Hockey and Basketball Close Out -- What's Next?
The last week has been a little crazy here along the Potomac following the Washington Capitals victory in the Stanley Cup finals, June 7.
Sports fans of the DMV did themselves proud -- they packed the District for a Game 5 watch party, enjoyed a few party moments with the victorious Capitals over the weekend, and then painted downtown red again for a parade, June 12.
WTOP captured the sights and sounds of the initial party.
Deadspin captured Alex Ovechkin partying over the weekend -- including a "keg" stand from the Stanley Cup.
WUSA9 captured highlights from the parade.
Best of all was seeing Alex Ovechkin enjoying the moment to the maximum.
Capitals are 2018 champs, but what is next?
Can the Capitals repeat as Stanley Cup champions in 2019? Chances are they won't.
The Pittsburgh Penguins won a second consecutive NHL title just a year ago (2017 and 2016 champions). Before that, the Detroit Red Wings were the last team to accomplish the feat when they swept the Capitals for the Stanley Cup in 1998. Not only has a repeat been a rare occurrence during the last two decades, but the Capitals have challenges ahead of them this off-season.
Coach Barry Trotz is only under contract through the end of the month, and his return is definitely not assured. Key contributors could leave Washington for more money as they enter free agency. Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post reports defensemen John Carlson, right wing Jay Beagle, and defensemen Michal Kempny will be unrestricted free agents, while right wings Thomas Wilson and Devante-Smith Pelly will be restricted free agents.
Sports betting site Bovada has seven teams -- Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, Boston Bruins, Vegas Golden Knights, Nashville Predators, and Pittsburgh Penguins -- with better or equal chances to win the Stanley Cup finals than the Capitals in 2019, according to Jeff Seide of TheHockeyWriters.com. Washington General Manager Brian MacLellan has numoerous challenges in front of him this summer. One of the toughest just might be convincing Ovechkin not to enjoy the summer too much.
Warriors are 2018 champs, but what is next?
The hockey season starts in earnest for me in April (i.e. - the start of the playoffs). Around Easter, I pull my red Capitals t-shirts to the front of the rotation, and jump on the band wagon for a few weeks. However, I rarely spend time watching NHL playoff games that do not include the Capitals.
Conversely, I am into basketball the second the first jump ball goes up in October and I will commonly watch every NBA playoff game I can. I don't think I watched one entire quarter of this year's Golden State Warriors/Cleveland Cavaliers final. The Capitals were too exciting and taking too much of my time to lose sleep watching what we all knew would happen in the NBA finals.
The Warriors beat the Cavaliers in the finals for second consecutive year, and third time in four years. We all saw this coming -- Alec Nathan and OddsShark told us in August -- but we might not have seen it being so boring. Man, I love the NBA, but I couldn't stomach sitting down to watch this year's finals.
With respect to basketball, this summer will be very exciting to watch, because LeBron James can opt out of his contract and be a free agent again. Andy Coffaro of HeroSports.com reports that SportsBook.ag has the Warriors as the overwhelming favorite to win the title again next year with the Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and Cleveland Cavaliers as their closest contenders. James is not staying in Cleveland, and where he lands will dramatically change the championship odds for every legitimate contender.
The NBA writers at Sports Illustrated think the Lakers, Spurs, and 76ers are the best teams with the best chance of signing the best player in the association. Warriors coach Steve Kerr does not have many challenges in front of him this summer. One of the toughest just might be figuring out how to contend with James in the Western Conference.
So what is next for us?
Now that we are almost half way through the Major League Baseball season, it is time to start paying attention. Mid-season review coming soon.
Now that we are in mid-June, National Football League training camps are only a month away. Preseason predictions coming in August.
And don't forget to wish your pops a Happy Fathers' Day tomorrow. If you are looking for the right gift for the man that has everything, send him a link to this blog -- best Fathers' Day present ever, man.
Sports fans of the DMV did themselves proud -- they packed the District for a Game 5 watch party, enjoyed a few party moments with the victorious Capitals over the weekend, and then painted downtown red again for a parade, June 12.
WTOP captured the sights and sounds of the initial party.
Deadspin captured Alex Ovechkin partying over the weekend -- including a "keg" stand from the Stanley Cup.
WUSA9 captured highlights from the parade.
Best of all was seeing Alex Ovechkin enjoying the moment to the maximum.
Washington Capitals 13-year veteran Alex Ovechkin speaks at the victory parade, June 12. Ovechkin is the franchise leader in games played (1003) and goals (607).
Capitals are 2018 champs, but what is next?
Can the Capitals repeat as Stanley Cup champions in 2019? Chances are they won't.
The Pittsburgh Penguins won a second consecutive NHL title just a year ago (2017 and 2016 champions). Before that, the Detroit Red Wings were the last team to accomplish the feat when they swept the Capitals for the Stanley Cup in 1998. Not only has a repeat been a rare occurrence during the last two decades, but the Capitals have challenges ahead of them this off-season.
Coach Barry Trotz is only under contract through the end of the month, and his return is definitely not assured. Key contributors could leave Washington for more money as they enter free agency. Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post reports defensemen John Carlson, right wing Jay Beagle, and defensemen Michal Kempny will be unrestricted free agents, while right wings Thomas Wilson and Devante-Smith Pelly will be restricted free agents.
Sports betting site Bovada has seven teams -- Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, Boston Bruins, Vegas Golden Knights, Nashville Predators, and Pittsburgh Penguins -- with better or equal chances to win the Stanley Cup finals than the Capitals in 2019, according to Jeff Seide of TheHockeyWriters.com. Washington General Manager Brian MacLellan has numoerous challenges in front of him this summer. One of the toughest just might be convincing Ovechkin not to enjoy the summer too much.
Warriors are 2018 champs, but what is next?
The hockey season starts in earnest for me in April (i.e. - the start of the playoffs). Around Easter, I pull my red Capitals t-shirts to the front of the rotation, and jump on the band wagon for a few weeks. However, I rarely spend time watching NHL playoff games that do not include the Capitals.
Conversely, I am into basketball the second the first jump ball goes up in October and I will commonly watch every NBA playoff game I can. I don't think I watched one entire quarter of this year's Golden State Warriors/Cleveland Cavaliers final. The Capitals were too exciting and taking too much of my time to lose sleep watching what we all knew would happen in the NBA finals.
The Warriors beat the Cavaliers in the finals for second consecutive year, and third time in four years. We all saw this coming -- Alec Nathan and OddsShark told us in August -- but we might not have seen it being so boring. Man, I love the NBA, but I couldn't stomach sitting down to watch this year's finals.
With respect to basketball, this summer will be very exciting to watch, because LeBron James can opt out of his contract and be a free agent again. Andy Coffaro of HeroSports.com reports that SportsBook.ag has the Warriors as the overwhelming favorite to win the title again next year with the Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and Cleveland Cavaliers as their closest contenders. James is not staying in Cleveland, and where he lands will dramatically change the championship odds for every legitimate contender.
The NBA writers at Sports Illustrated think the Lakers, Spurs, and 76ers are the best teams with the best chance of signing the best player in the association. Warriors coach Steve Kerr does not have many challenges in front of him this summer. One of the toughest just might be figuring out how to contend with James in the Western Conference.
So what is next for us?
Now that we are almost half way through the Major League Baseball season, it is time to start paying attention. Mid-season review coming soon.
Now that we are in mid-June, National Football League training camps are only a month away. Preseason predictions coming in August.
And don't forget to wish your pops a Happy Fathers' Day tomorrow. If you are looking for the right gift for the man that has everything, send him a link to this blog -- best Fathers' Day present ever, man.
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