If you're wondering how to spend your summer...

Here is the only list of things to do you'll ever need...

I like #14 (with my own take)....

14. Come up with an ending for the following joke: Ovechkin, Crosby and Phaneuf walk into a bar...

Ovechkin orders a round for the house and puts it on Crosby's tab. Crosby whines, "I don't like this place." Phaneuf checks him into the juke box.

Your Peerless Prognostos...where WILL they go??

Kevin Allen of USA Today lays out the free agency terrain as we get ready for the great land rush that begins noon Sunday...but where will they end up? Ah, that's where The Peerless comes in....

Looking at Allen's list, which is as good a place as any to start, let's look at the top-20:

1. Chris Drury – Los Angeles. San Jose was the early betting favorite, but Los Angeles looks to be stepping up late to make a splash. This would qualify as a splash.

2. Scott Gomez – New York Rangers. At least it has the advantage of saving on moving charges.

3. Ryan Smyth – New York Islanders. The Peerless suspects this one will have some suspense attached to it..it might be a couple of days. But given that the Islanders are stubbornly hanging onto negotiating rights, in the end Smyth stays on the Island.

4. Daniel Briere – Philadelphia. This one qualifies as falling into the lap of the Flyers. There are intermittent stories of the Sabres' indifference to making a top offer.

5. Sheldon Souray – Los Angeles. Hey, they could use some offense from the blue line (he’s not being signed for being a stopper), they have money.

6. Peter Forsberg – retires. Even though the recent surgery on his nettlesome foot was characterized as “minor,” it’s the straw that broke the skater’s back.

7. Slava Kozlov – Detroit. He hates those toxic blue Thrasher uniforms.

8. Paul Kariya – Washington. The Capitals have some work to do to get to a $34.3 million floor. They have to spend money. Here is a chance. Nicklas Backstrom gets to center Alexander Semin and Paul Kariya to start the year. The other Alex asks, "hey, what about me; where's my center?"

9. Mathieu Schneider – Detroit. He’ll shop and shop and shop…and then he’ll think, “hey, Greektown is pretty cool.”

10. Michael Nylander – Chicago. After all the pre-opening chatter, this is a surprisingly hard one.

11. Brendan Shanahan – Rangers. There really is no other choice.

12. Brian Rafalski – New Jersey Devils. Losing him would be quite a blow – not a Scott Stevens blow, but a big one nonetheless.

13. Keith Tkachuk – St. Louis. They didn’t acquire his rights to let him walk.

14. Bill Guerin – Pittsburgh. They’re collecting wingers on the back side of their careers with the idea that somehow, that will fill the void on the wings.

15. Ladislav Nagy – New Jersey. Didn’t exactly endear himself to Stars fans; he’ll be a bargain.

16. Jason Blake – Minnesota. The Peerless just likes the idea of Blake in a red and green uniform….it’ll make him look like an elf at the North Pole.

17. Roman Hamrlik – I have no idea….The Peerless thought he retired.

18. Brad Stuart – Colorado. He’ll be on a stop over in Denver, and never leave….sort of the Viktor Navorski approach to free agency.

19. Scott Hannan – San Jose. Not all free agents change teams, no matter what rumors you read from Eklund.

20. Michal Handzus – St. Louis. Why?...call it a hunch.

…and for you Caps fans, no, Dainius Zubrus is not returning to Washington. Among the red, white, and blue clubs, he’ll end up in…Montreal.

The Overratedness (maybe) of Free Agents

Let me preface this with this qualifier...we are looking at a phenomenon that concerns itself with one year -- the year after a major free agency signing.

OK, there. Last year the top ten 2006 free agency signings (in terms of annual salary) earned approximately $48 million. Nine clubs were represented among the ten players (Zdeno Chara and Marc Savard being united in Boston). And here is the result . . .

-- of the nine clubs, four made the playoffs
-- of the nine clubs, six had a better record than the year before
-- of those six clubs with a better record, three still didn't make the playoffs


Free agency -- on the basis of this limited set of data and for the most lavishly compensated -- isn't a panacea, except for the players and their agents.

You win with . . .

. . . defense.

As Corey Masisak points out in this morning's Washington Times, the Caps have focused on defense in recent drafts. For the record, it isn't just defensemen, but goaltenders, too. Of the 39 total selections over the past four years, 18 are defensemen or goaltenders, including 10 of 14 first or second round picks. By year:

2004:

Jeff Schultz
Mike Green
Sami Lepisto
Clayton Barthel
Oscar Hedman
Justin Mrazek


2005:

Sasha Pokulok
Joe Finley
Andrew Thomas
Patrick McNeill
Daren Machesney

2006:

Semen Varlamov
Michal Neuvirth
Keith Seabrook

2007:

Karl Alzner
Josh Godfrey
Ted Ruth
Dan Dunn

Strength in numbers? Well, that is what is added to youngsters among the defensemen already on the big club: Steve Eminger, Shaone Morrison, and Milan Jurcina, all of whom are younger than 25.

Building from the inside out. What, you got a problem with that?

17 of 116

There are 116 days from the end of the Stanley Cup finals that ended on June 6 to September 30^th. Today is day 17 of that calendar.

And yet, we find ourselves grinding our teeth and muttering expletives about the Caps and their performance this past weekend in Columbus.

Where is the help now?

Well, that’s not what the draft is about; it’s about futures…18 year old kids who can contribute when they are 22. If you’re looking for contributors next year, look to other places.

The draft is one leg of the tripod of roster-building – drafting, trading, and free-agency signing (which might include waivers). There is a time for each, both this year, and in the bigger scheme of building a roster.

There is a good portion of the summer calendar to go; the draft is but the first mile marker along the way. Another comes up at the end of next week, and one would expect the Caps to participate in the bazaar (or bizarre) that is usually the unrestricted free agent market. But all summer long there will be the possibility of trades, perhaps more so as the salary cap limits come into sharper focus, and some clubs need to be identifying salary cap casualties.

The point is, this is the “no excuses summer,” but a summer it is, not a fortnight. Let’s wait to see where the club is on September 30^th.

The Logic of Proscrastination

George?...What were you doing out there, trading all those picks for a bunch of picks next year? Don't you know the club needs help now??

That seems to be an insistent theme among Caps fans today as the 2007 entry draft concludes. The Caps kept trading down and, ultimately, out of the 2007 draft to accumulate picks in the 2008 draft. Is there a logic in this?

Well, this is precisely what we signed on for in a "draft-centric" strategy for building the club....a sustainable strategy for building and replenishing a roster. And that means parlaying picks now -- in what is almost universally thought to be a weak draft -- for additional picks in next year's draft, thought to be pretty strong at this stage. If a "draft first" strategy is what this franchise is going to employ, that means a multi-year focus, maximizing the potential of this draft and, just as important, drafts to follow.

From a strategic standpoint, I think this is McPhee's strongest draft since he started here. Trouble in saying that, though, is that these kids are flesh-and-blood hockey players. Whether they can actually play at this level is an unknown, and is a matter of scouting ability, not strategy.

Red = Stanley Cup? . . . The Science of Red

Seeing red . . . it conjures a number of visions.

Anger, aggression, blood, a raging bull, and…

…science?

Well, yes. Russell A. Hill and Robert A. Barton of the University of Durham took a look at several events in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games with an eye toward establishing whether there wasn't a relationship between a color won by an athlete and outcomes. All of the events involved two-person matches in which the competitors were randomly assigned either competition colors of red or blue. What they found was that athletes wearing red had a small, but statistically significant, advantage and won 60 percent of the time.

