<h1 class="p1"><b>1. Washington’s Best Players are Euros</b></h1>
<p class="p1"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-35955" src="https://i0.wp.com/theleafsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/04/main-qimg-2b3893161123c88879c85ed3c73b9757-c.jpeg?resize=502%2C341&#038;ssl=1" alt="" width="502" height="341" /></p>
<p class="p1">Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Kuznetsov are Washington’s headliners. And if there is one thing that will always be true, it&#8217;s that Euros won’t win you a Cup.</p>
<h1 class="p1"><b>2. Skill Gets You Nowhere in the Playoffs</b></h1>
<p class="p1">Washington has a lot of skill. Cool. When was the last time that won a team the Cup? The Caps won’t be able to handle Boyle, Martin, Polak, and Kadri. #Grit</p>
<h1 class="p1"><b>3. The Caps are Chokers</b></h1>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Can anyone explain to me why the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Capitals?src=hash">#Capitals</a> are consistently favored going into the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash">#StanleyCup</a> Playoffs ? Every year they choke.</p>
<p>&mdash; PGH Sports Guru (@PGHSportsGuru) <a href="https://twitter.com/PGHSportsGuru/status/851530367832121345">April 10, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p class="p1">For all of their success in the regular season, the only legacy this Washington core has is choking in the playoffs. When the going gets tough, Ovi and co disappear.</p>
<h1 class="p1"><b>4. The Leafs are Young</b></h1>
<p class="p1">Young people are better than old people. They have more energy, and the naivety the youth of the Leafs have will allow them to just play hockey and not worry about the big stage.</p>
<h1 class="p1"><b>5. Toronto’s game has improved as the season has gone on</b></h1>
<p class="p1">The last 1/4 of the season was the best that the Leafs put together. They&#8217;re rolling into the playoffs.</p>
<p class="p1">Meanwhile&#8230;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">the caps just had their first 4 game regulation losing streak since 2014 and ovi is in the longest goalless drought of his career <a href="https://t.co/mB3xLQzXu3">https://t.co/mB3xLQzXu3</a></p>
<p>&mdash; x-gon give it to ya (@bobbycappucino) <a href="https://twitter.com/bobbycappucino/status/841277375115644930">March 13, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<h1 class="p1"><b>6. Toronto is in Canada</b></h1>
<p class="p1">Hockey is Canada’s game.</p>
<h1 class="p1"><b>7. Ovechkin is overpaid</b></h1>
<p class="p1"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-35950 size-large" src="https://i0.wp.com/theleafsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/04/screenshot-2017-04-12-22-34-02.png?resize=620%2C448&#038;ssl=1" alt="" width="620" height="448" /></p>
<p class="p1">Alexander Ovechkin makes $10 million per year, which is a huge overpayment for his output. This mentally affects his teammates who wonder “why does he get paid so much more than me” creating resentment in the dressing room.</p>
<h1 class="p1"><b>8. Three of Washington’s Best Players are about to be UFAs</b></h1>
<p class="p1">T.J. Oshie, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Karl Alzner will be free agents on July 1st, which means they’re going to be playing a “me-first” kind of game to get a big payday. This bodes poorly because to win in the playoffs you have to play like a team.</p>
<h1 class="p1"><b>9. Matt Martin</b></h1>
<p class="p1"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-35951 size-large" src="https://i0.wp.com/theleafsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/04/screenshot-2017-04-12-22-35-24.png?resize=751%2C411&#038;ssl=1" alt="" width="751" height="411" /></p>
<h1 class="p1"><b>10. Too Many Languages Being Spoken in the Caps Dressing Room</b></h1>
<p class="p1">Russian, Danish, German, Czech, Swedish, American. That’s too many languages. The Capitals will have a communication problem on the ice.</p>
<h1 class="p1"> <strong>11. The Shattenkirk trade ruined the Caps</strong></h1>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">hasnt taken long for Shattenkirk to have an impact on the caps <a href="https://t.co/iU1BGN8SxD">pic.twitter.com/iU1BGN8SxD</a></p>
<p>&mdash; x-gon give it to ya (@bobbycappucino) <a href="https://twitter.com/bobbycappucino/status/836741942159552514">March 1, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">someone’s gotta say it: the Capitals have not looked good since the Shattenkirk trade. 3-3, have scored &gt;2 goals once.</p>
<p>&mdash; x-gon give it to ya (@bobbycappucino) <a href="https://twitter.com/bobbycappucino/status/841120290348359682">March 13, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Stats don&#8217;t lie.</p>
<h1 class="p1"><b>12. Ovechkin isn’t Crosby</b></h1>
<p class="p1">It’s just fact. Crosby is better.</p>
<h1 class="p1"><b>13. This is Washington’s last Chance</b></h1>
<p class="p1">This is the last time this core will all play together. In addition to the pressure that poses, it also makes the players sad. And as they say: “when you’re sad, you play bad.”</p>
<p class="p1"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-35953" src="https://i0.wp.com/theleafsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/04/sadplaybad.jpg?resize=784%2C295&#038;ssl=1" alt="" width="784" height="295" /></p>

