“We’ve got our eyes set on being ready for Game 1,” the Washington Capitals’ head coach, Spencer Carbery, said after Sunday’s loss at the Capital One Arena. Strong, his optimism needs to be, especially considering how the team was trampled over by the Columbus Blue Jackets two nights in a row. While tonight’s 4-1 defeat wasn’t as ugly as Saturday’s shambolic 7-0, Alex Ovechkin’s side needs to pull up its socks, and fast. However, to any NHL connoisseur, tonight’s loss at the Capitals’ home could come off as a boon in disguise.

39-year-old Ovechkin scored his 896th career goal on Sunday against the Ohio team. But that wasn’t enough to save the day; instead, it brought the Winnipeg Jets their first-ever NHL title in franchise history. With the Washington Capitals failing to defeat their opponents tonight, the Manitoba team went on to clinch the No. 1 seed spot in the league and won the coveted President’s Trophy for the first time. But that shouldn’t be something for the Capitals clan to feel the blues about.

The Washington Capitals made a narrow escape

NHL pundit Ted Starkey shared on X on April 13 how Washington’s latest loss could be the best thing going into the post-season. Claiming the Capitals having to cede ground to the Jets to be “good news,” the social media update went on to elaborate on its thoughts. “Just 1 of last 16 winners have gone on to win the Stanley Cup that season, and that was the short-season 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks,” Starkey explains why Alex Ovechkin and the rest of the Washington Capitals should be thankful that they don’t have the President’s Trophy curse casting on their Stanley Cup hopes.

Since its inception, the President’s Trophy has become one of the most prestigious titles in the NHL. However, it has also become associated with one of the most notorious hockey urban legends. In almost four decades, only eight teams have been able to win the President’s Trophy and the Stanley Cup in the same season. The Detroit Red Wings are the only side that has managed to do it more than once. Naturally, with this info in mind, Washington Capitals fans probably wouldn’t mind now with the bigger prize beckoning on the horizon.

What’s more, the New York Rangers have become only the fourth team in NHL history to win the Trophy and then miss the playoffs a year later. With two games in hand, the Rangers are currently standing on a disheartening 37-36-7 record, making this one of their worst seasons ever. And yet, knowing that a similar scenario played out almost thirty years ago, some believe that New York will redeem itself in style next year. But speculations aside, what are the odds that the Washington Capitals can actually win their second Stanley Cup?

The Caps aren’t headed to the playoffs without anyone to lead the charge

Thanks to an impressive 50-21-9 record and 109 points to their name, the Caps have already secured the top spot in the Metropolitan Division along with ensuring the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Those are pretty convincing stats heading into the playoffs, most would agree. However, while the post-season awaits to commence, there have been other things that have made the Washington Capitals’ current campaign all the more memorable.

Last Sunday, team captain, Alex Ovechkin, rewrote NHL history. Scoring against the New York Islanders at the UBS Arena, the Russian surpassed Wayne Gretzky’s long-standing record of 894 goals. The seminal moment demanded the hockey fans’ attention, and the subsequent celebration by the Washington Capitals stars and the attendees at the game didn’t fail to hail Ovechkin’s feat in a proper manner. However, the dust on that has settled, and a more difficult path now stands in front of Carbery’s boys.

How do you think the Capitals will rise to the occasion? Do you think having to gift the President’s Trophy to the Jets would ignite a hunger among the Washington stars to show their true worth in the playoffs? Tell us your thoughts in a comment!