Hill and Barton also looked at the team sport aspect of the question by reviewing results from a 2004 international soccer tournament. In this instance teams wore different colored uniforms (i.e., they were not restricted to a single color). When they compared teams that used red as one uniform choice, they found that those teams’ performance was better in red than in other colors.

They attributed the finding to psychological influences. Follow along…it was their conclusion that red, being an indicator of sexual quality among males, and the intensity of the color being a related indicator of the degree of male “dominance” or hormone levels, gave wearers of the color an advantage by instilling feelings of inferiority among opponents (“aw, shucks, we have no chance, look how bright the red is…he must be a real man!”)

But here’s the bad news. Hill and Barton found that the effect was observed only in “symmetrical” contests – those in which the participants were evenly matched. Red won’t make a bad player – or a bad team – good.

But, it can’t hurt.

The article is here (subscription required).

"Cookies" Meets the Press

Caps have a "Muffin" Gordon, now "Cookies" Alzner?...

Karl Alzner Press Conference, 2007 NHL Entry Draft
Uploaded by emcerlain

...thanks to blbean on The Official for pointing the way to this.

The Morning After....

The Peerless notes a fair amount of disgruntlement over on The Official over the selection of Karl Alzner with the fifth overall pick and the dealing of the 28th pick for a lower pick this year and one next year. The Peerless regards the latter as not a big deal. There is a lot of uncertainty among the 50 or so players after the top three (where Esposito and Cherepanov fell is certainly evidence of that). 28 is a higher number than 41 (and that pick has now had four different owners), but the 28th pick isn't likely to be as large a difference in talent or potential than the 41st pick. This draft simply doesn't afford that kind of certainty.

In fact, there is a logic in this if one wants to engage in trying to read minds. If the Caps had a number of roughly equivalent players on their list at 28, then some (if not all) of these players would be available at 34, possibly at 41 (the pick they traded for). For what, perhaps, in their minds was minor tinkering with the order, they got an extra pick in next year's draft. That is not a bad strategy.

On one level, though, the Alzner pick is troubling. Not for the fact that he's a bad player, he's not. He would appear to be the "safest" pick in the first round, the player most likely to play to his pre-draft potential.

It's the "safe" part that is troubling. This franchise is in a fair amount of trouble. Not much success on or off the ice (although I suspect the new jersey will sell well...call that the "Snyder effect"). And what did the Caps do? They went all Hitmen again. From 1999-2003, four of the Caps' five top picks came out of the WHL -- Kris Beech, Brian Sutherby, Nathan Paetsch, and Eric Fehr. Their results have been, well, let's say "mixed." All of them played an NHL game, but none have made a recognizable impact.

None of these guys are a #5 pick (although Beech was a #7), but the Caps appear to have had a "type" in mind, and it was a WHL type. This year, with the franchise in the balance in terms of what the Caps do this summer, they went back to what they know. Was it the right pick? I don't know, I've never seen any of these guys play. Maybe he's a "Keith Carney," dependable, but not spectacular; maybe he's a "Jeff Jillson," a promising start but a disappointing finish.

On the other hand, the Caps are weak down the middle (centers, defensemen), and team sports is about being strong in that area, hockey included. You can’t have too many defensemen. Buffalo won a President’s trophy with depth and balance on their blue line, Ottawa got fine play out of their squad leading up to the Cup final (and a disappointing finish among them – especially Wade Redden – did them in), and Anaheim won the Cup with sturdy blue line play from Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, and the underrated Francois Beauchemin. While the Caps have numbers in this area, they have a lot of unproven talent and question marks, especially in terms of own-end play. Alzner addresses a shallowness in the prospect pool of defensemen. That’s the upside.

This is the first round in a process that will play itself out over the next three months or so. If there is any truth to a rumor that the Caps are in discussions with another club on a trade that has been put off pending the draft, well, that's a part of the process, too. So is today’s round of drafting. The Caps, as Mike Vogel reports this morning, got the man they targeted. If so, then the question that pops into my mind is, “because he was the best player available or the safest pick?”

Gentlemen...start your drafting!

And away we go!

Pre-Game, er, Draft...interesting look at the Blues operation on Versus. It has the feel of a documentary. Nice touch.

...and Jarmo Kekalainen (Director of Amateur Scouting for the Blues) runs a tight ship. A man with a plan and with the discipline, it seems, to work that plan. The Blues look like they have a pretty good prospect pool, too....

7:00...These kids are so wholesome, you want to spread them on a cracker.

7:07...Craig Leopold wants Jim Balsillie to go away. Next up..Kansas City??

7:16...let the show begin...

...ok, Gary, get on with it...

...any time now...

...is this guy running for something?...

...and finally, Chicago is on the clock...

..."not afraid to go in the tall trees?"...Bob McKenzie is channeling Dan Rather.

Chicago picks...Patrick Kane. Well, that was suspenseful. Eklund sure had that one right....hee-yeah, right.

...geez, the kid carries himself like he's been in the league 15 years.

Philadelphia is on the clock....they pick...James Van Riemsdyk. USA, two for two.

...Wayne looks like he had bad sushi for lunch...

Phoenix is on the clock...they pick...oh, wait, the obligatory ovation for Gretzky...

...they pick...Kyle Turris.

...hey, where are all these trades?

...Bob McKenzie...Canada's answer to Mel Kiper.

Los Angeles is on the clock...they select...Thomas Hickey....whoa, Nellie. The Peerless had him going 14th. This makes Washington's pick even more interesting...the Czech, the Russian, the defenseman....or a trade?

McPhee and Kevin Lowe are talking...I coulda sworn I saw McPhee mouth the words, "all right?" Something's up, kids...

...ok, they're making their way to the stage....guess the trade fell through.

Washington is on the clock...Karl Alzner, after Sam Gagner probably came half way out of his chair when George said, "London Kn..."

Seems like it's not just the uniforms going back to the past; so is the pick. Back to the Western Hockey League.

Pierre likes the new duds..."they don't look like postal workers anymore..." Gee, thanks.

Edmonton is on the clock with the first of three picks in this round...they select...Sam Gagner.

The Versus guys think this is the Voracek pick...

Columbus is on the clock...they select...Jakub Voracek. The kid shakes hands like he's grabbing a beer out of the cooler....wham!

Hey, Rick...the playoffs are over, you can lose the beard. Or is that an "I'm not shaving until we make the playoffs beard?"

Nice look at Cherepanov wiping his eyes and having the Versus guys announce him as "plummeting through the draft." What's next, a phone call from Brady Quinn?

Boston is on the clock...Cam Neely joining the other suits to announce the pick...a nice touch. The Bruins select...Zach Hamill. Hmm...another reach...

TRADE....St. Louis trades #9 pick to San Jose for the #13 pick (Toronto's), #44, and 3rd in 2008.

San Jose is on the clock....they select...Logan Couture.

Florida is on the Clock...they select...Keaton Ellerby.

The Peerless thinks maybe they ought to sell tickets to the Doan-Ellerby Boxing Day hockey game.

Pierre is ranting....it is "unconscionable" that Cherepanov is still on the board. "It's insanity." He also thinks the Sharks deal was a pre-emptive strike to keep Florida from taking Couture ahead of them.

Carolina is on the clock....they select...Brandon Sutter. My God....he was swallowed whole on stage by his jersey.

Montreal is on the clock...they select...Ryan McDonagh.

The plot is now "Angelo or Alexei?" Who goes first? And will someone stop refilling Bob McKenzie's coffee cup?? The man is wired...

John Davidson is striding to the stage like he's a bouncer about to abuse a drunk.

St. Louis is on the clock...Lars Eller. "The Great Dane"....groan. Geez, Bob.

