Photo credit: sports.ru
The last time we caught up with Caps prospect Stan Galiev, he was rehabbing a wrist injury and showing RMNB some exclusive photos of his new championship ring. Hopefully that wrist has fully healed, because it must now bear the burden of another gaudy ring: the Saint John Sea Dogs have won the QMJHL championship for the second year in a row.
Stan is given his ring during “Night of Champions.” (Photo via sashastolemyheart)
Last year, the Saint John Sea Dogs were unstoppable. Led by Jonathan Huberdeau, Zack Phillips, Tomas Jurco, and Nathan Beaulieu — top prospects all of whom were selected in the top 35 of the 2011 NHL Draft — the Sea Dogs ripped off an insane 77-11 record capturing both the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Presidents Cup and the Canadian Hockey League’s Memorial Cup. Saint John — who joined the QMJHL as an expansion team just six years ago — became the first organization from Canada’s Maritimes region to win the most coveted prize in Junior Hockey.
The Sea Dogs new championship banners. (Photo credit: saintjohnseadogs.com)
On October 29th, the club celebrated their two titles by hosting a “Night of Champions” at Harbour Station. In front of an announced crowd of 5,888, the Sea Dogs raised their championship banners and handed out 67 rings to players and management.
Each ring, which Team president Wayne Long estimated cost the club around a thousand dollars apiece, is personalized with the player’s name and number and feature their 77-11 record on one side and their “Leave No Doubt” slogan on the other. 23 blue stones are encrusted on the top and four clear diamonds are planted on the side.
Caps prospect Stanislav Galiev — who scored 48 goals in 88 games and averaged well over a point per game during Saint John’s Championship run — was impressed with his new bling.
Boyd Gordon and DJ King are the only players on the Caps’ roster who have won the Memorial Cup
On Friday, the 2011 Memorial Cup tournament will get underway at the Hershey (what?!) Centre in Mississauga, Ontario. It’ll feature three of what Hockey’s Future deems as the Capitals top 20 prospects including 2009 third round pick Cody Eakin (#5), 2010 third round pick Stanislav Galiev (#6) and 2009 fifth round pick Brett Flemming (#17). Last year, current Caps goalie prospect Philipp Grubauer – who at that point had not been drafted by the team yet – helped lead the Windsor Spitfires to their second straight Memorial Cup title. Many current NHL stars have won the prestigious junior tournament including Brian Campbell, Derek Roy, Cam Ward, Brad Richards, Shane Doan, Shea Weber, Dan Girardi, Milan Lucic and Mike Richards.
Let’s learn more about the three talented Caps prospects participating, shall we?
By 12 years ago
The Washington Capitals selected Stanislav Galiev (friends call him “Stan”) as the 86th overall pick in the draft. The baby-faced left winger from Moscow stood out during development camp as a competent skater, playmaker, and polyglot whiz. He’s not a particularly big player (178 lbs), but Galiev’s personality is plenty big. Our girl Friday, Oksana Zolotar, chatted up Stan in his native tongue following Wednesday’s scrimmage.
Follow us past the jump to learn about his adoration of Alexander Semin, bulking up, and Russian camaraderie at dev camp. If you missed Monday’s interview with Evgeny Kuznetsov, we politely remind you that this will all be on the final exam.
By 13 years ago
