Unlikely rivals have unique connections
The Washington Capitals against the Vegas Golden Knights for the Stanley Cup. What were the odds last October that these two teams would meet in the Final, each vying for their first Cup? A team with a history of poor playoff performances vs. an expansion team. Talk about an unlikely pairing.
But there are connections between Washington and Las Vegas. Washington is the U.S. capital and people from Las Vegas view the city as the entertainment capital of the world. Washington has monuments and Las Vegas has attractions. Here are other some other connections:
George McPhee helped both Vegas and Washington: He is the architect/ general manager of the Golden Knights. Before accepting that job, he had previously been general manager in Washington for 17 years, when he drafted key Capitals such as Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson and Braden Holtby.
Nate Schmidt is one who got away: Schmidt was just starting to establish himself in the Capitals’ lineup when the Golden Knights claimed him in the expansion draft and made him their top defenseman. McPhee had signed him in Washington as a free agent.
Best and worst expansion teams: The 51-24-7 Golden Knights recorded the best expansion team record in NHL history. No other expansion team has been above .500. In their first season, 1974-75, the 8-67-5 Capitals became the worst expansion team.
Ovechkin’s contract: McPhee was in charge of the Capitals in 2008 when the Capitals gave Ovechkin the record 13year, $124 million contract. It was the league’s first $100 million deal, and it has benefited both sides. The Capitals have never had to face a difficult contract negotiation with their star player.
Gambling with your money: Las Vegas and Washington, D.C., also are both cities in which your future can be at risk if people don’t play their cards right.