13 picks in the book...one trade.

Colorado is on the clock...they select...Kevin Shattenkirk.

Edmonton is up again...the Islanders' pick...they select...Alex Plante. Geez, he's a big kid. I thought he was going to step on Bettman and scrape him off the bottom of his shoe on the edge of the stage. He looks a little like Tree Lane from the Mystery, Alaska team.

TRADE...Anaheim trades the 16th pick to Minnesota for the 19th and 42nd. Angelo or Alexei...one could go here...

TSN is interviewing Cherepanov, who is taking matters as well in stride as one could expect.

Minnesota is up...they select...Colton Gillies. Bobby Mac doesn't seem wild about the pick, Dougie Mac less so...too much of an "us too" following along in Anaheim's wake looking for big guys.

New York Rangers are on the clock....they select...Alexei Cherepanov (finally). Nice fashion statement...no tie, just a t-shirt.

Dougie Mac really needs to get over Zherdev...

TRADE...Calgary trades the #18 to St. Louis for the 24th and the 70th. The Peerless has to think this is the Esposito pick...

St. Louis is on the clock....they select...Ian Cole. Well, that's an interesting pick -- he wasn't in the top-100 in The Hockey News.

Pierre is on a mission...or maybe he wants to be Cherepanov's agent...

Anaheim is on the clock...they select...Logan MacMillan. And hey...Brian Burke smiled. The Peerless thought he didn't have teeth.

Pittsburgh is up...they select...Angelo Esposito. That's a "best player available" pick, but they are turning into the Flyers. All centers, no wings.

Bobby Mac is like the Rain Man with his ability to spout these anecdotes...

TRADE...Phoenix trades the 21st to Edmonton for #30 and #36.

Edmonton is up....again....they select...Riley Nash.

Montreal is up...they select...Max Pacioretty.

The air seems to be going out of the balloon pretty fast in this draft. Seems really quiet in the arena.

Bobby Mac revising and extending his remarks on the Leopold-Balsillie situation. If Balsillie wants to enter into a binding agreement, Leopold will listen.

Nashville is up....they pick...Jonathon Blum.

TSN is interviewing David Poile, who is being the good soldier. He has to admit that he has to ice a "low payroll" team. The Preds will be in Nashville for 2007-2008, but was somewhat non-committal about thereafter, noting the attendance threshold factor. If body english means anything, his demeanor was "well, it is what it is."

Calgary is up and selects...Mikael Backlund. The TSN boys seem to think this kid will never have to play for Mike Keenan....good bet.

Vancouver is at the podium.....they select...Patrick White.

St. Louis is up again...they pick...David Perron. Bobby Mac notes that he wears white skates.

Detroit is up....Stevie Y making the pick...Brendan Smith.

Pierre likes what St. Louis has done...."they're building a juggernaut in the midwest."

TRADE...Washington trades the 28th pick for the 41st in this draft and a 2nd in 2008.

Trading a first for two seconds? One of them next year? Maybe the Caps are confident of their guy being at 41.

San Jose is up...they take Nick Petrecki.

Ottawa is up...they select...Jim O'Brien.

And now, we're at an end....Phoenix is up...they pick Nick Ross.

And there it is, your 2007 draft first round class. Ten years from now, who will be all stars, and who will be also rans? That's part of the fun of nights like this, the looking ahead.

Clearance Sale...Everything Must Go

The Nashville Hamilton Predators have traded goaltender Tomas Vokoun to the Florida Panthers for a first-round pick and two second-round picks.

Predators GM David Poile was quoted as saying...

"We saw Chris Mason emerge as a No. 1 goaltender in 2006-07 and with full confidence in Chris and Pekka Rinne, we felt as if we could make this move. Mason won 24 games for us this past season, starting 21 in a row at one point, and finished with the second-highest save percentage in the NHL. In addition, this trade will help restock our organizational assets and affords our team more payroll flexibility."

Vokoun earned $2.28 million last year, Mason $1.25 million. Vokoun was signed to a four-year contract extension last September; Mason is a UFA after next season. If our math is right, Rinne's entry level deal expires after this coming season.

The fire sale continues. Last one out, lock up the rink.

It's Official

The Caps are going back to their past.

As Tarik El-Bashir reports in this morning's Washington Post, the Capitals will unveil a red-white-and-blue color scheme in their new jersey at this evening's draft party at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex.

The Peerless is sure the fans will be seeing red, as it were, and there will be a lot of marketing crap spewed in support of the new duds.

Frankly, The Peerless sees all that as just so much piffle. It's a shirt. A very expensive shirt, no doubt, but a shirt nonetheless. There are a couple of points in the story worthy of comment though . . .

The Capitals' new look, which has been under development in conjunction with athletic apparel company Reebok for nearly three years, puts a modern touch on the star-laden, red, white and blue uniform the team wore from 1974 until 1995.

Three years? Three years?

"It's important to have equity in a color scheme," [Capitals' chief marketing officer Tim] McDermott said. "Look at the Green Bay Packers -- they own green and yellow. We want fans walking around wearing our stuff. It raises our brand awareness and that helps us create more fans."

What Green Bay owns is three Super Bowl trophies among their 12 NFL championships (including being the only NFL team to win three consecutively) and the legend of Vince Lombardi.

Until The Peerless sees the new sweater in 3-D, he'll reserve judgment. But really, is it that important (as in, is it worth getting one's blue shorts in a twist over?)? It won't be a sweater with nearly the attention-grabbing character of a Montreal or a Detroit jersey, but then again, those jerseys are long associated with winning traditions.

Clothes don't make the man in this instance. The men who wear the sweater -- and the degree to which they succeed on the ice -- make the clothes.

The Peerless Prognosticator's Peerless Mock Draft

And here we are at last. The 2007 NHL Entry Draft from Columbus, Ohio, which reminds The Peerless of a joke…why doesn’t Michigan slide into Lake Superior?

Because Ohio sucks! . . . ok, so I need to keep my day job.

The Peerless makes no claim to have seen any of these fine young men in action. We’re as clueless as Eklund when it comes to their respective skills and depend on what we read from a variety of scouting sites, media outlets, bloggers, and mock drafts. Then, The Peerless throws all that out so he can go for the punch line. But as we rush head long into this year’s “everyone can be a GM” moment, The Peerless is imagining what will transpire . . .

The clock strikes 7:00 pm. Gary Bettman is greeted by throngs of adoring fans adept at masking their cheers as boos. The Commissioner slithers to the podium, clears his throat, flicks his forked tongue once. . . twice . . and announces . . . “with the first overall pick in the 2007 National Hockey League entry draft, the Chicago Blackhawks select . . .

1. Patrick Kane, RW. Patrick Kane is an anagram for “a tanker pick.” Given the Blackhawks’ record since the Pleistocene Age, this might be the only club who could draft Kane and have this happen. Good #1: Sidney Crosby…Alex Ovechkin...Bad #1: Alexandre Daigle.

2. Philadelphia – Kyle Turris, C. Much has been made of Turris coming out of Canadian Junior A. Well, gee . . . Jerry Rice came out of Division I-AA. Think it hurt him? Good #2: Chris Pronger…Bad #2: Pat Falloon.

3. Phoenix – James Van Riemsdyk, LW. He has a scary resemblance to Opie Taylor. The Peerless isn’t sure just what to make of that. Good #3: Scott Niedermayer…Bad #3: Orest Romashyna (ok, that’s going back a few years).

4. Los Angeles – Alexei Cherepanov, RW. His name is an anagram for “each a proven exile.” Well, given the problems one reads about with potential Russian amateurs, the biggest problem with this guy might be getting him across the border. Good #4: Roberto Luongo…Bad #4: Pavel Brendl.

