Hoping for/against the president's trophy

by Brainumbc on Feb 25, 2010 8:19 AM EST

So... Now that the Olympics are winding down, let me get back on a Caps related question for everyone:

*Do you want the Caps to win the President's Trophy?*

You'd think that everyone would answer yes, but this question has popped up from time to time and a surprisingly large amount of people have said "no". For me.. it's a YES for two reasons

1) The obvious: The honor. It would just be nice to be able to raise one more banner in VC

2) The most important reason: HOME ICE advantage for the *entire* playoff run. Not only is this good for the team's morale but it's also great for us, the fans. It means there are THAT many more games we'll be able to purchase tickets for. The Caps are happy, Ted will be happy, and we the fans will be happy.

Now.. the two biggest reasons I've heard AGAINST wanted to win the prez trophy are:

1) Superstition: Everyone keeps bringing up that for the most part, the prez cup trophy winners haven't been the Stanley Cup winners. Well.. that may be true, but they still have a higher % of Stanley Cup wins than any other placed team over the past 10-20 years (If someone wants to dig through a post from about 3 months ago that talks about this I'd really appreciate it). Sure they may only have won the cup 25-30% of the time, but I'll take those odds over 15%, 10, 5, etc.

2) The Caps' heads would grow too big. I'm not a superstitious person so I tend to scoff at #1, but #2 definitely holds water. We've seen the caps "take the foot off the gas pedal" too many time. Enough that that this should be at least a minimal concern. Although, I don't know about you guys, but I think they've matured a bit this season. Personally, I think the Caps have finally humbled themselves to learn how to play a solid 60 minutes of hockey. I believe that this humility will carry over into a full series, not just a full game. But that's just me.

Are there any other people who have different reasons for hoping for/against the prez trophy?

Poll

Do you want the Caps to win the President's Trophy?

Yes

64 votes

No

1 votes

Don't care/Not sure

12 votes

77 votes | Poll has closed

If this FanPost is written by someone other than one of the blog's editors, the opinions expressed in it do not necessarily reflect those of this blog or SB Nation.

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Comments

I wouldn’t worry about it too much either way. Even with their goaltending, I have a feeling the Sharks are going to win it.

Lobbies: Green, Carlson, Orlov

by CapsFan2020 on Feb 25, 2010 8:26 AM EST reply actions

There’s no question though that with all the parity in the league, that extra home game could prove critical in any series.

Ovechkin = Green Backs

by red army line on Feb 25, 2010 8:55 AM EST up reply actions

I think it’s a good prize for us to go after, win it or not. The banner to raise would be nice, but the home ice advantage is nicer (and I hope that that seventh game is never necessary this year!)

I think the team has matured some and has mostly stopped taking their foot off the pedal when they get a lead. They haven’t done that since Ovi became captain that I can remember. I’m less worried about that than I would be otherwise.

No Alex, no ratings. Know Alex, know ratings.

by gotsparkly on Feb 25, 2010 8:30 AM EST reply actions

I want the Caps to go through the regular season 82-0-0 and then 16-0 in the playoffs every year, so yeah, I want the President’s Trophy this year… not because it’s a nice award, but because I want them to keep on winning.

I don’t really care about the awards other than the Stanley Cup, but if the Caps win the awards due to their success then great.

Let's go Caps!

by MikeL-Pivonka on Feb 25, 2010 8:58 AM EST reply actions

If you type in “presidents trophy myth” it’s the only result for a fan shot\post. It takes like 3 seconds to find stuff that way.
http://www.japersrink.com/2009/12/16/1203940/debunking-the-presidents-trophy

I want the Caps to have the best season possible so yes I want them to win it.

I also think these guys are good enough and have played enough playoff games where they aren’t putting too much emphasis on regular season accomplishments. Time will tell. If they come out like game 7 last year or Russia last night I’ll probably have to off myself.

I look to the future because that's where I'm going to spend the rest of my life.

by zephyr on Feb 25, 2010 10:42 AM EST reply actions

True.. I’m not saying the team should AIM for a president’s trophy. It’s just a byproduct of doing well. But it’s nice to get recognized for your accomplishments though.

Yea. the postseason is more importantat but c’mon…. if the regular season meant nothing then why is it we all felt a smug sense of satisfaction the last two times the Caps beat the Penguins.

by Brainumbc on Feb 25, 2010 12:48 PM EST up reply actions

They do mean something, where did I say they didn’t? If you’re talking about where I said the players “aren’t putting to much emphasis on regular season accomplishments.” that means that they just aren’t going to be satisfied with that. Sort of like how they were really satisfied to just make it to the playoffs a few years ago.

I look to the future because that's where I'm going to spend the rest of my life.

by zephyr on Feb 26, 2010 1:32 PM EST up reply actions

point taken

by Brainumbc on Feb 26, 2010 6:11 PM EST up reply actions

Sigh…

by sixsevenfiftysix on Feb 25, 2010 11:51 AM EST reply actions

by Brainumbc on Feb 25, 2010 12:46 PM EST up reply actions

I care about how they do in the Playoffs. Winning the President’s trophy doesn’t mean **** if you lose in the first round (just ask the Shark’s fans).

