It's been quite a summer, eh Caps fans?

First, it started way too early.  Then GM George McPhee re-signed the most expensive roadside assistance technician, traded all of his draft picks and former starting playoff goalie and acquired a quarter of this season's roster in 24 hours.  For good measure, he locked up a cornerstone on the blue line for a fraction of market value.

There was a good amount of buzz about Development Camp, but then we entered the doldrums of summer where lack of actual hockey news led our idle minds into discussions of immeasurable concepts and unsavory topics.  Pictures of Ovi surfaced that were less than flattering, forcing the Captain, the organization and now the team trainer to certify that no, Ovi's not fat, rather he's in the best shape of his life.  Then, of course, Matt Bradley voiced his opinion, opening all sorts of debate once again about leadership, chemistry and roster construction.  Now this.

I won't simply dismiss the concerns of some that think this team -- the whole organization, really -- is too "soft."  Is there a maturity issue?  Perhaps.  Does the organization coddle their superstars and show preference to those with higher salaries or stature?  Only those in the room know the answer.  Do we take the words of former players, possibly disgruntled, as gospel or is there a bigger picture that needs to be examined?  Either way, in my viewpoint there is nothing traitorous about discussing whether full effort or proper preparation has been given in the past.

What I know is this: the players report Friday for their physicals and Training Camp opens this Saturday, most likely before a filled-to-capacity crowd at Kettler Capitals Iceplex.  Capitals hockey is being devoured like never before across our region and there appears no quenching that thirst.  Perhaps that all-encompassing devotion has lead to our late summer of rumor-mongering and name-calling. 

This is a fan base comprised of some very long-suffering faithful and even more recent converts.  After the raised expectations of the last few seasons though, the all-encompassing desire to see Lord Stanley's Cup finally raised in D.C. by those wearing the home team on their crest has produced enough passion that it has boiled over in some circles to the point where opinions are no longer respected and tolerated, and that's shameful.  The only folks Caps fans should bicker with are Flyers and Penguins fans.

There are huge expectations for this team, as there have been for the last few seasons.  But with all the moves McPhee made earlier this summer, there seems to be a renewed immediacy, at least for those closest to the organization.  Needs were identified throughout the roster and players acquired to address those needs.  A legitimate No. 1 goalie -- not someday, but right now -- fell into their laps. 

The players are in place.  Now is the time to get back on the ice and get to business.  Hockey is hard.   If it were easy, everyone would win a Cup. Twenty-nine teams lose every year.  There is nothing dishonorable about losing after giving full effort.  It's time for that effort to be renewed.  Not in words, but by deeds, on and off the ice.

Let the speculation end.  Let the back-biting and snipping and innuendo cease.  Let the media -- both mainstream and independent -- get back to reporting on hockey.  Let Caps fans put away their petty differences of opinion and unite to Rock the Red together again. 

It's not quite October yet, but finally -- finally -- we can see it from here.  And not a moment too soon.

The players shake hands after the final scrimmage of Development Camp. (C.Nichols/Caps News Network)

Early this week at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, there were some comments and debate in the media room about how much Washington Capitals fans were going to pay attention to the upcoming development camp. After all, the week-long series of practice and scrimmages featured -- for the most part -- unknown draft picks and free agents, with a few notable players sprinkled in.

For every Mattias Sjogren, Cody Eakin and Dmitry Orlov there were three players no one had heard of before last Monday. Players like 17-year old 2011 draft pick Travis Boyd, who probably made the biggest impression on the coaches and assembled media, defenseman Garrett Haas, another '11 pick that played with the vision and calmness of a veteran, and free agent forward T. J. Syner, who scored twice today in Group B's 5-2 win.

So who paid attention to these mostly star-less proceedings?

Try a capacity crowd at KCI Saturday for the final scrimmage and Caps Fan Fest. There was a full house -- estimated at 3,000 strong -- to witness the actual game, and several hundred more that were partaking in the annual equipment sale, youth street hockey in the parking lot, or young 'uns bouncing around in the moon bounce with the mascot, Slapshot.

Those that couldn't make it to KCI were following along on Twitter or other social media, trying to keep abreast of a game that won't count in any standings.  And when the game wrapped up and the autograph lines ended, several dozen Caps fans spilled out into area bars and restaurants, still not ready to end a day catching up with their hockey friends and families.  In the middle of July.

It was a day-long celebration of everything Washington Capitals, and the only player from the current squad in the house was forward Matt Hendricks. He didn't suit up, but he did sign an autograph for anyone that wanted one.

The attendance and response from the fans caught everyone's attention, from the players themselves to GM George McPhee and coach Bruce Boudreau.

"The first thing I thought of is this is totally incredible," Boudreau said talking about the crowd.

"Anybody that doesn't think that Washington is a hockey town has not been here to see this. I don't know how many people you can get in here, but they were three-deep standing. And they were very appreciative of the young guys' efforts. I thought it was great. It made me very proud to coach in Washington right now."

McPhee added, "It's pretty remarkable. You know, when you're six-to-eight people deep in every crevice in the building it's pretty neat. Nothing like hockey in July. Especially Caps hockey. It's pretty cool."

The other remarkable thing, at least from my biased vantage, was the sheer volume of media involved, from the mainstream newspapers and television stations, to the radio stations, to the dot-com branches of the team and their broadcasting rightsholders, to the independent media, who did some really terrific work this week delving into the background of some of the players assembled for this camp, even if 98 percent of them never wear a sweater in AHL Hershey, let alone for the Capitals.

It would be difficult to take a roll call of all the blogs and independent sites that covered the festivities at Kettler this week. But suffice to say, they numbered in the teens throughout the week. The blogroll to the right of this article lists the most recent published works from the electronic media, and you'll find links to all their hard work. Not to demean the "regular" media and the job they did this week covering camp, because they were very well represented and produced their customary excellent coverage.

Because the mainstream media has a larger audience to cater to though, they must concentrate for the most part on the big stories. But the independents can dig a little deeper or go off the beaten path.  A blogger can talk to a prospect or undrafted free agent and give them the attention that the mainstreams usually have to reserve for the newsmakers. And the best part is that the Capitals understand this and open their doors to the independent media to give us access to the players, coaches and front office to be able to produce exceptional content for Caps fans that want that type of coverage.

If you're only getting your Caps information from the mainstream and message boards, you're really missing out.

Three years ago there were maybe a half-dozen media assembled at Development Camp -- total. Today, you couldn't count the microphones, notebooks, cameras and recorders. It might make for a cramped press room and rubbing shoulders while interviewing the coach and GM, but it results in a better-informed fan, adding to the passion and commitment they in turn show the organization. Truly, a symbiotic relationship.

Who paid attention to the Caps Development Camp this week?  Anyone that cares about the Washington Capitals.

See photo gallery from scrimmage here.

(C.Nichols/Caps News Network)

I read with interest both On Frozen Blog's piece "Renewed Questions of Leadership" and Ed Frankovic's "Caps Off-season Focus Should Be on Leadership".  I know both these guys very well from our time in the press box together, not to mention an episode or two of working out with 12 ounce curls, and have the utmost respect for both.  Please take a moment or two to read their opinions if you haven't already.

