, dating back to last season.
That's an incredible sample size for being the best team in hockey. Yeah, the Penguins won the Cup, and yeah, obviously winning the Cup is agreed to be worth more than the President's Trophy. That being said, it takes a lot more luck and happenstance to win the Cup than it does to be the best team over 130 games.
The Capitals will never get the recolonization this amazing run deserves unless they win the Stanley Cup, and that's a little unfair. For a little perspective, their run of 130 games as the best team in the NHL occurs during the Cap Era where there has never been more parity. There are more teams that are equal today than there has probably ever been. Less really good and less really good bad teams. Plus, they play in the toughest division in hockey, meaning their schedule is tougher than anyone else who isn't also in the same division.
If you look at it, you can make a case that the Capitals are among the greatest teams of all time. A Cup would cement that.
Tonight they take on the Dallas Stars, whose hilarious lack of goaltending is wasting the prime's of two of the league's best players. Who is running that team and what are they thinking?
I look forward to the game and just want to end this blog by declaring Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues as one of the funniest movies ever made.
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