5. Washington – Jakub Voracek, C. Satisfies the club’s minimum requirements of Jakubs if Klepis is moved. Good #5: Jaromir Jagr (no, really)…Bad #5: Daniel Dore.

6. Edmonton – Karl Alzner, D. “Karl Alzner” . . . sounds like he should be in commercials at three a.m. for a personal injury law firm . . . “did you get hit in the head with a puck? Call Alzner and Associates to get what’s coming to you.” Good #6: Peter Forsberg…Bad #6: Scott Scissons.

7. Columbus – Keaton Ellerby, D. Keaton is one of those sturdy Canadian names, like Brendan or Doug. Columbus is one of those sturdy Italian names. Blue Jackets is one of those godawful hockey teams. Good #7: Bernie Federko…Bad #7: Ryan Sittler.

8. Boston – Logan Couture, C. Logan Couture…it sounds like a line of hair care products…Logan Couture conditioner. The Bruins hope this guy conditions the club into winning for a change. Good #8: Grant Fuhr…Bad #8: Jason Herter.

9. St. Louis – Ryan McDonagh, D. His anagram is “mad cranny hog.” Does this mean he’ll be rooting around in the corners for pucks? Good #9: Cam Neely…Bad #9: Brent Krahn.

10. Florida – Angelo Esposito, C. “Poison to Eagles.” Will the Caps see this kid make their lives difficult eight times a year?? Good #10: Teemu Selanne…Bad #10: Dan Gratton.

11. Carolina – Sam Gagner, C. How many centers named “Sam” are there in the Hall of Fame? One (Sam “Rusty” Crawford), and his last year in the NHL was in 1919. Good luck, kid. Good #11: Jarome Iginla…Bad #11: Chris Govedaris.

12. Montreal – Nick Petrecki, D. “Nick Petrecki.” The name just conjures all sorts of images of a big kid with a pack of Camels rolled up in the sleeve of his t-shirt. Good #12: Marian Hossa…Bad #12: Teemu Riihijarvi

13. Toronto – Zach Hamill, C. Did he star in those Star Wars movies? Or was he the figure skater? Whatever. Good #13: Jean-Sebastien Giguere…Bad #13: Michael Stewart.

14. Colorado – Thomas Hickey, D. “Hit macho keys” is his anagram. Colorado only wishes he does that. Good #14: Calle Johansson…Bad #14: Michel Riesen.

15. Edmonton (From NYI) – Jonathan Blum, D. Six feet, 160 pounds. When his name is announced, Kevin Lowe should greet him with a sandwich. Good #15: Alexei Kovalev…Bad #15: Matt Zultek.

16. Anaheim (From TBL) – Colton Gillies, C. Sounds like an extra in a Masterpiece Theatre episode . . . of course, if he was just “Colt,” he’d be on “Days of Our Lives.” Good #16: Markus Naslund…Bad #16: Nick Stajduhar.

17. NY Rangers – Lars Eller, LW. I read somewhere…ok, everywhere, that this kid could be the highest pick ever from Denmark. That might be roughly akin to being the highest rated soccer player ever from Harrisburg. It’s a small sample. Good #17: Zach Parise…Bad #17: Scott Allison.

18. Calgary – Bill Sweatt, LW. Add Bobby Blood, Hal Tearse, and what do you have? Good #18: Bruce Cassidy (just seeing if you’re paying attention)…Bad #18: Alex Forsyth.

19. Minnesota – Kevin Shattenkirk, D. I . . . can’t believethiskidlasteduntil . . . this . . .pick (uh, that’s a Shatner, Kirk thing…figure it out). Good #19: Olaf Kolzig…Bad #19: Jan Ingman.

20. Pittsburgh – Maxim Mayorov, LW. Hey, he’s Russian, so he must want to play with Evgeni Malkin (how does it feel to see the “he’s Russian, so he must want to play with other Russians” nonsense applied to another team?). Good #20: Martin Brodeur…Bad #20: Duncan MacPherson.

21. Phoenix (From DAL) – Mikael Backlund, C. “likeable man duck.” We’ll just leave that one alone. Good #21: Saku Koivu…Bad #21: Selmar Odelein.

22. Montreal (From SJS) – Alex Plante, D. Sounds a liitle like “Bob Mantle” or “Phil Montana.” It’s . . . well, almost right. Good #22: Simon Gagne…Bad #22: Jeff Kealty.

23. Philadelphia (From NAS) – Logan MacMillan, C. Tweed-blazered professor by day, superhero by night . . . it’s “Puck Man.” Good #23: Ray Whitney…Bad #23: Craig Hillier.

24. St. Louis (From ATL) – Brett MacLean, LW. “metal crab net.” The Peerless notes all the accolades about his offense but wonders if this means he’ll be tying up opponents, too. Good #24: Daniel Briere…Bad #24: Eric Lecompte.

25. Vancouver – Oscar Moller, C. My baloney has a first name . . . oh, c’mon, you knew it was coming. Good #25: Mark Howe…Bad #25: Eric Lavigne.

26. St. Louis (From SJS) – Max Pacioretty, LW. Did I read that right? He plays for the “Mouseketeers?” Are his linemates Annette and Cubby? Good #26: Zigmund Palffy. …Bad #26: Nicolas Perreault.

27. Detroit – Dana Tyrell, C. “ardent ally” . . . he’s either going to be a great teammate or code name for an attack on Bumfuckistan. Good #27: Scott Gomez…Bad #27: Mike Speer.

28. Washington (From BUF) – Brandon Sutter, C. 32,914 Sutters have dressed for an NHL game . . . none of them for Washington. Good #28: Mike Richter…Bad #28: Brandy (Brandy?) Semchuk.

29. Ottawa – David Perron, RW. Don’t cry for me, Bryan Murray…The truth is I never left you. All through my wild days, my mad existence. I kept my promise, don't keep your distance. Good #29: Jonathan Cheechoo…Bad #29: Chris Gotziaman.

30. Edmonton (From Ana) – Tommy Cross, D. Rats…if he’d been a little older and drafted a few years ago, he coulda been paired with Cory Cross on the “Double Cross” pairing. Good #30: Randy Carlyle...Bad #30: Par Edlund.

And there you have it...the only mock draft you'll ever need!

It's all part of a piece...

It’s all part of a piece…

We have this story posted last Saturday in the National Post on the possibility of the Nashville Predators embarking on a Florida Marlins-style firesale…

“If the Nashville Predators are not sold by June 30, which seems unlikely now, sources say club owner Craig Leipold is prepared to vastly trim his player payroll next season, even if it means dismantling a Stanley Cup contender . . .

“. . . The Predators are considered one of the deepest organizations in the NHL but the fire sale could begin as early as July 1 when marquee free agents such as Peter Forsberg and Paul Kariya could be jettisoned. The club's depth could very well be tested should Leipold, who spent US$40-million on players last season, choose to scale back his hockey budget.

“The Wisconsin businessman claims to have lost US$70-million since founding the Predators 10 years ago, including a staggering US$15-million last season and US$26-million in the last two years -- even while drawing from the league's shared-revenue pool. The Nashville business community has recently organized with a goal of selling 3,000 season tickets by October, but it remains unclear whether individual fans will support the team should they feel it is leaving town, or should the on-ice product significantly decrease in quality.

"’I have come to the conclusion that I cannot make it work here,’ Leipold said on the day the sale was announced. ‘It's painful to say that. As hard as we tried, and as good a team as we had ? we are by far the lowest revenue team in the league.’"