They know my way of thought as well, so I think they will understand my position when I say, respectfully, that I disagree with them and think they are both over-simplifying the point and romanticising a notion that is not quantifiable.  And they are doing it, maybe even subconsciously, because the real answer is too tough to take.

They both go to great extents to quote executives and others in the game about the importance of "Leadership".  It's a concept that is as deeply rooted in hockey as the mythical "playoff hockey." (I guess Vancouver didn't play "playoff hockey" last night since they won 7-3.)  Hockey is the only sport that bestows a decoration on the uniform of one of its players signifying he is the captain.  But for the most part, it's just that: a decoration.

Leadership isn't taught.  It isn't acquired. It isn't tangible.  If George McPhee, or any executive, could identify it or train someone to do it, they already would.  Leaders aren't made, they are born.  You can train people to manage others, to teach others, to instruct others, to discipline others. But only Leaders know how to lead.

It has to be self-motivated.

McPhee has gone out the last couple of seasons to acquire several veterans that were supposed to bring "leadership."  Jason Chimera. Mike Knuble. Scott Hannan. Jason Arnott. Dennis Wideman.  He had a pretty good one in the room already in Brooks Laich. All are tremendously hard workers, experienced, talented, sacrificing; honorable.  Knuble and Arnott have rings; Arnott a former captain.  Are these not the requirements that John and Ed spoke about in their posts?  Is the fact that the Caps flamed out in the second round this season evidence these men are not leaders?

Were these players leaders during the regular season, when the Caps came back from an eight-game losing streak in December to capture the Eastern Conference regular season title?  Were they leaders in the first round when the Capitals stymied the New York Rangers in five games? Are we to believe then that they simply forgot to lead in the second round?  I hardly think so.

And how about the captain, the man on this team that wears the decorative "C' on his sweater?  There's not a man in that room that doesn't have the utmost respect for Alex Ovechkin.  There's also not a man in that room that wants to win more than he does.  Isn't that where respect -- leadership -- comes from?

The problem with the Capitals isn't a lack of leadership, on the ice, in the room, or in the organization.  If anything, the problem is with some of the individuals in the room and their lack of clarity of purpose.  There are several on this team that are "happy to be here."  They may be extremely talented players, and at times say the right things, but repeatedly cower when faced with hardship and sacrifice. 

These players are not capable of being led, not at this time anyway. At some point in their careers they may realize that all the money, fame and notoriety is meaningless without achieving the ultimate goal. But for now, they are too self-centered to concentrate, really seriously concentrate, on the matter at hand and sacrifice personal gains for the team's greater pursuit.  No less an expert on leadership than Gen. George S. Patton alluded to this concept in his speech to the Third Army in 1944.

"Each man must not think only of himself, but also of his buddy fighting beside him. We don't want yellow cowards in this Army. They should be killed off like rats. If not, they will go home after this war and breed more cowards. The brave men will breed more brave men. Kill off the... cowards and we will have a nation of brave men."

Now I'm not comparing the game of ice hockey to the rigors of World War II, but the concept of leadership is the same regardless.  No, the problem with this team isn't the lack of leaders, its that it has a lack of followers.  Cull the cowards from the program as Patton suggests and watch how effective the leaders that are already assembled can be.

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Ultimately though, and this is the point that no one wants to address: you have to have the players.  For all the fawning media coverage of this team locally, the real truth is that this team is still significantly flawed in several areas and honestly, just isn't good enough to compete past the level they have achieved the last few seasons.  They aren't advancing because of lack of leadership, it's because they aren't good enough yet.

Again, from Patton:

"The publicity I have been getting, a good deal of which is untrue, and the rest of it ill considered, has done me more harm than good. The only way you get on in this profession is to have the reputation of doing what you are told as thoroughly as possible."

Aynyway, here are the points I consider to be this teams biggest weaknesses.

• This team is weak physically down the middle.  Nicklas Backstrom and Marcus Johansson are both extremely talented players and supreme skaters, but lack the physicality necessary to compete with stronger players. It's no secret that if you put a body on these guys they aren't going to answer the bell, and it's more glaring in the playoffs when the sheet gets shorter. None of the Capitals centers in the playoffs except for Boyd Gordon on the fourth line had a faceoff percentage higher than 50 percent.  That's unacceptable.
• There's not nearly enough toughness on this team.  Matt Hendricks and Matt Bradley were both willing during the regular season to drop the gloves when they had to, but I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about players willing to get into the corners, dig pucks out, stand in the crease and deliver a pounding.  Not take it, but deliver it.  The Capitals lose more one-on-one puck battles than any other team in the league. This team is in need of a couple of rugged wingers (and probably a defenseman as well) willing to get their noses dirty and push people around.  They don't need fighters, they need physically stronger players to give their supremely talented players more room to skate.
• There's no offensive contribution from the third and fourth lines at all.  17-of-21 goals scored by forwards in the playoffs by the Capitals were by just six players.  Look at Tampa Bay, their third line of Bergenheim, Downie and Moore have combined for 13 goals and 19 assists in 13 games.  Boston has 12 players with more than one goal in the playoffs. You don't need a 30-goal scorer on the third line, but you need contribution.  Bergenheim has made himself a LOT of money this post-season as he becomes a UFA.
• I've said this before, but I also think Bruce Boudreau needs to go back to what got him here.  He doesn't like playing the trap.  He's never implemented it before and has never taught it.  His players are ill-fitted for it and don't like it.  The lack of conviction from his players was evident because of the lack of conviction in the system by the coach.  Live by the sword or die by it.  I maintain that Boudreau allowed the Canadian media to alter his judgment on the heels of the loss to Montreal last year and the pain of the eight-game losing streak. Another thing Patton said in his address to the Third Army in 1944 applies here (forgive the rough language):

"I don't want to get any messages saying, "I am holding my position." We are not holding a thing... We are advancing constantly and we are not interested in holding onto anything, except the enemy's balls. We are going to twist his balls and kick the living shit out of him all of the time. Our basic plan of operation is to advance and to keep on advancing regardless of whether we have to go over, under, or through the enemy."

• Lastly, Alex Ovechkin needs to elevate his game.  The league has "figured him out." If he wants to lead this team and become one of the greats of all-time, he's going to have to elevate his game past what it is now.  He's going to have to learn when to try to carry the puck and when to give it up.  He's going to have to dump to the opposite corner and crash the goal.  He's going to have to reign in his emotion and channel it rather than let it get the best of him.  And he needs to be in supreme shape at the beginning, middle and end of the season.

Lastly, and I know this is the hardest part of all, but I implore all Caps fans to continue exercising patience. 

There are a lot of Caps fans that have no idea how it was back in the dark days, when this team was a laughingstock or worse, an afterthought.  The Washington Capitals franchise is enjoying an unprecedented run of success and with the two best players signed long-term, there's little reason to think that run won't be continued.  This team is young, talented and managed by dedicated and knowledgeable executives. They just have some issues that still need to be addressed.