<h1 class="p1"><b>1. Washington’s Best Players are Euros</b></h1>
<p class="p1"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-35955" src="https://theleafsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/04/main-qimg-2b3893161123c88879c85ed3c73b9757-c.jpeg?w=502" alt="" width="502" height="341" /></p>
<p class="p1">Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Kuznetsov are Washington’s headliners. And if there is one thing that will always be true, it's that Euros won’t win you a Cup.</p>

<h1 class="p1"><b>2. Skill Gets You Nowhere in the Playoffs</b></h1>
<p class="p1">Washington has a lot of skill. Cool. When was the last time that won a team the Cup? The Caps won’t be able to handle Boyle, Martin, Polak, and Kadri. #Grit</p>

<h1 class="p1"><b>3. The Caps are Chokers</b></h1>
https://twitter.com/PGHSportsGuru/status/851530367832121345
<p class="p1">For all of their success in the regular season, the only legacy this Washington core has is choking in the playoffs. When the going gets tough, Ovi and co disappear.</p>

<h1 class="p1"><b>4. The Leafs are Young</b></h1>
<p class="p1">Young people are better than old people. They have more energy, and the naivety the youth of the Leafs have will allow them to just play hockey and not worry about the big stage.</p>

<h1 class="p1"><b>5. Toronto’s game has improved as the season has gone on</b></h1>
<p class="p1">The last 1/4 of the season was the best that the Leafs put together. They're rolling into the playoffs.</p>
<p class="p1">Meanwhile...</p>
https://twitter.com/bobbycappucino/status/841277375115644930
<h1 class="p1"><b>6. Toronto is in Canada</b></h1>
<p class="p1">Hockey is Canada’s game.</p>

<h1 class="p1"><b>7. Ovechkin is overpaid</b></h1>
<p class="p1"><img class="alignnone wp-image-35950 size-large" src="https://theleafsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/04/screenshot-2017-04-12-22-34-02.png?w=620" alt="" width="620" height="448" /></p>
<p class="p1">Alexander Ovechkin makes $10 million per year, which is a huge overpayment for his output. This mentally affects his teammates who wonder “why does he get paid so much more than me” creating resentment in the dressing room.</p>

<h1 class="p1"><b>8. Three of Washington’s Best Players are about to be UFAs</b></h1>
<p class="p1">T.J. Oshie, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Karl Alzner will be free agents on July 1st, which means they’re going to be playing a “me-first” kind of game to get a big payday. This bodes poorly because to win in the playoffs you have to play like a team.</p>

<h1 class="p1"><b>9. Matt Martin</b></h1>
<p class="p1"><img class="alignnone wp-image-35951 size-large" src="https://theleafsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/04/screenshot-2017-04-12-22-35-24.png?w=751" alt="" width="751" height="411" /></p>

<h1 class="p1"><b>10. Too Many Languages Being Spoken in the Caps Dressing Room</b></h1>
<p class="p1">Russian, Danish, German, Czech, Swedish, American. That’s too many languages. The Capitals will have a communication problem on the ice.</p>

<h1 class="p1"> <strong>11. The Shattenkirk trade ruined the Caps</strong></h1>
https://twitter.com/bobbycappucino/status/836741942159552514

https://twitter.com/bobbycappucino/status/841120290348359682

Stats don't lie.
<h1 class="p1"><b>12. Ovechkin isn’t Crosby</b></h1>
<p class="p1">It’s just fact. Crosby is better.</p>

<h1 class="p1"><b>13. This is Washington’s last Chance</b></h1>
<p class="p1">This is the last time this core will all play together. In addition to the pressure that poses, it also makes the players sad. And as they say: “when you’re sad, you play bad.”</p>
<p class="p1"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-35953" src="https://theleafsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/04/sadplaybad.jpg?w=784" alt="" width="784" height="295" /></p>

#BudsFeed: 13 Reasons Why The Leafs Will Beat The Caps

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