Today, possibility skated right up to the brink of certainty . . . with this deal consummated between the Predators and the Philadelphia Flyers, reported by Bob McKenzie for tsn.ca . . .

“The Philadelphia Flyers have dipped into the free agent market a little early, thanks to the Nashville Predators.

“Because of Nashville's uncertain ownership future and an expected tight budget in the coming year, the Predators arranged with the Flyers to give them exclusive negotiating rights to two coveted free agents - defenceman Kimmo Timonen and forward Scott Hartnell.

“Sources tell TSN the Flyers have now signed both Hartnell and Timonen to long-term contracts.

“Hartnell, who was scheduled to become a free agent on July 1, signed with Flyers on a 6-year, $25.2 million deal for a cap hit of $4.2 million per year.

“The Flyers also agreed to terms with Timonen on a 6-year, $37.8 million contract for an annual cap hit of $6.3 million.”

Buried in the National Post story is this . . .

“Leipold stands to make a small fortune on the sale of the team, more than US$40-million, with a US$238-million sale price that is roughly double the value of the franchise, according to estimates.”

What to make of this? Well, several things, all of which seem related.

First, “cost certainty” is a joke. Philadelphia shelled out $63 million for 12 years of total commitment for a good defenseman (but not Chris-Pronger-good, whose salary Timonen now eclipses) and a forward who has not had a 50-point season in his first six years in the league. Relevant to the Caps, tell me...how much is a Michael Nylander now worth? Heavens, what is a Dainius Zubrus worth?

Second, forever spare us the charade that the league is “healthy.” You have an owner desperately trying to acquire a pet he can take home to Canada, so much so that he’s willing to overpay for the privilege (and is so transparent about it – note that prospective owner Jim Balsillie is canvassing for season ticket holders in Hamilton, and is now outpacing Nashville signing them up). It isn’t a reflection of a new market price for NHL franchises. Oh, and note to Jim…want a pet? Buy a dog.

Third, deals such as this risk ripping the salary floor away from its moorings – stupid money was more of a problem in the old order than “greedy players,” and here we have proof that even in their immaculately tailored “new order,” some teams just can’t help themselves. Teams who can’t afford ratcheting up prices on good, if not great defensemen, or taking a flyer on “salary futures” on a guy who might or might not ever reach his potential are going to feel the same upward pressure on salaries they felt before the lockout. Trouble now is, they have a salary floor with which to contend.

These elements reflect nothing but an owner with an itch, a city that doesn’t much care, and a team that doesn’t even let “cost certainty” stand in the way of writing checks.

A year of hockey lost…for this?

The Passion of the Caps Fan

Thirty two seasons…two thousand seven hundred and twelve games.

1,137 wins
1,229 losses
303 ties
43 overtime and shootout losses…

Three division championships, two conference finals, one Stanley Cup final . . . no Stanley Cups.

What is it about this club that would lead a hockey fan with any self respect to have followed such a team through the years of pain and frustration?

It’s 1974-75 . . . 8-67-5. 21 points. Caps fans could walk out of Capital Centre after the last game (an 8-4 win over Pittsburgh, by the way) secure in the knowledge that it couldn’t get worse. So far, it hasn’t.

It’s 1975-76 . . . and the Caps undergoing the first of what would become many death marches on the road to start the season. Ten of their first thirteen games were on the road – they lost seven of them. They didn’t get their first home win until November 26^th. But Caps fans had the pleasure of seeing a budding hockey analyst -- Bill Clement. The Peerless thinks he's harbored a grudge ever since.

1t’s 1976-77 . . . and the Caps earn more points (62) than the first two years combined (53) and 21 points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings. Hockeytown, my ass.

It’s 1977-78 . . . and winning the last three games of the season to avoid having the worst record in the league.

It’s 1978-79 . . . and Gary Inness is the first Capitals goaltender to end the year with a .500 record – 14-14-8.

It’s 1979-80 . . . and the first time the Caps beat Montreal. Until their 3-1 victory on February 19 the Caps were 0-31-3 and outscored 185-53 against the Habs. Four times the Habs scored more than 10 goals in a game.

It’s 1980-81 . . . and one point…one freakin’ point. That was the margin by which the Caps missed the playoffs. But Dennis Maruk became the first Cap to reach the 50-goal plateau for a season.

It’s 1981-82 . . . Starting the season 1-14-1 is not a recipe for reaching the playoffs. It doesn’t do much for coaching longevity, either (Gary Green was relieved when it reached 1-12-0). But then, things took a turn. Roger Crozier lost one game behind the bench (that’s 1-13-0) before yielding to a 38-year old coach who led the Hershey Bears to a 47-24-9 record the previous year (the 103 points earned would not be exceeded until 2006-2007 when the club was an affiliate of the Caps) – Bryan Murray. Murray lost his first game (to Pittsburgh…a harbinger?), but finished the year 25-27-13…an improvement to be sure. Although the club finished with only 65 points, the pieces were coming together – Mike Gartner, Bobby Carpenter – The “Can’t Miss Kid” – Bengt Gustafsson, Bobby Gould, Gaetan Duchesne, Lou Franceschetti . . . and then . . .

It’s 1982-83 . . . and the biggest deal in Capitals history. Without it, this narrative ends about here. Not two weeks into his new job as general manager, David Poile sent Ryan Walter and Rick Green to the Canadiens for Rod Langway, Craig Laughlin, Brian Engblom, and Doug Jarvis. The 39-25-16 record would earn the Caps their first playoff berth, and although the Caps were dispatched in four games by the eventual champion New York Islanders, it would mark the first of 14 consecutive playoff appearances.

It’s 1983-84 . . . and more firsts . . . the first 100-point season (48-27-5, 101 points), the first hardware earned by Caps players (Langway the Norris Trophy, Jarvis the Selke), and most important the first playoff series win – a three-game sweep of the Flyers in which the Caps outscored the Flyers 15-5 and chased the Flyers’ goaltender twice.

It’s 1984-85 . . . and another 100-point season (46-25-9, 101 points) and the only time in team history the club had two 50-goal scorers – Mike Gartner (50) and Bobby Carpenter (53). But for the third straight year, the Islanders would end the Caps’ season.

It’s 1985-86 . . . and the most successful regular season in the club’s history – 50-23-7 (107 points), the only season in which the Caps won 50 games. It might have had the most bitter ending – a six-game second round loss in the playoffs to the New York Rangers, a club the Caps finished 29 points in front of in the regular season.

It’s 1986-87 . . . and a year of turmoil. Bobby Carpenter shipped off to the Rangers on New Year’s Day after all but being dismissed by the team. It seemed to rejuvenate the club. Beginning with a 4-3 New Year’s Day home win, the Caps closed 26-13-4 and looked poised for a long run in the playoffs. That would end deep into Easter morning in the fourth overtime of a seventh game against the old nemesis – the Islanders. Pat Lafontaine turns, fires….CLANG!...see you next year. The 75 shots faced by Islander goalie Kelly Hrudey in that game would be a Stanley Cup playoff record that would last almost 20 years.

It’s 1987-88 . . . and another path-changing trade. Gaetan Duchesne, Alan Haworth, and a first round pick in the 1987 draft were sent to Quebec for goaltender Clint Malarchuk and a center trying to make a comeback from a broken leg – Dale Hunter. The draft pick that went to Quebec might be more famous in Caps history than any the club actually made in their first 30 years – Joe Sakic. The highs and the lows of a frustrating, unsatisfying season were reflected in the two playoff series. In the first, the Capitals stormed back against the Flyers from a 3-1 deficit in games and a 3-0 deficit in the deciding seventh game to have TV play-by-play man Mike Fornes utter in overtime the words, “…Murphy starts the rush… he hits Hunter…he’s in alone…a shot…and a goal!!!!!" That would only be followed by a seven-game loss to the upstart New Jersey Devils, one in which Rod Langway would finish the series on the bench courtesy of a Pat Verbeek skate blade slicing through the back of his leg. One had the feeling of one era ending, and another beginning.

