Why the Washington Capitals, and Alex Ovechkin, Will Bounce Back

It’s no secret that the Washington Capitals have not lived up to expectations this season. The season is now three-quarters of the way through, and I’m trying to prepare for the emotional trauma that will ensue if the Caps’ season ends after only 82 games. But there is still hope; as of this publication, the Winnipeg Jets lead the Southeast division (talk about a wild card), and are only four points ahead of Washington. The Florida Panthers are precariously perched in eighth place in the East, with a three point lead over Washington. If the Capitals play their last 22 games up to their potential, then they’ll most likely find themselves in the post-season by the skin of their teeth.

[caption id="attachment_120" align="alignright" width="314" caption="Washington is on the playoff bubble with 22 games left."]Eastern Conference Standings[/caption]

I’m not here with predictions of doom and gloom. I’m here to offer hope to those whose faith is waning. The Washington Capitals will return to peak form, as will Alexander Ovechkin.  They may not find their groove in time to make a deep playoff run in April, but like Frosty, the Caps will be back some day.

In my unprofessional opinion, the Caps made too many adjustments to the roster this past off-season. They had varying successes in recent playoffs, but they had yet to show that they were capable of consistent dominance. Washington’s front office brought in a pack of new skaters to supplement a team that hadn’t quite pinned down their own identity. With all these new faces, Washington became an even more ambiguous team. This instability was exacerbated when General Manager George McPhee mashed his big, red, panic button and ejected Bruce Boudreau. Now, under Dale Hunter, the Caps are once again metaphoric teenagers, going through a phase a self-discovery, while all the cool sports writers make fun of their acne.

[caption id="attachment_119" align="alignnone" width="362" caption="We all know the feeling."][/caption]

This summer, after what all signs indicate will be another disappointing post-season, the Capitals will do some soul-searching.  In recent years, they had been the subject of a media frenzy, due to their unlikely success immediately after hiring Boudreau, the winning of the franchise’s first President’s Trophy, and their dynamic Russian poster-boy.  Now, they’ve been forgotten about, and Ovechkin has been brushed aside as a has-been prima donna. The Capitals will come to terms with the fact that it takes grit, and not just a couple of all-stars to win in this league. They’ll swallow their pride, forget about this travesty of a season, and come back in the fall, ready to prove themselves as a consistent and mature team.

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