It was not subtle when all through March and April of 2025 the Capitals first lines were burning every last tank of nitro they had to get their captain across the blue line of a nearly incomparable achievement.
It was worthwhile and dominated the NHL news cycle - along with all of the big networks - that had your day-to-day football fan asking you "Is 895 a lot?"
But it was not the Stanley Cup.
All the sacrifices you expect out of a team at the end of the season in pursuit of the nearly unattainable were there, including big hits, Strome's root canals, and Tom Wilson's now t-shirt famous chipmunk cheek.