It’s 1998-89 . . . and a year in which the Caps would win their first and only Patrick Division title. They also would obtain one of the team’s all time favorites – Dino Ciccarelli – in a late-season trade. He didn’t disappoint…12-3-15, +10 in 11 games. The Caps went 8-3 in those games. That’s called “making a good first impression.” It didn’t last though; the Flyers exacted a measure of revenge for the previous year’s result, downing the Caps in six games in the opening round, punctuated by a goal scored into an empty net in game five by Flyer goalie Ron Hextall.

It’s 1989-90 . . . and perhaps the oddest of all the seasons played under the Capitals’ banner. The club struggled out of the gate with a 3-7-3 record at the end of October (including a couple of “welcome-to-the-big-time” outings for a young goaltender named Olaf Kolzig). It didn’t get much better over the next two-and-a-half months, and Bryan Murray was relieved of his duties, turning the reins over to . . . his brother, Terry. The younger Murray guided the Caps to an 18-14-2 record to finish the year, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Caps from finishing with their first losing record (36-38-6) since the 1981-82 season. It didn’t keep them from the playoffs, though. There, a heretofore unremarkable forward had the playoffs of his life. After scoring 16 goals in 93 games spread over parts of two seasons, John Druce scored 14 goals (four of them game-winners) in 15 games. The Caps rode the good fortune to their first conference final. Boston would end the fun, though, in a four-game sweep.

It’s 1990-91 . . . and the debut of Peter Bondra. This season gave Caps fans the first glimpse of the player who would end his Caps career as its top all-time goal scorer. This season would also see a player who had one of the most meteoric, not to mention shortest, careers in club history. John Kordic would not post a point in the seven games in which he played, but would amass 101 penalty minutes. He would also be suspended by the club twice and would meet a tragic end a little more than a year later. The Caps would also be introduced to a demon of their own – after eliminating the Rangers in a six-game first-round series, they would meet the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round in the first meeting of the clubs in the playoffs. After losing the first game, the Penguins – facing the possibility of falling behind 2-0 in games in their own building – escaped with a 7-6 overtime win and closed out the Caps from there. The Penguins went on to win their first Stanley Cup.

It’s 1991-92 . . . and the Caps storming out of the gate to an 8-1-0 record. The club had remarkable balance over the course of the year – 14 players recorded double-digit goal totals, seven had more than 20 (including the young Mr. Bondra, who had 28). But there was the demon again – the Penguins. The Caps raced out to a 3-1 lead in games, capped by a 7-2 drubbing of the Penguins in Pittsburgh. But Pittsburgh would storm back to win the last three games – two of them on Capital Centre ice, with the series clinching goal scored by a young Czech named Jagr.

It’s 1992-93 . . . and the establishment of Peter Bondra as the go-to scorer; he would finish the season with 37 goals (and, oddly enough, the highest point total he would have for his career – 85). However, although the Caps would make the playoffs for the 11^th straight year, the season would unravel for the Caps even before the post-season started. On March 13th Rod Langway announced he would sit out the rest of the season, citing his reduced playing time. The Caps would be eliminated in the first round by the Islanders, a series remembered more for its ignominious end as Dale Hunter blind-sided Pierre Turgeon in the final game, separating Turgeon’s shoulder and earning Hunter a 20-game suspension from the league and its new commissioner, Gary Bettman. Lost in that incident is the fact that Hunter had seven goals in the six-game series, matching a career playoff high (set in 1988 in 14 games).

It’s 1993-1994 . . . the hangover from the end of the previous season making itself felt – Dale Hunter missing the first 20 games and the club getting off to a lackluster 20-23-4 start, another Murray would find himself being replaced. Jim Schoenfeld took over, and the Caps had another strong finish – 19-12-6 – to get a seventh seed in the playoffs. It would get them another meeting with the Penguins. The script took a more favorable turn this time, though, as the Caps sent the Penguins in search of herring in six games. That’s where it would end, though, as the Caps lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion New York Rangers (the third time in four seasons they were eliminated by the eventual champs).

It’s 1994-95 . . . and . . . hey, where’d the hockey go? Well, we did get 48 games, and perhaps Peter Bondra’s best goal scoring season. 34 goals in 47 games works out to a 59-goal pace for a full season. Included in that was an incredible six shorthanded goals. A hideous start – 3-10-5 through the end of February – gave way to an 18-8-3 finish that gave the Caps a ticket to the playoffs, where they met . . . the Penguins. The series – and a career – would turn almost on a single play. With the Caps ahead 3-1 in games, holding a lead, and on a power play in Pittsburgh, Jaromir Jagr stole the puck and netted a shorthanded goal on Jim Carey. The Penguins went on to win that game, and the Caps would be sent packing quickly and quietly in the last two games.

It’s 1995-96 . . . and Peter Bondra would set a career high in goals with 52. But the story was Carey – the good and the bad. Carey would devour pucks like a fat guy with a bag of Doritos. A 35-24-9 record and 2.26 goals against average would be good enough to earn him the first Vezina Trophy bestowed upon a Capital. But the previous season’s nightmare at the hands of the Penguins would be stirred anew. Carey was yanked in the opener in favor of Olaf Kolzig, although the Caps won. The Caps would win game two behind Kolzig once more to return home with a 2-0 lead in games. But coach Jim Schoenfeld would return to Jim Carey for game three in Landover. It turned out to be a mortal error. Carey lost 4-1, which set up another of the heartbreaking kinds of games the Caps seem to hold several patents on. Olaf Kolzig was given the nod for game four and single handedly kept the Caps in the contest with 42 save on 44 shots. But that was good enough only to get the Caps to overtime as Ken Wregget – in relief of Tom Barasso, who left with back spasms in the second period after giving up a goal in the first period -- stopped all but one of the 13 shots he faced.. Caps tormentor Mario Lemieux was tossed in the second period with slashing, instigator, fighting, and game misconduct penalties after having his sensibilities offended by Todd Krygier. But the real fun was yet to come…in the second overtime, Joe Juneau awas awarded what was the first penalty shot in a Stanley Cup playoff game in league history. Juneau skated in, but the deteriorating ice betrayed him, and the puck was rolling off his stick. He managed a weak shot on goal that Wregget stopped, and the teams played on. The Caps had the better of the momentum in the extra sessions, outshooting the Penguins 37-12 in the first three overtimes. In the fourth overtime, the momentum would turn once more as Pittsburgh piled up a 10-6 lead in shots in the first 19 minutes of the period. But Olaf Kolzig was equal to the task. Then, there was the final minute of the period . . . Calle Johansson was in the penalty box for a hooking call, and the Penguins were setting up their power play. Sergei Zubov sent a pass across to Petr Nedved at the left wing point. Nedved walked in to the top of the circle with Mark Tinordi blocking his path. Nedved was patient enough to let Tinordi make his move, which was to go down to the ice to block a shot that didn’t come. Nedved stepped around Tinordi and sent as harmless looking a shot as there was in this game toward Kolzig. He never saw it. The seeing-eye puck avoided several players screening Kolzig and fluttered over Kolzig’s left shoulder into the back of the net. The longest game in Capitals’ history was over at 179:16…a 3-2 loss. Woulda, coulda, shoulda . . . Johansson’s penalty had only five more seconds to run . . . the period had only 44 more seconds to run . . . if Juneau hadn’t had the puck roll on his stick . . . if the Caps hadn’t given up a shorthanded goal in the late stages of the second period to let the Penguins back into the game after taking a 2-0 lead . . .