There is no reason to blow this thing up and start over.  Bringing in new coaches or executives would only delay the process, not speed it up.  At least in my opinion.

The window isn't closing, as some folks would lead you to believe, it's barely been opened.  They just have to fix the cracks.

It's been a little over 24 hours now since the Tampa Bay Lightning eliminated the Washington Capitals from the Stanley Cup playoffs, finishing the four-game sweep in less-than-dramatic style Wednesday night.  I haven't written anything since the game re-cap because I was still kind of raw from the whole experience and wanted a little time to reflect.

The frustration of seeing things unfold, in the road arena, with the outcome slowly becoming evident was almost too much. Yes, I was in the press box, and I've become good at compartmentalizing things when I sit up there, but I'm still a fan at heart.  I have been since the second game in this franchise's history.

The emotional, hushed tones in the locker room after the game.  Bruce Boudreau defending his players in his post-game remarks. All knowing that the same team that couldn't find the answers against Tampa would not be back next season to try again. It's tough sometimes. I don't do this because I'm looking for a job. I do this because I love the game and love the team and as much as I try to pretend that I'm a journalist, it still sucks to lose.

We didn't make it to "clean out" day today since we were still traveling.  It never occurred to me when I hastily made our arrangements that there wouldn't be a Game Five.  I didn't think that there would be a big rush to get back.  Like most everyone else, I watched my twitter account for the quotes trickling out of Kettler, as details of injury after injury could finally be revealed.  Some I was aware of, others not. 

I was surprised at the amount of folks in my feed that thought the Caps were revealing these injuries in some sort of elaborate excuse-making exercise.  I was glad that there were others that gently explained to those that it's a necessary evil for teams to "hide" injuries during the playoffs, lest the players become targets.

For most fans, they want to see changes next season. Changes in the players, the coaches, maybe even the general manager.  There will of course be new players, there always are.  There's really no chance the Caps can afford to keep all the free agents they have on the roster. 

Jason Arnott, Brooks Laich, Scott Hannan, Karl Alzner,  Semyon Varlamov -- because of their experience or stature those guys are going to cost some real money.  Others, like Matt Bradley, Boyd Gordon and Marco Sturm will be more reasonable. The question General Manager George McPhee has to ask about each of these players is where do they fit in to what he's trying to build, and in some cases, can he find a player to do the same job cheaper?

McPhee said some interesting things at the media availability today, which he usually does when he chooses to speak with the media.  He was already working on next season, even while his team was being eliminated from the playoffs.  “In my own mind, I know, and I could see it during the series and all through the playoffs what I want to do for next season, and it's crazy, even during games, I'm writing down lineups for next year based on the way things are going, the way people are playing and what we have in our organization.”

We'll have plenty of time in the coming weeks to evaluate, discuss and debate the merits of each of these impending free agents and their value to the system, but suffice to say, GMGM is going to have a long off-season.

One change I don't think needs to be made is at coach, and McPhee apparently agrees with me, as he indicated that he "expects" to have Bruce Boudreau behind the bench again next season.  It's true that Boudreau has yet to lead this team to the Cup, but he's an excellent coach, a passionate "hockey guy", and is dedicated to the organization.  Trust me, no one wants to win this thing more than he does.

He saw a problem this season and took steps to solve it, changing his long-held philosophy and transformed a high-flying offensive attack, one that far and away led the league in scoring the previous season, into a team that was fourth in the league in goals against and second on the penalty kill. It was a remarkable coaching feat, whether you agree or not it needed to be done.

This was a roller coaster of a season, with some dramatically emotional moments -- both in triumph and in defeat. We lived through the losing streak, the drama of 24/7, New Year's Eve and the Winter Classic, the elation of eliminating the Rangers, and the soul-crushing sweep to a division foe. We said goodbye to a few old friends, and welcomed new ones with open arms.

The marathon of another year of Washington Capitals hockey is over. Just like the very first one in 1974 and every single season since, still without sipping from the sport's Holy Grail. I've been there for each and every last game and the disappointment never changes. Sometimes you see it coming from farther away and can prepare for it a little better.  Sometimes, like getting swept in a four-game series that every so-called expert picks your team to win, it comes on too quickly and it slaps you in the face and kicks you in the ass.

Our solice is that in a few short months, it all starts over again.  Some of the faces will change. Veterans will be phased out, rookies will be eased in to new roles.  The core of this team gets one year closer to their athletic peak. As disappointing as the finish was with all the expectations we all placed on this team, there is one truth that Caps fans need to remember: There is a tremendous amount of young talent on this team, and throughout the organization.

Hockey is hard.  If it were easy, everyone would win a Cup. Twenty-nine teams lose every year. Be disappointed, but keep the faith. Next season will come sooner than you think.

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One final note: Thank you for reading. Thank you for following us on Twitter and Facebook. Thank you for making our words and pictures part of your experience of Washington Capitals hockey. It's endlessly satisfying, gratifying and humbling to know that people are interested in our opinion and craft -- and continue to be after experiencing it the first time.

Thank you to all the regular media that put up with an amateur like me trying to squeeze my recorder into the scrum just like they are. 

Thank you to our independent media brothers and sisters, for your excellence and dedication make us work harder and strive to be better every time we set out to post something.

And thank you to the Capitals organization -- from Ted Leonsis to George McPhee to Bruce Boudreau and all the players to Nate Ewell, Sergey Kocharov and the rest of the media relations staff -- for recognizing and understanding that independent voices are essential to critical thought and discourse, and for treating us like professionals.

"I don't remember nothing." -- Alex Ovechkin's recollection of Game Five vs. Montreal in 2010.

There are plenty of stories being written today from all the different media outlets about the Washington Capitals playoff failures, especially when they've held a three games to one lead in their history, as they do currently over the New York Rangers.  I suppose, in its own way, this column is one of those stories too.

But, as Mark McGwire said famously while on the stand in front of Congress when asked about his use of performance enhancing drugs, I'm not here to talk about the past.

It's a reference point, sure.  The Capitals are 2-7 all-time in playoff series where they've held a three games to one lead.  Last season they became the first No. 1 seed to blow a 3-1 series lead.  Washington is 5-12 all-time at home in Game Fives.  We can go on and on about the stats and the history.  Because it's certainly there, for anyone that wants to look it up.

But the past is just not applicable in making a projection.  It makes for good narrative, because it's can be construed as "inner turmoil," a team fighting against itself and its history.  And we all know that struggle and controversy sells.

One can say the leaders of this team haven't learned how to close out a playoff series yet, that until they "put their foot on the neck" of their opponent, they'll be flawed and incomplete as leaders, as players, as a team.  I'm not sure I buy that, but I'm not sure I don't either. 

Psychology is a funny thing, especially when you're talking about the psychology of a group of young individuals from widely diverse backgrounds.

But to compare this team to the 94-95 team, or the 91-92 team, the 86-87 team, or even last year's team for that matter, is folly.

"I think they know what happened in Game Five [against Montreal] in the first ten minutes," coach Bruce Boudreau said after practice. "We've talked about it many times during the course of the year. But I'm not going to show them videotape of it or anything."

