Is This the Year for the Caps? – The Post
Capitals Preview 2009 – The Post
Capitals season preview – The Wash. Times
Leonsis: Capitals set for dynasty – The Wash. Times
As one season fades, another begins. I wore my white stars n’ stripes Washington Capitals sweater today (with a Nationals home red hat — a sharp combo). Hockey is back tonight with our Nation’s Capitals opening in Boston against the Bruins. Washington’s premier team will return to D.C. for a Saturday night home opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Hopefully, they won’t make a big fuss about their latest Southeast Division title becuase at this point, that is too small a goal for this team. They have most of the firepower from last year’s second seed team back. LW Alex Ovechkin the greatest player in the world returns following another Hart Trophy (MVP) season. He is joined by C Nicklas Backstrom, fellow Russian Alexander Semin, defensive scoring leader Mike Green plus new additions Mike Knuble and Brendan Morrison. Tom Poti and Sergei Federov departed in the offseason, as did enforcer Donald Brashear. Captain Chris Clark is also the healthiest he has been in years.
Goaltending is the biggest question mark for the Caps with Jose Theodore trying to fend off Semyon Varlamov, who led the playoff run after taking over for Theodore in the first round. Michael Neuvirth who won the Calder Cup with the AHL Hershey Bears and will likely see some time in Washington this season.
Bruce Boudreau is the enthusiastic head coach who continues to push the culture of high expectations and great post-game interviews. Ted Leonsis believes that the Caps could be a dynasty with the current core as well as the talent they have in the minors. We can’t get ahead of ourselves though and I don’t think Leonsis or Bourdreau have either. They have to win one first and this appears to be a prime year to do it with some likely roster changes next year.
In addition to the newspapers linked above, I follow the team through a few of the many blogs:
Japers Rink – The most extensive, a SBNation blog
On Frozen Blog – complete Capitals hockey myopia
Off Wing Opinion – the longest running
A View from the Cheap Seats – a woman’s perspective
Bleatings from a Caps Nut – still grumpy
The Peerless Prognosticator
Ted Leonsis – the boss
I’ll be following along all season, though I don’t know how much blogging I will do — after all I am the “most casual hockey fan in the world.” I am going to the Nov. 3 game though and hopefully some others later in the season. If you have an extra pair of seats, let me know sometime and I will see if I can take them off your hands. 🙂