It’s 1996-97 . . . and the first real housecleaning in the club’s history. A fine November (9-5-1) was an oasis in a lost season. The Caps would go 24-35-8 in months not starting with “N” and finish among the also rans. Peter Bondra would pot 46 goals, but it would be far from enough. Jim Carey could not recover from two disappointing playoff series against Pittsburgh, and after a 17-18-3, 2.75 record, was dispatched to Boston along with Jason Allison, Anson Carter, and a third round pick for Adam Oates, Rick Tocchet, and Bill Ranford. Coach Jim Schoenfeld would be relieved of his duties at year’s end, replaced by Ron Wilson. The housecleaning would pay off . . .

It’s 1997-98 . . . the Caps would bid farewell to the big Pringle’s chip in Landover for shiny new digs on 7^th Street. Peter Bondra would match a career high with 52 goals, including 13 game winners. But the season’s turning point might have taken place on opening night. Bill Ranford, installed as the number one netminder for the opener against Toronto, took a puck square on the cup . . . enter Olaf Kolzig in what would be his own Lou Gehrig for Wally Pipp moment. Kolzig would cement his position as the new number one goalie and finish the year 33-18-10, 2.20, .920, leading the Caps to a fifth-seed in the playoffs. Ranford would get some work (7-12-2) but would not regain his top netminder status. Kolzig didn’t stop at game 82. He took the club on his back and led them to three series wins in the playoffs, going 12-5 in the process with five overtime wins. The last of those 12 wins came courtesy of Joe Juneau, who pounced on a rebound to the left of Buffalo Sabres netminder Dominik Hasek, who could not cover the puck before Juneau sent the puck under him and Caps fans into a joy they hadn’t known in any of their previous 23 seasons. The Caps were on to the Stanley Cup final. There, it would be another series of “woulda, coulda, shoulda.” The Wings would eke out a pair of one-goal wins at home to open the series, the latter in overtime, but not before the Capitals would let a chance to split the first two games pass by. In game two, the Capitals held a 4-3 lead in the third period. Esa Tikkanen – a late-season addition to the club – picked up a loose puck and skated in alone against Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood. Tikkanen faked Osgood to the ice and skated around him to face an open net. Tikkanen’s shot skittered wide on the far side, and the Caps lost the opportunity to take a two-goal lead in the game and perhaps knot the series. The Caps would return home, but would drop their third straight one-goal game before going in a more convincing fashion in a 4-1 game four loss.

It’s 1998-1999 . . . and the number ‘511’ has meaning. No, it’s not the number of games Cy Young won in his career (actually, it is), but the number of man-games lost to injury by the Caps in the regular season. Only two players – Brian Bellows and Ken Klee – would dress for at least 75 games. That not being nearly the recipe for a successful season, the Caps finished 31-45-6, the 68 points being the worst finish in a full season since 1981-82. And Dale Hunter, the long-time captain of the club and its gritty soul since his acquisition in 1987, was dealt at the deadline to Colorado for a draft pick. The high points, if one could call them that, were the performances of Calle Johansson and Joe Reekie, who managed a plus-10 and plus-11, respectively, on a club where 29 players were in the minus column.

It’s 1999-2000 . . . and the phrase, “storming back” comes to mind. Through December, the Caps were mired at 13-16-6-1. Then, the Caps tied St. Louis on New Year’s Day. From there, the Caps would storm through January, going 11-1-2. They would make MCI Center a difficult place for opponents to play, winning ten straight (a club record) from January 4^th to February 23^rd. Olaf Kolzig would be almost impenetrable, and Chris Simon – heretofore known more as a brawler – would register a career-high 29 goals. They would end the year 31-10-6-1 for the 2000 portion of the 1999-2000 season. Kolzig’s 41-20-11, 2.24, .917 (not to mention leading the league in minutes and shots faced) would earn him a Vezina Trophy – the second for the club in its history. But there was a cloud hovering over the club – 45 one-goal games. The Caps finished 20-13-12 in those games. As the playoffs began, an odd scheduling quirk led to games two and three against the Penguins being played in Pittsburgh. The Caps dropped the opener at home, 7-0, then lost three of the next four – all by one goal – and the series.

It’s 2000-2001 . . . and thrilling moments with an unsettled mix. Peter Bondra would net 45 goals (22 of them on the power play), Olaf Kolzig would have another strong year at 37-26-8, 2.48, .909. The Caps were 36-20-10-2 when they took the ice against the Ottawa Senators on March 11, two days before the trading deadline. The calendar might have been weighing heavily as the Caps fell behind 5-2 through two periods, Kolzig having been chased to the bench. Corey Hirsch was brought in for what was to be mop-up duty. Then Andrei Nikolishin scored a goal. Then, Trent Whitfield scored one. Then, Sergei Gonchar netted one to tie the game. Finally, with 1:28 left to play, Steve Konowalchuk made the comeback complete with a goal to give the Caps an improbable 6-5 win. At once, all things seemed possible. Two days later, the Caps traded Jan Bulis, Richard Zednik and a 2001 first round draft pick to the Montreal Canadiens for Trevor Linden, Dainius Zubrus, and a second round pick in the 2001 draft. The Caps lost five in a row after the trade and would end the year struggling on a 4-7-0-2 run. Waiting for them in the opening playoff round was…yes, Pittsburgh. And the club could not right itself, bowing out in a six-game series that ended, as one might have expected, with a patch of bad ice, a puck that jumped, a turnover, a breakaway, and a goal to end a season where the wheels were falling off for a month.

It’s 2001-2002 . . . and the thunder clap heard ‘round the hockey world on July 11, 2001. That morning, Larry Brooks all but used his New York Post column to tell Penguin general manager Craig Patrick that a Ranger offer for Jaromir Jagr – who the Penguins were shopping as part of a salary purge – was the only one out there, and that he’d better take it and like it. That afternoon, the Caps announced that they’d acquired Jagr for three prospects and future considerations. At no time in the history of the franchise had a player of this level of personal accomplishment worn the sweater. The enthusiasm among fans at the prospect was reflected in a crowd of several hundred showing up at Dulles Airport five days later to welcome Jagr to Washington. Then, the club signed Jagr to a seven-year, $77 million contract extension with an option year tacked on the end. The honeymoon didn’t last. In what would begin to take on the aspect of one of those short-lived celebrity marriages, Jagr had what for him was a disappointing year – 31-48-79 in 69 games. Worse, the Caps would fail to make the playoffs, finishing two points behind Montreal for the eighth and final spot in the east. Ron Wilson, a victim of the oft-whispered claim that he “lost the room” was relieved as coach at the end of the year. It was not much fun on Fun Street.

It’s 2002-2003 . . . and a new coach Bruce Cassidy, along with another big signing. This time, Robert Lang was inked to a $25 million, five-year deal with the aim of centering Jagr. The Caps would return to the playoffs, but there was something . . . well, missing. Jagr had another disappointing year on the scoring rolls, going 36-41-77 in 75 games, but he wasn’t without his moments. Specifically, there were consecutive games in mid-January (against Florida and the Islanders) in which he went 5-6-11, +6. Lang had a decent year (22-47-69), but more was envisioned. The Caps would draw upstart Tampa Bay in the first round, and after winning a pair of three-goal decisions in Tampa, it appeared that a deeper run was in store. But not even Jagr, who had been on the high side of a lot of Capitals’ playoff collapses, could get the Caps over the hump. The Caps would tie game three late in regulation on a Brendan Witt goal, but would see their series lead cut in half as Vincent Lecavalier potted the winner in a 4-3 overtime final. From there, the Caps would lose the last three games of the series, one very reminiscent of the 1995-1996 series against the Penguins, right down to the multi-overtime game, this year’s being the final game on Easter Sunday in Washington, where Martin St. Louis circled out from behind the net on a power play to lift the puck over Olaf Kolzig’s glove in the third overtime (the four-overtime game in 1996 also was decided on a power play).