The only thing similar that this Capitals team has to all of those before them is the name on the front of the sweater.  Several weren't even born yet in 1987.  Some of the players remain from last year's collapse, but many faces have changed.  It's a different team.

Marcus Johansson.  Michal Neuvirth.  Matt Hendricks.  Scott Hannan.  Jason Arnott.  Marco Sturm.  None were involved in last season's debacle.

Sure, for long-time fans of the Caps, each of those playoff failures took away a little of their souls.  Each failure chipped away at their veneer, their armor, their self defense against heartache.  The losses made them more cynical, guarded, pessimistic.  "Choking Dogs", is how one popular former- Washington Post columnist used to refer to the Capitals come April.

And again, I understand the narrative.  The history is there so it has to be written about until a team comes along to "break the curse."  Fans feed into it as well, almost wearing it as a badge of courage when talking with their friends of other hockey teams.

But the players in the locker room don't care about the past, if they even are aware of it.  Sure, they remember last season, because it's fresh in their minds.  For the players that experienced it in person, and the others that watched it from a distance.

But I can promise you none of them, not even the oldest vets, could tell you about Ken Wregget's 3-0 shutout to close out the 1995 series against Pittsburgh.  None of them knew the devastation of the Pat LaFontaine goal.

That's all for the fans and media to re-live.  All today's team is concerned about is Brandon Dubinsky, Sean Avery and Henrik Lundqvist.  As it should be.

Yes. a win in Game Five would exorsize some demons for Caps fans and make them feel better about the team they root for, and about themselves for continuing to believe in that team even though the names, faces and personalities have changed over the course of 36 years, but the pain has remained the same.

But for the current team, it would give them a couple games off, a chance to rest and heal from a grueling, physical series.  And maybe, just maybe, they might learn something about themselves, too.

The Washington Capitals saw their nine-game winning streak (and six-game road streak) snapped last night at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings, 3-2, in a lively, entertaining game before 20,066 at Joe Louis Arena.

The Caps and Wings played even for most of the night, but with Mike Knuble in the box for tripping midway through the third period, Henrik Zetterberg got his second goal of the night, beating Michal Neuvirth short-side with a backhander to lead Detroit to the victory.

Neuvirth had a solid game, making 29 saves, but in a tied game, on the road, he has to come up with that one.  Zetterberg put the puck the only place he could -- between Neuvirth's glove and his head, since the young Czech was hugging the post -- so credit should be shown for the execution. 

But if Neuvirth wants to be the goalie Bruce Boudreau calls on to start Game One in the playoffs, he needs to come up a way to keep that shot out of the net.

But Neuvirth doesn't have to shoulder the blame completely for this one.

The Capitals simply have to figure out what to do on the power play.  They drew four fouls last night, and got calls in the last minute of the first and second periods, but could do nothing with them.  Washington could muster just five shots on goal with the extra man last night in four power play opportunities.  That's just not getting it done.

But let's take some perspective in what has been a truly remarkable and riveting season for these Washington Capitals.

The Caps came into the game missing Nicklas Backstrom, Jason Arnott, Eric Fehr, Mike Green and Tom Poti to injury.  There are teams in this league that would kill to put those five guys out on the ice to start the game.  They also lost last season's plus/minus leader for six weeks, one of their most effective energy guys for the same time frame, and an enigmatic but talented scorer for three weeks.

And they've missed their playoff goalie of the last two seasons for all but 24 games.

Twelve players on last night's active roster fell into at least one of the following categories: 1) Is a true rookie; 2) Was not with the team at the start of the season; 3) Was not with the team last season; 4) Was waived THIS season at some point; 5) Is Tyler Sloan (sorry, cheap shot).

According to a tweet by Mike Vogel at Caps.com this morning, Washington leads the league in minutes played by rookies this season, despite coming off a season where they won the President's Trophy with 121 points.

And yet, the Caps sit one point out of the Eastern Conference top seed, lead the Southeast Division by five points, and are currently tied for third for most points in the entire league this season.

Has it been a disappointing season?  I guess that depends on your perspective.

The Caps still have work to do.  They still have bodies to get healthy.  They still have to settle on a goalie (or not).

They still have four tough games to go on this brutal late-season road trip before another chance to make hay in one of the toughest building to play in in the league.

But they've shown remarkable resiliency coming back from the troubles they had in December and January to climb back to the top of the standings.

How rare is it for one team to have an eight-game losing streak the same season they had a nine-game winning streak?  Someone get the Elias Sports Bureau on the phone.

I don't read every single word written about the Capitals -- by the pros, blogs or fans -- but I have to come close.  Yes, I read *almost* every last comment on all the blogs.

What gets me is the sense of entitlement some fans have, like they expect the Capitals to win the Stanley Cup for them, personally, and anything less is failure.  I think that a certain segment of the fan base just doesn't get the idea that professional sports is hard.  If it were easy, it wouldn't be any fun.  And besides, it's not like the Caps don't have competition.

I'm not here to make excuses for the team's poor play.  I think I've been fairly critical of the team's lack of offense and their failure to stay committed to what got them here in the first place.  But there are a lot of fans that, I suppose, believe that last year's President's Trophy was some sort of guarantee that the Caps would win the Cup this season.

It just doesn't work like that.

First off, this is no where near the same team as last.  The team let two experienced NHL centers walk and turned the positions over to two untested rookies, with decidedly mixed results.  They let an experienced NHL goaltender walk and turned that position over to two promising rookies.  They let two experienced NHL defensemen walk and gave those jobs to two very talented rookies, but rookies nonetheless.

That's six rookies being counted on every night where last year they had experienced NHL players performing.  That's not to mention all the injury replacements.

But back to the entitlement aspect.  I did some crowd-sourcing on Twitter this morning (because isn't that what it's best for?) asking that question: Where does the entitlement come from?  I got some very interesting answers.

@CapsWench: You're right, but I think they spoiled people with all of their wins last year. Now people expect it every game.

@KGDowd:  It's core isn't THAT young anymore. But I agree, its like 2 yrs and the fans think they were gipped out of a championship.

@tylerradecki: I think many fans are frustrated to see a team this talented be so close and wonder if they are able to take next step.

@nazarcruce: It's like other sports, fans want to win now when a team has all the pieces. Like when the Skins get a famous coach.

@rinkrebel:  I think so. I think it's general malaise from all the Wash sports teams. If 1 team's gonna be good they have to be perfect.

@Green52fan:  they don't owe us one, it would be nice but still why do people think the season is over? Look at Flyers last year

@HockeyandBeers:  I don't feel entitled, but think it's a team built to make playoffs for years, not contend. Not deep enough to content

@WashCapsRock: What?? I coulda swore the fine print on my tickets promised me a cup! :)

@smheffern: Agree 100%... And that entitlement seems to suck all the fun out of it - and I, for one, enjoy sports b/c they're fun.

@SteveRep44:  The Caps came right out last year and told us to set the bar there

@yatesc: It's not a Caps thing, it's a mid-atlantic sports thing. Redskins fans, Terps fans, even Nats fans act entitled.

@kat326:  It's because we were spoiled last season~ Though we could win the goddamn Cup and even then people would still complain.

