Greg Theberge says people are asking him if he has jumped on the Washington Capitals bandwagon.
This Washington Capitals alum, who played 153 games all with the Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League from 1979 to 1984 says he never got off.
“When you are an alumnus you don’t have to jump on the bandwagon, you are already on the bandwagon riding in the coattails of their success,” said Theberge, who is the colour man on YourTV’s North Bay Battalion broadcasts.
The Caps, now down 1-0 to the Vegas Golden Knights, are in the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since 1998.
In fact, Theberge was on the first ever Capitals team to make the playoffs back in 1982-83.
“What it means to me, is I still may have a tiny little thread of the fabric of the Capitals franchise,” said Theberge.
“To see them make a run to the cup and nobody thought they could do it,” said Theberge noting the Capitals started the playoffs with two losses against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the opening round of the playoffs.
“Columbus almost had them written off and now all of a sudden they have turned it around and they are overachievers. Most people thought they did not have the onions to make it this far.
“It is really great for me to see, I do not think you can call it a curse, but just get them get over the hump.”
Theberge is also impressed with the way Alex Ovechkin has stepped up his game.
“He is a leader in his own way, certainly on the bench, he is very enthusiastic, full of playoff gumption and I think he is leading the way and he’s excited,” said Theberge.
The Knights and Capitals also have a unique parallel, in the fact that former Capitals GM George McPhee, has now assembled a Stanley Cup finalist team from scratch, after living through many playoff failures at the GM helm in Washington.
In fact, Theberge was interviewed for a scouting position with the Capitals back in the 2000’s when McPhee was the General Manager.
“Some people get what they deserve and George McPhee deserves everything he gets,” Theberge said about McPhee.
While the Caps did not get off to the start they wanted, Theberge still hopes they can turn it around and win the first Cup in franchise history.
“It would make me feel very proud of where I was given an opportunity to play in the best league in the world and it would also make me feel really proud to see the Washington Capitals hoist the Cup in memory of the guy that really changed the culture and complexion of the franchise, and that’s Bryan Murray,” said Theberge.
Game two of the series takes place on Wednesday, May 30th in Vegas.