It’s 2003-2004 . . . and time not for a remodel or a rebuild, but for the club to gut the club right down to the studs and start over. The pieces of the selloff are described here, but at the end, it was a club dressing players such as Matt Yeats in goal, Roman Tvrdon, Garret Stroshein, and Mel Anglestad in the finale against Pittsburgh (they always show up for these events, don’t they?). After 30 years, the Caps had returned to their roots…they were once more an expansion team.

It’s 2004-2005 . . . and a lockout making this the great ice age in NHL history. For the Caps, the year was noteworthy for what took place in June. The Caps won the draft lottery, leapfrogging the Penguins and the Chicago Blackhawks for the right to select a young forward from Moscow Dynamo with a game more typical of North America in its ferocity than that normally associated with Europeans. Alexander Ovechkin took the stage at the entry draft upon his announcement as the Caps first selection and looked for all the world like the happiest man in the arena. As time would pass, he’d make a lot of people happy.

It’s 2005-2006 . . . and the introduction of Alexander the Great to the NHL. Presumed that he would be overshadowed this season by the prodigy Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh (the beneficiary of another lottery), Ovechkin opened his career by planting Columbus’ Radoslav Suchy through the glass behind the Columbus net on his first NHL shift. He’d top that by scoring a goal in the second period, then another four minutes later. If he’d had an assist, he could have ended up with an “Ovechkin hat trick” – a goal, an assist, and a glass-shattering hit. He was clearly the star that shone through a cloudy sky. He had almost twice as many points as the next highest total on the club (106 to 57 for Dainius Zubrus), more than twice as many goals (52 to 23 for Zubrus), 20 more assists than the Caps’ runner-up, more than twice as many shots on goal as the runner-up, he led all forwards in ice time, had 21 power play and five game-winning goals, led the team in takeaways, and by a wide margin led the team, not to mention all NHL rookie forwards, in hits. Now, if only the Caps could build around this guy.

It’s 2006-2007 . . . and 70 points not looking like 70 points. In 2005-2006, 70 points was the result of an overachieving, under-talented club. This year, it was a disappointing finish for a club that was coasting at 15-10-7 on December 16^th. Injuries, illness, a lack of depth, inadequate experience, and a shallow skill set conspired to leave the Capitals in 26^th place in the league. Fans could enjoy the antics of the Alexes – Ovechkin and Semin – who combined for 84 goals and 165 points. They could enjoy Chris Clark – a captain in the mold of Caps’ captains past – realize another career goal scoring year (30), giving the Caps three 30-goal scorers. Boyd Gordon and Matt Pettinger would emerge as players who, with more experience, could serve as stoppers on the forward line while chipping in some scoring of their own. Milan Jurcina was plucked from a dead-end in Boston to be one of the big hitters on defense ands with a big slap shot from the point to boot. Shaone Morrisonn continued his development, and Mike Green and Jeff Schultz gave glimpses of the kind of game-to-game contributors they could be on the blue line in years to come. Olaf Kolzig, if not quite a “gray beard,” continued to be the rock in goal that he has been for a decade.

32 seasons, and the lows outnumber the highs. Even the sunniest Caps fan would have to concede that. But over the years, Caps hockey has not been without its moments, its players, and even its characters, leaving us to ponder the question, “what is Caps Hockey?” . . .

It’s Michel Belhumeur and Bill Mikkelson in that legendary first year. Say what you will, but an 0-24-3 record and a -82 deserve attention and, yes, even respect. They were out there every night battling.

It’s Dennis Maruk’s luxuriant fu-manchu moustache.

It’s Ace Bailey dressing for 207 games as a Cap, leaving us before his time on a clear September day in 2001.

It’s Gary Green being named head coach at the age of 26.

It’s Doug Mohns, Bill Clement, Yvon Labre, Guy Charron, Ryan Walter, Rod Langway, Kevin Hatcher, Dale Hunter, Adam Oates, Steve Konowalchuk, Brendan Witt, Jeff Halpern, and Chris Clark, captains all.

It’s Terry Murray, who played for his brother, Bryan, than succeeded him as coach with the Caps.

It’s the elegance of Bengt Gustafsson.

It’s the grit of Dale Hunter.

It’s the odd character that was Al Iafrate.

It’s the Plumbers Line of Craig Laughlin, Greg Adams, and Gaetan Duchesne.

It is Duchesne leaving us too soon.

It is Steve Konowalchuk, Jeff Halpern, and Ulf Dahlen doing a pretty good imitation of the Plumbers Line and the Harlem Globetrotters with their grit and ability to play keep-away with the puck.

It is Kelly Miller.

It’s a puck ringing off a post or fluttering past a clot of bodies to end a game when people are usually fast asleep.

It is the Secretary of Defense.

It’s Bobby “One Punch” Gould on the night of March 20, 1987. What happened? Hey, ask Mario Lemieux…if he remembers.

It’s demons in orange and blue, gold and black.

It’s “…Murphy starts the rush… he hits Hunter…he’s in alone…a shot…and a goal!!!!!”

It’s a young, strapping kid from Kitchener, Ontario, making his mark – sometimes quite literally on opposing forwards – as a young defenseman. And no amount of draft picks could replace what was lost when he departed.

It’s a debate over Dale Hunter versus Joe Sakic. Every Cap fan who would call themselves one knows what the debate is about.

It’s four guys in a limousine outside a Georgetown bar.

It’s the relentless professionalism of Calle Johansson.

It’s 15 consecutive seasons as a “plus” player – eight of them with the Caps – which is pretty darn good, no matter how painful it might have been to watch Joe Reekie skate.

It’s Jeff Halpern, who wasn’t just the token “home grown” Cap, but a fine faceoff man and effective checker in the tradition of Caps past.

It’s Corey Hirsch’s perfect 20 minutes.

It’s Calle Johansson playing 983 games in a Caps sweater, and Shawn Cronin playing one (in 1988-89…look it up).

It’s several hundred fans trekking out to an airport to welcome a player who had bedeviled them for years.

It’s fans glad to have seen that player go 30 months later.

It’s winning the lottery and getting Alex Ovechkin.

It’s losing the lottery and getting Sasha Pokulok (prove ‘em wrong, kid).

It’s Bobby Carpenter . . . then merely “Bob” Carpenter the second time around.

It’s 21 points and 446 goals allowed…records likely to stand as long as NHL hockey is played.

It’s the only skater to be named a first-team NHL all-star in his first two years.

It’s trying to get out of the Capital Centre parking lot.

It’s flying on the team plane to a playoff game in Pittsburgh with a lot of other Caps fans…and watching Jagr stick the knife between our ribs one more time.

It’s Joe Juneau with his arms raised behind the Buffalo goal with the puck tucked safely under Dominik Hasek.

It's Abe, it's Ted.

It’s Godzilla.

It's Alex.

It’s a lot more. But with the good and the bad, there is a shared history here. And with that, there is a shared hope that what the Caps are building will end in names we know etched onto a plate that girds the Stanley Cup. I’m a Caps fan, and proud of it.