Category Archives: The curse of Washington hockey

George McPhee Was Mostly the Architect of an Identity Crisis

It wasn’t supposed to end like this. Ten years ago, gifted by the draft lottery gods, and with a young but battle-tested general manager presiding over a roster rebuild he’d already appropriately earned plaudits for, the Washington Capitals were supposed … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, David Poile, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Filip Forsberg, Front Office, George McPhee, Martin Erat, Morning cup-a-joe, National Hockey League, Seth Jones, Southeast Division, The curse of Washington hockey, The Great Old Patrick Division, Washington Capitals, Washington the cursed hockey town, Washington the hockey town | 8 Comments

A Desperation Move by a Desperate GM

Once upon a time, Capitals General Manager George McPhee was viewed, rightly I think, as cautious and shrewd each spring around trade deadline time. Never one to radically revamp his roster with wheeling and dealing then, McPhee in fact over … Continue reading

Posted in David Poile, Eastern Conference, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Filip Forsberg, Front Office, George McPhee, Martin Erat, Morning cup-a-joe, Nashville Predators, NHL trade deadline, The curse of Washington hockey, Washington Capitals | 17 Comments

Striving Still for Serial Killer Status

This morning I am thinking a great deal about the New Jersey Devils, a great deal about the Detroit Red Wings, and a great deal about Matt Bradley. Winners win, and losers lose, and they do so in our sport … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Brooks Laich, Dale Hunter, Dave Steckel, George McPhee, Matt Bradley, Morning cup-a-joe, New Jersey Devils, NHL playoffs, The curse of Washington hockey | 5 Comments

A Stick Foul into Immortal Infamy

Humans’ impulse for empathy is a great and powerful instinct, but there are times when it is banally misapplied. Sports are, in the biggest picture context, virtually meaningless pursuits, but we do invest billions in their architecture, to say nothing … Continue reading

Posted in Ed Frankovic, Hockey blogging, Joel Ward, Media, Morning cup-a-joe, New media, New York Rangers, NHL playoffs, Print, The curse of Washington hockey, Washington Capitals, Washington the cursed hockey town | 35 Comments

A Hardcore Hockey Fan’s Lament

Something unique has happened to me this hockey season — I largely stopped caring about the Washington Capitals, and hockey in general. Between an on-ice product that was less than inspiring to a coaching situation that was handled, from my … Continue reading

Posted in Morning cup-a-joe, playoff hockey, The curse of Washington hockey, Washington Capitals | 10 Comments

Hitting the Reset Button

I never slow down to peek at roadside car wrecks, but I am going to blog a bit about our barely moving wreck of a hockey team. I’m here with a good deal many more questions than answers, and a … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Dave Steckel, George McPhee, Matt Bradley, Mike Green, Stanley Cup, Ted Leonsis, The curse of Washington hockey, The Red Army, The Young Guns, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals, Washington the hockey town | 28 Comments

‘It’s a Team That Lacks an Identity’

On at least three occasions during Monday night’s national television broadcast the NBC Sports studio tandem of Mike Milbury and Jeremy Roenick explicitly alluded to the Capitals lacking any discernible identity. It’s a sentiment I began expresing on this blog … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Eastern Conference, George McPhee, Joel Ward, Morning cup-a-joe, New York Rangers, NHL playoffs, playoff hockey, The curse of Washington hockey, Washington Capitals | 15 Comments

Reconstruction Time

As implosions go, by a perennially imploding franchise in spring, this may have been an all-timer. And you know where we stand: there should be serious repercussions. On an individual game basis, the scoreboard will suggest that this Caps-Bolts series … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Bruce Boudreau, Eastern Conference, Media, Morning cup-a-joe, NHL playoffs, Print, Tampa Bay Lightning, The curse of Washington hockey, Washington Capitals, Washington the hockey town | 72 Comments