@JoPierce:  You owe me a Stanley Cup, Capitals! Don't you realize my beer cost $7 and I got tendinitis from trekking to section 410?  Real answer: DC is used to the quid pro quo of govt. IMO, you're not loyal if you base it on getting something back and are ready to take away your loyalty if you don't get what you want.

@KrisIsAwesome:  I don't think they "owe" the fans/city/whoever a Cup, but they do owe us consistent effort and passion for the game.

@NCMayhem:  The team is young. Remember the Wings didn't get on a roll until they grew as a team. There are a number of years before the fan base gets restless. We've never won the cup so enjoy the team we have at hand or find a new team.

@briano68:  The Caps were heralded as the team to beat. Fans bought in. Most casual fans just assumed the Cup in DC was fait accomplit.

@HKYZLYF:  #Caps owe it to their fans collectively, as every Pro team does - to each fan personally? That's a joke.

A wide variety of answers, to be sure.

I don't want to go all sunshine and rainbows and puppy dogs on you, but what happened to simply enjoying the game?

These Washington Capitals are young and talented.  On any given night they could bust out for seven goals.  Yes, they've had their struggles this season, especially on the power play. 

But all teams go through rough patches.  All teams hide injuries which may effect their level of play, maybe even make it seem like they aren't trying as hard as usual.  All teams struggle at times.  It's part of the arc of the game.

If the ultimate result is the only thing that matters, what possible enjoyment can you pull out of the game?  Is your personal source of self-worth that affected by the outcomes of professional athletes with no real direct allegiances to the geographic region they play in?

Why even bother, if all it brings you is grief and misery?  Isn't sports supposed to be an escape from all that?

Maybe this is an antequated thought, but try to enjoy the game instead of placing expectations on outcomes.

"If you play for one run, that's all you'll get." 

Long-time Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver said that in his book, Weaver on Strategy.  He's of course referring to baseball, but I think that little gem applies to what the Washington Capitals are going through right now, and last night's 2-0 loss to the San Jose Sharks in particular.

The Caps, still mired in an epic scoring drought from their best players, have changed their style of play from a wide-open attack to a more defense-oriented system.  They are playing very well defensively, giving up just 1.7 goals per game since the middle of December, and are fifth in the league overall in goals against per game at 2.38.

Yet here they sit, in the middle of the pack of teams trying to qualify for the playoffs.  Currently, the Caps are in fifth, just seven points out of first place.  But they're also just nine points from eighth.  They are treading water during the time of the season where you want to start ramping up your game toward the playoffs.

We saw an all-too-familiar script again last night.  The Caps came out buzzing against the Sharks, dominating the offensive zone in the first period, but not getting enough quality chances on goal.  And those that did make it through were being gobbled up by yet another average goalie, this time Antti Niemi.  When the period ended in a scoreless tie, you could almost see where this one was going.

On cue, the Caps stopped doing the things they were having success with early in the game and satisfied themselves the rest of the game with mid-to-long range shots that were either off the mark or knocked down by defenders.  Washington ended with 25 shots on goal (eight in the last 2:30), but had another 25 shots blocked and nine go astray.

Sounds like a few games last April, eh?

There's no margin for error playing a defensive style of hockey.  If you make one mistake, you're toast.  And that's exactly what happened at 11:55 of the third, when Michal Neuvirth let a soft wrist shot from Logan Couture get through him. 

Look, it's hard to pin this game on Neuvy.  He was excellent the first 51 minutes of the game.  Both he and his coach knew though that's a stop he's got to make in a tight game.  "They got a little bit lucky on that first goal," Neuvirth said.  "It kind of surprised me. Goals happen. I got to be square next time.”

Coach Bruce Boudreau was more pointed in his critique. 

"In the end, he played good for 51 minutes. But if you want to be a great goalie in this league, when the game is on the line, you have to be the one to stop those. I thought those goals were not of the variety that should have beaten him, but at the same time, I thought he kept us in for the first period.”

But that's what happens when you play with such a small margin of error.  One mistake can cost you the game.  And that's what happened last night.

Last year, if the Caps got down a goal or two, it was no big deal.  That's the luxury of averaging almost four goals per game and having the league's top rated power play.  My, what difference a year makes.

What kills me about all this is that the Capitals are allowing the media to dictate their style of play.  They've bought in to the idea that "playoff hockey" is built around 2-1 games and that this team would never succeed in the playoffs playing the all-out attack of the last two seasons.

But a tiger can't change it's stripes.

The new system the Caps are employing certainly plays well for some of the personnel on the squad.  Karl Alzner, Scott Hannan, Jeff Schultz, John Erskine; they're all flourishing in a slower, muck up the middle, defensive game.  If the forwards bear more burden with defensive responsibility, it leads to fewer odd-man rushes and less stress on the defenders.

But it's neutering this team's biggest strengths.  Alex Ovechkin, Nick Backstrom, Alexander Semin, Mike Green, Brooks Laich.  All on pace for drastically lower totals in goals and points than career norms.

The Capitals have been shut out eight times this season.  EIGHT!  It's hard to even fathom it.

The Caps are 17th in the league in goals per game with just 2.69.  The power play is 18th in the league.  Dreadful.

This change in philosophy for the Capitals is preparing them to play a bunch of 2-1 games come springtime alright.  Just hard to figure right now which end they'll be on.

It's only mid-January, but the Washington Capitals are already facing a pivotal juncture in their season.  Their next two games, against two of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference are, for all intents and purposes, Must Win Games.

Tonight, the Caps skate into the Nassau Coliseum to take on the New York Islanders, one of the most down-trodden, talent-poor, financially strapped teams in all of hockey.  Their struggles are well documented, and their play on the ice this season has been as poor as their mis-management.

Ranked 14th in the conference (29th in the league), the Islanders have a goal differential of minus-40, fourth worst in the NHL.  The Isles have been semi-respectable in their last ten games, going 5-4-1, but the fact of the matter is they are one of the worst teams in the league on offense (2.42 GF/G, 28th) AND defense (3.27 GA/G, 29th).  Only mediocre special teams play (18th in PP, 19th in PK) have kept them from being even worse.

They don't have a player in the Top 60 in scoring, and they just traded away their best goalie (noted Caps-killer Dwayne Roloson).

They don't have a single player that's dressed for even one game with a positive +/- rating.

Saturday, the Caps go to Toronto, the butt of league jokes for years now.  Once one of the storied franchises in the game, the Leafs (of Laffs, of Loafs, depending on which blogs you read) are now perhaps the league's biggest disappointment. 

Playing in Canada's biggest market, with all that tradition and high expectations, they continue to flounder despite who they bring in run things or play the game.

The Leafs are currently 12th in the conference (and 27th overall) and have a minus-25 goal differential, so it's not by accident.  They are one spot ahead of the Islanders in GF/G (2.43, 28th), and merely bad on defense, ranked 22nd in GA/G (3.02).

Toronto's leading scorer, Clarke MacArthur, is enjoying his career year having already surpassed his previous season-high points total.  Even then, he almost has as many PIMs as points.