Having said that, ultimately, I’d like to see them win it all, the regular season AND the playoffs, but I’m not gonna worry about the regular season that much, at least not in terms of whether they have the best record overall.

"I am ready for his provocations"

by PaintDrinkingPete on Feb 25, 2010 1:07 PM EST reply actions

I never watched the Sharks series but I heard they fell apart. What makes a team as dominant as them during the regular season fall apart so fast? Do you think they just got too cocky… or was it that they were really running hardcore to the point where they were on fumes at the end of the season.. and that all season and Anaheim was holding back.. so they had a bit more energy to spare?

by Brainumbc on Feb 25, 2010 3:07 PM EST up reply actions

There is a different intensity and energy in the playoffs. Guys like Thornton and Nabakov has been known to shrink in the playoffs, or at best, were unable to raise their game further. They have mastered the regular season game but not the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Russian Machine very rarely breaks. Oh and f**k Brooks Orpik.

by macvechkin on Feb 25, 2010 4:25 PM EST up reply actions

Thornton doesn’t so much shrink, as he just doesn’t step up. His regular season game is a perimeter game that doesn’t work in the playoffs and he just never changes it or uses his size to his advantage when defenses get tighter and more physical.

Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst

by Killer_Carlson on Feb 25, 2010 4:56 PM EST up reply actions

Last year, Anaheim was peaking at the right time and Hiller got hot. Not that SJ wouldn’t have folded at some point prior to the SCF but they ran into the wrong team at the wrong time.

by cuqui on Feb 25, 2010 4:43 PM EST up reply actions

the Ducks also took the Wings to 7 games, iirc. They were a tough, nasty, grind you down until you cry “uncle” team. “peaking at the right time” might be an understatement. They were scary, they looked like they could knock off anyone.

Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
On Draper having to wear a USA jersey at practice: "well at least the Wings can settle bets without involving gold plated desert eagles!"

by RedBirdie on Feb 26, 2010 10:22 AM EST up reply actions

They did win the cup not too long ago :)

by Brainumbc on Feb 26, 2010 11:57 AM EST up reply actions

The President’s trophy is just a trophy. The real effect is Home Ice in the SCF. As said above, I want the Caps to win every game. Realisticly, that’s not going to happen. I want whichever WC team to have to win at VC to start the SCF.

What amazing date in history are we giong back to today, Mr. Peabody?

by dlw66 on Feb 25, 2010 4:58 PM EST reply actions

There’s one other thing I just found out about – the organization winning the President’s Trophy gets a chunk of cash from the NHL, I think it’s either $250 or $350K. For that, for Uncle Ted, it’s worth it.

No Alex, no ratings. Know Alex, know ratings.

by gotsparkly on Feb 26, 2010 9:24 AM EST up reply actions

That’ll pay for their operational expenses for about a day. heh

by Brainumbc on Feb 26, 2010 11:57 AM EST up reply actions

Sure, but that’s still money. Don’t blow it off because it’s not a huge amount. Money is money.

No Alex, no ratings. Know Alex, know ratings.

by gotsparkly on Feb 26, 2010 12:20 PM EST up reply actions

It would be interesting to see some financial statements for the caps

by Brainumbc on Feb 26, 2010 6:12 PM EST up reply actions

I don’t particularly care about the President’s Trophy, but I do want to hold on to the top seed in the East. It may not avoid a bad 2nd round matchup since the Pens and Devils are in the same division, but it might help if the NE division winner gets upset in the first round. I’d like the Devils and Pens to play each other in the 2nd round if at all possible.

by grapejoos on Feb 25, 2010 6:51 PM EST reply actions

I really don’t give a damn about the trophy, but home ice would be awfully nice…

The Caps are 23-3-3 at home with a league leading 117 goals for, and 72 goals against. They have the best PP at home in the league, and the 4th best home PK.

The Cap are really really good at home, so if we can play a few extra at home, I think it improves our chances.

I am a hockey fan first, and a Caps fan second.

by iwearstripes on Feb 25, 2010 11:27 PM EST reply actions

then again, maybe its time he Presidents’ trophy came to a proper Presidential town…

I am a hockey fan first, and a Caps fan second.

by iwearstripes on Feb 28, 2010 3:13 PM EST up reply actions

I definitely want the home ice advantage..

The trophy would be a nice piece of hardware, and since it goes along with that home ice advantage thing, then yeah, I want the trophy.

I very much want home ice advantage for the playoffs.

ALL of the playoffs.

That goal differential is incredible at home.

And the boys want us to have wings.

I need a snappy signature...

by IRockTheRed on Feb 26, 2010 10:39 AM EST reply actions

I want that home field advantage. It’s just so much easier to face tough teams like the Penguins, Flyers, Devils, Buffalo, Detroit and the San Jose Sharks with the support of our fans than without.

Rocking the Red since 1975

by CapsFan75 on Feb 27, 2010 12:21 AM EST up reply actions