You can compare Sid to Ovechkin as much as you want. Maybe at the end of their careers, Ovechkin's going to have more points. Good for him. Sidney's going to win more Stanley Cups. That makes him the better player, the better leader." - Maxime Talbot ( From Empty Netters)

Impressive. If only he could learn to fight? or act?

I'm sure Pens fans wouldn't like this logic when I bring up Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemeuix.

NBC has picked up this game, and it will start at 12:30pm.  Now that we have a time, we can finally get this game watch organized.

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There's been a lot of talk about realignment ever since the NHL threw out decades of tradition and gave us the boring geographically-named divisions and conferences we live with today.  While almost every hockey fan agrees that the current situation is not ideal, most of the realignment plans that you see out there are heavily skewed in favor of one team because of whatever bias the writer has.  This is my attempt at a fair realignment, taking each team's particular situation and goals into account.

I believe the biggest problem with the current setup (apart from losing those historic names) is that many natural rivalries have been broken up -- some before they were ever allowed to get started.  My philosophy is that cities that have something in common should be together in the same division, whenever possible.  As a Caps fan, I am obviously particularly sensitive to this.  Good rivalries should be the #1 consideration in any divisional structure.

But rivalries are not the only consideration.  Travel is not just very expensive -- it's a competitive concern.  Western Conference teams spend many more days on the road and many more hours in the air than Eastern Conference teams, and these extra burdens can have an effect on the standings.  So here's my attempt at a realignment that balances the benefits and burdens on all of the teams:

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I've been thinking about getting a new caps jersey for a while now. I already have a red Mike Green and wanted to get one of the white ones. The problem is that I don't know who to get one it. Right now I'm leaning towards an Ovechkin, Backstrom, or a Shultz. My criteria for the new jersey is:

• I want someone who will stay on the team for more seasons than just this year
• Only a top-six forward, so no Bradley or Steckel
• I'd rather not have a goalie as the situation with Varlamov and all...

Thanks!

Anybody know anything about this tasty brew from the VC?  We found it at one of those beer kiosks outside section 410.  The vendor had no idea, and there was nothing other than the wordage 'Hat Trick Ale' on the keg handle.  Is it some other common brew that they just re-badged to fit a hockey theme?  There isn't anything helpful on the internet, and places like Total Wine or Harris Teeter don't have it.  Anybody?

Just food for thought...

If we are able to hold our current 14 point lead over the Pens then we could clinch #1 in the East on Wednesday the 24th when the Pens come to town.  The Pens only have 7 games after that one and we would be 16 points ahead.

Not that we need anything further to get us all pumped up for Pens games but it would definitely be a nice extra piece to the pie.

There may be better comparisons but with the depth of scoring, platoon goaltending, and each team laying claim to the best player in the world, it is really fun to compare these stats.  Suffice it to say, comparing the scoring back then to now is like comparing Tipper Gore to Caligula:  the orgy of goal-scoring was shared throughout the league.

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Dear Ted,

I have been a Caps fan since the mid 80’s when I was around twelve years old.  I turned my husband on to the Caps and we are now a family of die hard fans.  It’s not in our budget to attend many games but we watch every game on TV.

I want to share with you an experience that my son and I had while attending the game against Dallas on March 8th. 

As a special treat for my son Jacob’s 9th birthday I got tickets in Section 110 for him and me to see the game against Dallas on the night before his birthday. We got to Verizon Center early enough to watch warm ups.  My son had made a sign that said “It’s my 9th birthday and I love the Caps!”  He worked his way down to the glass and held up his sign right next to the blue line on the Caps side of the penalty box.  He stayed there waiting and watching, so excited to be closer to the action than he ever thought he would get.  At one point, Ovi skated by and looked at Jacob.  He skated away and picked up a puck, came back and tossed it over the glass to Jacob. When Jacob picked up the puck and turned around I saw sheer joy and excitement on his face.  All the people around him were clapping and congratulating him on his coup.  After that the game itself was anti-climactic, there was no way his night was going to get any better.  He was telling everyone seated around us and in line at the concessions about how Ovi read his sign and gave him a puck.  He even got to see his favorite player Backstrom score a great shootout goal but his night had already been made. 

We took him to watch practice (instead of school) the next day, his birthday, hoping to get Alex to sign the puck.  Unfortunately Alex did not practice on Tuesday but he was able to get several other players to sign his hat.  We will continue to attend practices and try to get that puck signed.

I wanted to tell you this story because it says a lot about Alex as a person. He did not have to acknowledge the sign or my son, but cared enough to do something special for a little kid, even though he was getting ready to play.  That small gesture on his part will stay with my son forever.  Your organization is filled with players like that who care enough about their fans to sign and take pictures for all who ask.  They symbolize everything that is great about Caps hockey. 

We extend our thanks to you and your staff for putting this team together, a team that our community can be so proud of.  We hope to be watching Caps hockey well into June this year.

Go Caps!!

Sincerely,

Debbie Gemma

(mom of a 9 year old who is the envy of all his friends)

Just a view photos from a Portland Winter Hawks game I attended last month.  This one was in Portland's Memorial Coliseum. 

Nice old barn.  Throwback atmosphere.  Dim, cozy lights.  Serious fans.  Good beer. 

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Ok, so I have a new ice slot.  I've already paid so everything is taken care of.  We just need people to show up and pay.  Same story as the last time.  If you forget, just check the last FanPost.  Who's in?  Who's out?  Please don't make me hunt people down.  Goalies, hash it out in the comments.  I don't really care just make sure there's at least two.

Saturday March 27 at 9:15 PM.  KCI.