The Capitals sit fifth in the conference heading into tonight's game with the Islanders, where about 3,000 fans will watch. They are only seven points out of first, but only eight points out of ninth place. 

These four points are crucial to the Capitals, both in the standings and to their pysche.  They know where the Islanders and Maple Leafs are in the standings.  They know where they themselves are in the standings.  These are games that good teams simply must win, regardless that they come during a three-game road trip.

Now is the time to these Caps to galvanize.  Forget about the injuries and who's not with them currently.  Forget about the media, the hype, the attention.  Forget about previous missed opportunities.  Forget about everything else.

Work hard.  Skate hard.  Go to the net.  Stand up for your teammates.  Stand up for yourselves. Forecheck.  Backcheck.  Do the little things.  Do the dirty work in the corners.  Win.

The Captain said it following Tuesday's overtime loss to conference-leading Philly:  "We have to go to the net, find our rebound, crash the nets, make some hits -- you know, be angry."

Be angry, indeed.

 

We'll see what this team is really made of in the next three days.  If the Caps don't take two points will they be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs?  Far from it.  But losses could very well be emotional cripplers that send the team further and quicker down the negative sprial that is following this team lately.

 

It's easy to get up for a New Year's Day game on national television against the Penguins.

Tonight's regular season matchup between the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins is a big deal.  The players and coaches know how important it is to them in the standings, and as a preview for the Winter Classic and hopefully the Stanley Cup playoffs, but only have a vague idea what the rivalry means to their fans.

A professional sports team means very little without a passionate and knowledgeable fan base.  The owners and executives are businessmen, the coaches (especially in hockey) are little more than temporary employees; the players mercenaries, most more concerned about keeping their roster spot than how they fit into a 40-year history.

They all say the proper things about the rivalry and its importance to the fans, but you can feel the disconnect.  They think -- and from their perspective, probably rightly so -- it's all about them, this version of the Washington Capitals.

None are from the area they represent.  They have very little idea of the history behind the franchise -- what makes this "organization" a team.

Sure, they play for themselves and each other in that sense of team, but it's on a very micro level.  That's their team: the players they see every day in the locker room, the brother-in-arms that they have to answer to -- or for -- when effort lacks, and the guys they celebrate their successes with.

But for the fans, the team is an extension of civic pride.  They were part of that team long before the current regime, and will still be when this one finally exhausts it's useful purpose.

Caps fans have a reputation for being bandwagoneers and Johnny-come-latelys, and some of that is earned. This franchise was in a lot of trouble for a long time, as hard to root for as some of the other franchises this city has to offer right now.  And the Capitals didn't have the benefit of playing a sport that came second nature to the geographic region.

With all the other entertainment options available, the Capitals -- and hockey in general -- had to go a long way to get to the top of the pecking order in this city.

Some of us have been at this since 1974, but in the grand scheme of things, whether you remember Greg Joly or Gaetan Duschene or not, the important thing is that you're rockin' the red for The Great 8 and John Carlson now.  All Caps fans wear their hearts on their sleeves.

Penguins fans are no less passionate about their team, but the popular opinion out of Steel City is that the Caps just aren't much of a rival, and that Caps fans dwell too much on the Penguins.  Maybe that's the case.  Rivals rip your heart out, and most of it has been one-sided in this relationship.

They have what we want:  The Stanley Cup. League-wide respect.  To be taken seriously as a hockey town.

And we also know that we have to go through them to get it.

But it seems to me Pens fans spend a lot of time and effort talking about how little time and effort they spend on the Caps.

So Caps fans, don't let ANYBODY tell you how to feel or how to cheer for your team.  This is your team, whether you've been there from the beginning or just got your first Ovi t-shirt jersey last week.

It's just two points.  But it's also so much more.

"It's exciting to be part of a team that has a genuine hatred of somebody." Andrew Gordon, on the Caps-Pens rivalry.

Mid-way through the third period in last night's undressing of New Jersey, many of the Verizon Center faithful joined in a chorus not unfamiliar in these parts. 

Reminiscent of old RFK Stadium during the Washington NFL team's hey-day, when fans were still proud of that team and taunted their upcoming rival with chants of "WE WANT DALLAS!", some Washington Capitals fans picked up the time-honored tradition and started chanting "WE WANT PITTSBURGH!"

You'll have to forgive that section of the fan base right now.  After suffering along with the team on an eight-game losing streak, the 5-1 win over the previously vaunted, now struggling Devils -- in combination with a 3-2 road win over Ottawa Sunday night -- must have left them practically giddy.

It's certainly premature to be taunting one of the league's best teams considering the events of the past three weeks.  But with all the attention Thursday's game is getting as a prelude to the Winter Classic game on New Year's Day and the modest two-game win streak, you have to give it to folks for wanting to stir the pot with the Penguins coming to town.

Since last night's game was carried by Versus Network, news of course travelled quickly to Western PA.  And responses ranged from measured and appropriate to foul-mouthed from that section of the interwebs.

But how, exactly, do the players and coaches see this rivalry?

Many of the players on the Capitals were barely skating the first time this franchise lost to the Penguins in the playoffs (waaay back in 1991), and most were blissfully unaware as repeated attempts to beat the Pens in the second season fell unsuccessful.

They all know how important it is to them personally, their captains, their organizations, and the league.  But do they really have a sense of how important even a seemingly innocent regular season game is in the long-term rivalry for fans of the Capitals, repeatedly disappointed at the hands of Mario Lemieux, Rick Tocchet, Ron Francis, Sidney Crosby, et al?

Caps fans, whether they like to admit it or not, have an inferiority complex when it comes to the Penguins.  And rightfully so.  They have what all Caps fans want.  The Stanley Cup.  League-wide respect.  To be taken seriously as a hockey town.

Those demons won't be exorcised until the Caps bring home a Cup.  And they will have to go through Pittsburgh to do it.

Here's a sampling of the locker room today on the rivalry with the Penguins and what it means to the coaches and players and their interpretation of what it means to the fans.

John Carlson:  "I think that anytime there's a rivalry it's added intensity for the fans.  We come to work everyday and do the same things everyday and the games change and we have to show up and battle whatever team it is -- rivalry or not.  But there's a lot more intensity.  You can feel it in the building sometimes when the fans are really really into it.  They're always great, but you'll see on Thursday everyone's really enjoying it, not just us."

"Our fans expect the best from us and they know the rivalry and want us to beat [the Penguins] just as much as we want to beat them, so they're right behind us."

Andrew Gordon:  "With the teams in proximity like this, I know that there's been the rivalry...the two areas don't really like each other regardless what sport you're playing.  When Sidney was drafted there and Ovi here, it just ratcheted it up that much more. It's exciting to be part of a team that has a genuine hatred of somebody --in Hershey we have that same thing with Wilkes-Barre -- I remember the first day I walked into that dressing room it was just a known fact that we do not like losing to that team and it's sort of bred into you. Now everyone comes into this organization feels the same way [about the Penguins] so when you see Pittsburgh on the schedule you get amped up.  You know you're going to play against a team that's at their best cause they want to beat you just as badly as you want to beat them."

