The Washington Capitals’ Transformational Journey

I first came to the Washington DC area in August 2007 and I experienced the hockey shock of a lifetime. For the first time in my adult life I was not living in a hockey city. Now there are pluses and minuses to any situation. While I was able to see any game I wanted, practically alone, I found it near impossible to find anyone to bring along and discuss hockey. This didn’t stop me because I’ll watch hockey any chance I get.

So I went to games (and a lot of them) with the sparse few Capitals fans that had stuck with the team during the rough patches. They were a very young team that year and were struggling to find their footing but by the end of that season you could see that the pieces were starting to fall into place. They made it to the playoffs and the city was starting to catch Capitals fever. A bitter game 7 exit to the Philadelphia Flyers would energize the Capitals and give the fans a Conference nemesis.

The next season the team was more confident and their fans were growing in number. The arena was steadily filled to see the likes of Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, and Mike Green. Capitals fans got to witness some special games including when Mike Green beat the NHL record for goals in consecutive games by a defenseman. A young rookie named Semyon Varlamov stole the hearts of Caps fans in the playoffs. And let’s face it every night Ovechkin takes the ice, hockey fans are in for an extraordinary treat. A great hockey atmosphere was starting to build but the team still struggled when Ovechkin was absent.

Some new acquisitions in the off-season and a lot of hard conditioning by the entire team and this season Capitals fans get to see a more mature and refined offensive powerhouse. While the fan favorites are still fan favorites, the team has an undeniable chemistry that doesn’t require Alexander Ovechkin to drive it. In fact, even the Hershey Bear call-ups are providing points. (This, of course, is a testament to the system that their management has established.)

Capitals fans get to see a team that won’t quit, passion and desire on a nightly basis, and a fluid offensive machine. The Washington Capitals have taken an amazing transformational journey during the short time that I’ve lived here and sometimes I forget it. Washington, you and the rest of the NHL community are getting to watch something amazing happen. Savor every moment that you can because it looks like it’s getting better every game. This year, I can pretty much guarantee that your team has their sights on a very deep cup run. And with the way they are playing I’d be surprised with anything short of a spectacular show.

(This post appears of www.crashthecrease.com)