There were a lot of firsts that happened out on the ice on Thursday night. The Capitals won their first Stanley Cup. Lars Eller was the first Danish player, and Nathan Walker the first Australian, to receive the honor. Alex Ovechkin, meanwhile, was the first Russian-born captain to lift the trophy.
Jay Beagle, on the other hand, has the unique distinction of being the first player ever to win a trifecta of playoff trophies: the Kelly Cup (ECHL), Calder Cup (AHL), and Stanley Cup (NHL).
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With the @Capitals claiming the #StanleyCup title, former @Steelheads forward Jay Beagle becomes first person to ever win Kelly Cup, Calder Cup and Stanley Cup championship in his career
— ECHL (@ECHL) June 8, 2018
Beagle won the first of the trophies, the Kelly Cup, in 2007 with the Idaho Steelheads, where he joined on an tryout agreement. His hockey journey could easily have ended there, as the undrafted forward struggled to find a permanent home. However, longtime Capitals scout Steve Richmond had taken an interest in Beagle earlier in the season, and signed him to the Hershey Bears.
While at Hershey, Beagle won the Calder Cup in both 2009 and 2010, before being called up to the Capitals. It would take another eight years for Beagle to complete the trifecta, but it was ultimately worth the wait.