Mike Knuble:  "[Pittsburgh's] still the top team in the conference and to do well you have to play well against them.  They've been on an incredible run, and we've been on an incredible run in the other direction.  It should be a great hockey game.  They're a great team and should be a good measuring stick for us to see if what we're doing is really in the right direction."

Matt Hendricks:  "Being at home, on our rink, with our fans, I think it's gonna be a great night for hockey.  Been looking forward to this rivalry all season.  We've got a chance to have a three-game winning streak going into the break, which the biggest importance to us, I think, are the two points.  With all the extra-curriculars and the Winter Classic coming up against them real soon, maybe it s a little preview to what we're gonna have."

Alex Ovechkin: "Yeah, crowd wants to play against those guys, we wanna play them too, so it's gonna be a big matchup and a pretty exciting game too. Tomorrow's very important -- mentally -- game for us.  We won two games in a row, end the losing streak, but tomorrow we're gonna try to take three wins in a row and have good days off."

Coach Bruce Boudreau:  "We're looking forward to the game because the build-up has been so big.  I don't know anything about 'the script' [HBO's 24/7].  [Pittsburgh] hasn't stopped winning, they had a little blip on the radar.  We're in, like, a mini-turnaround.  We're not where we want to be, but it's better than going in 0-10.  It's a great barometer to see where we're at."

"They're a great team and we have a good rivalry against them.  It's one of the great things HBO is going to be able to catch is all the talk and what we think goes on, will go on."

So you can see, there's some appreciation of the historic rivalry, but the active coaches and players are concentrating more on the actual game and what it means to them.  They know and understand they are playing for Washington hockey fans' civic pride, but the two points in the standing right now are more important.

Everyone can take a big sigh of relief.

The Washington Capitals can now go back to their business of being a hockey team instead of answering questions about their coach's immediate job security, the 24/7 pressure of, well, HBO's 24/7, and everything else that was associated with the losing streak.

No one liked what happened.  There might have been bandwagoneers that jumped off.  And those commenters on certain blogs and message boards theoretically have added the eight-game losing streak to their arsenal of why Bruce Boudreau or General Manager George McPhee are unfit for their current positions.

But it's over.  A simple 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators, something many folks in the DMV (and elsewhere) have taken for granted the past couple of seasons, has changed the outlooks for folks that like to wear red this time of year.  And I'm not talking about holiday helpers.

We all saw it.  People proclaiming their Winter Classic tickets were up for sale.  "Die-hards" feeling embarrassed to be seen in their Ovechkin jersey.  Nasty tweets and comments and blog posts.

But all it was was a slump.  It was a bad slump, and it reinforced some of the things this team needs to work on to excel in the playoffs.  But it was a slump, nonetheless. 

You can never take winning for granted.  Certainly there were portions of the fan base that had forgotten that.  This league is hard.  Maybe some of that had leaked into the locker room?  Who knows, but Boudreau's comments of players feeling sorry for themselves might indicate that it had.

The weight of the world has lifted of the Captials' shoulders.  They were playing better through the last couple games of the slump.  They finally got their streak-ending win.  Hopefully whatever strain of influenza that infected the locker room has run its course.  Maybe a complete game victory over New Jersey Tuesday night will be the thing to inspire this team into a lengthy win streak to erase the damage the losing streak did.

Because for all of the hand-wringing and hair pulling, the Caps still sit third in the East in points, just two points behind Pittsburgh for second, who have their own problems to worry about now.

After witnessing an eight-game losing streak, anyone that calls themselves a Caps fan today must not take winning regular season games for granted.  Not now.  Hopefully, that message has sunk in to the guys that play the game as well. 

Because there are still a lot of regular season hockey games left to be played.

There's a lot of hang-wringing this morning in the wake of last night's embarrassing 3-0 loss to the Florida Panthers, in which the Washington Capitals dominated the first period, including outshooting Florida 18-6, then turtle-ing in the third period when things didn't go their way.

Coach Bruce Boudreau called his star players out in the media afterwards, and immediately a certain segment of the fan base started crying that the sky was falling -- that Boudreau's system was no longer working, that his message wasn't getting through, that he was "losing the room."

What I find laughable this morning is people saying "losing the room" that have never been there and have very little idea what they are talking about.

I carry credentials for the Capitals. I'm in the room after almost every home game.  I've been in the room before and after practices.  There's not a single player that pulls on the red that doesn't have complete respect for Bruce Boudreau. The Caps problems right now are what has plagued them in the past: trying to do TOO MUCH.

Stars like Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin and Mike Green aren't free-styling because they aren't invested in Boudreau's system.  It's that they are so immensely talented that they think if they play "harder" they'll have better success.  They take things into their own hands because that's what got them there in the first place.  It's how they've earned their success thus far.

Some lessons in life are just harder to learn than others. Much harder.

When they play within the system, as a team, they are much stronger than they are when they try to rely on their natural abilities and individual assets. Boudreau knows that. The players know that.  And the man that is in the biggest funk of all -- the Captain -- knows it all too well, as he told reporters last night:

"We know our strengths. When we play simple, when we do what we have to do, it works. When we play casual it doesn’t work."

This team -- and fan base -- is accustomed to winning hockey games by outscoring their opponents and being flashy doing so.  But it hasn't been that easy this season, despite the Capitals owning the league's third best record to date, tied for the second most wins and tied for fifth in goals per game.

You don't think New Jersey, Toronto or the Islanders would LOVE to have the Capitals problems?

There needs to be some realism injected into the hysteria. 

Are the Caps struggling on the ice?  Absolutely.  Four straight losses -- and just six goals in those four contests -- speak to that.  The last two games have been downright heartbreaking, losing a 4-1 third period lead to Toronto, one of the league's least talented teams, then last night's complete and utter surrender.  And make no mistake, that's what it was.

As Boudreau told reporters:

"But once it was 2-0 you could see the shoulders sagging and everything on the bench and they just didn't believe they were going to be able to come back tonight."

Are they distracted by the lights and cameras of HBO, filming their award-winning 24/7 documentary as the lead-in to New Year's Day's Winter Classic?  Perhaps.

Has the Winter Classic itself, meant to be a grand spectacle and showcase for the brightest and best talent this league has to offer, become too much of a burden for this team to carry?  It's possible.

Is their collective confidence, normally one of this team's biggest strengths, damaged and bruised right now, having lost seven of their previous 11 games.  Without a doubt.

Is the league catching up to Alex Ovechkin, realizing that with his skill he never feels the need to dump the puck into the opposite corner and go chase it down, rather than carry it across the blue line himself and try to make a play, as he has so many times in the past?  Almost certainly, as defenders crowd him at the blue line, two deep, standing him up and making him bang shot after shot into their shin pads.

Does the grind of playing an 82-game schedule, when every media member, fan and player themself are judging this season solely on success in the playoffs, seem meaningless, even if it's on a subconscious level?  It's not out of the realm of possibility. 

But is a four-game losing streak, while sitting third in the league in points and fifth overall in goals per game, the appropriate time to be calling for the coach's head?  The winningest NHL coach over the last three seasons?  The man whose system got the Caps here in the first place?  The man who every player in the room looks up to?

No.  It's not.

Fans in this market might be accustomed to the Redskins changing out coaches on a whim every other year.  Looks where that's gotten them.  Now is not the time to be contemplating a switch.  It's a four-game losing streak.  The team isn't playing particularly well.  It happens over the course of an 82-game schedule.

This isn't the NFL, where a four-game losing streak is the death of a playoff opportunity.

Maybe I'm being naive, but when the Capitals are in ninth place in the conference, looking up at the playoffs, give me a call.  Otherwise, let's let things play out.  There's too much talent here  to believe these system-wide struggles are going to go on for too much longer.

"It's just one game now and I gotta do it next game and for the rest of the year so I can stay here." -- Mathieu Perreault, after Monday's two-goal game against Toronto

I'm going to go out on a limb right off the bat and frankly state that I like Matthieu Perreault.  From my limited exposure to him, he's been nothing but engaging, sincere and accountable -- good or bad.  As a hockey player, he's proven to be a dynamic, hustling, talented playmaker at the AHL level, with two consecutive 50 point seasons.

(C.Nichols/Caps News Network)

And he was well on his way to surpass that in this campaign, as he had eight goals and 17 assists in 25 games for Hershey this season, tied for 10th in the AHL in points (25).

I just wonder if he's got the chops for the big leagues.

Several occasions he's been called up, and in the first game or two he'll do what he did Monday night:  score, buzz around on the forecheck, add life to a young (but veteran) team.

Then, after a couple games, he'll disappear.

"Every time I get called up seems like the first game I'm flying and now it's just a matter of doing that every night," Perreault told reporters after the Caps devastating 5-4 shootout loss to Toronto Monday night.

So far this season, in four games he's got two goals and two helpers, in two different stints.  Well, that's not really a clear picture.  He had two goals Monday, and two assists in his first game this season, Oct. 23 against Atlanta.

He didn't score in the next two games, and Perreault was returned to Hershey.  Of course, that was while the team was still conducting the "Tomas Fleischmann at Center" experiment.  Perreault was a victim of numbers as much as production.

Last season, Perreault had a two-point night right off the bat, Nov. 4 against New Jersey.  Eighteen games later he had not produced another one, and was held off the scoresheet altogether in 12 of those 18 games and was demoted.  For the season, he played 21 games and had five goals and four assists.

Perreault needs to produce points at the NHL level if he's to stick in this league.  He's a good skater, so he can be effective on the forecheck, but other than that, his role is limited.  He is small (NHL.com generously has him listed at 5'10", 175), so he really isn't much help along the boards or with checking. 

And his stature is perhaps an explanation to why he's been unable to consistently produce for the Capitals; he just gets worn down playing against bigger, stronger competition night in and night out.

NHL history is dotted with "little guys" excelling.  Stan Mikita, Theo Fleury and Martin St. Louis were all vertically challenged and all were/are dynamic NHL players.  But they were all elite skaters with very high motors.  Perreault is a good skater and quick -- two of his strengths -- but I don't think he's in a class with the three mentioned above.

There is a gaping hole at center on the Caps second line, and Perreault has shown to mesh with Alexander Semin in the few opportunities he's had this season.  The job is there for the taking, and it looks like Perreault is going to get every chance to hold onto the spot. 

Perreault even skated in overtime with Semin during four-on-four Monday, and unexpectedly was the second shooter in the shoot-out, as Boudreau by-passed Nicklas Backstrom in the situation.

"It shows they have confidence in me and they're not scared to play me in a big situation."

If GM George McPhee and Coach Bruce Boudreau don't see consistent production from Perreault in the next 10-15 games, I think we should expect McPhee to address the situation with a veteran two-way player as we approach the trade deadline.

But I'll definitely be rooting for the little guy.

The Washington Capitals' 6-4 win over the division rival Atlanta Thrashers Sunday, fueled by John Erskine's mustache, gave the Caps a nine-point lead in the division and three-point leads over Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference and Los Angeles for the President's Trophy.

Washington Capitals celebrate one of their 13 wins. (C.Nichols)

Washington owns a 13-4-1 record after 18 games.  No team in hockey has more wins.  Only Detroit, St. Louis and L.A. have fewer regulation losses.  The Caps are 9-1-0 at home and are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.

The Caps far and away lead the lead in goals scored with 66 (and goals per game at 3.61).  The next closest is Philly at 58.  Yet, only ten teams in the league have allowed fewer goals.  Their power play, penalty kill and faceoff percentages all rank in the top third in the NHL.

So why is everyone is so concerned about this team?

Are the expectations for the Washington Capitals so high this season that they simply can't be the best team in the league? 

Apparently so.  The frustration felt after last season's early departure from the playoffs has seated so deeply that the Caps must dominate every game, every period, every shift, or in the minds of some they will be destined to come up as disappointing and empty as they did at the end of last season.

This team is young, talented and motivated.  They are coached by smart, dedicated, and passionate coaches.  They are managed by a shrewd businessman that is conservative by nature but willing to address needs -- within a calculated game plan.  And they are owned by one of the most transparent, active and fan-oriented owners in all of sports.

What's not to like?

Are there flaws in the roster?  Probably.  Are there occasional lapses in attention?  Perhaps.

But it looks more and more every day that one of this season's biggest mysteries, the starting goalie position, isn't really one of the problems.  Yes, Michal Neuvirth may look a little tired lately, but other than that he's been spectacular.  While not as gifted athletically as Semyon Varlamov, he is technically and positionally superior to the oft-injured Russian keeper.

Nagging injuries to Tom Poti and Boyd Gordon have kept the Capitals from icing their best squad for most of the season, yet they succeed.  Every team has injury problems, but the Caps farm system is so deep they've been able to weather -- and even flourish on occasion -- even when veterans miss ice time.

And the Caps have gotten out to the best start in hockey this season standings-wise while their two best players, Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, are still really trying to get into a groove.  Yes, they both are in the Top 8 in the league in scoring (along with Alexander Semin), a nod to their unbelievable skill level.  But watching them play, I think everyone gets a sense that they just aren't quite clicking at full speed yet.

Woe to the rest of the league when that happens.

Not the least in factors, but the Caps have done all that they have so far this season while breaking rookies in at goalie, second-line center and the second defensive pairing.

Should this organization he held to loftier standards?  Of course.  It's especially glaring when the Caps don't play their best, as was the case in the the second periods at Buffalo and again Sunday against Atlanta.  But every game is the opponent's Super Bowl when they play the Caps, and there are going to be occasions where the Caps get outplayed.  The other team is still trying too.

So when you read accounts of the Caps failing to dominate, being accused of taking games, periods, or shifts off, and of players struggling, keep in mind that the level of play they are achieving so far is good enough to qualify them as the best team in the NHL at the moment, and that the weight of high expectations seems to be affecting the media, bloggers and fans more than it is the team.

Remember, it took Wayne Gretzky and Glen Sather until the end of thier sixth season in the league to win a Stanley Cup.  Their Edmonton Oilers teams then won four of the next five.