Category Archives: The Great Old Patrick Division

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

NHL Realignment Delivers the Long Overdue Demolition of the SouthLeast

Though there surely should have been, we had no mayoral proclamation, no triumphant, inspiring oratory from any of our region’s elected officials, Chambers of Commerce, or business luminaries, no acknowledgment of the Great Liberation that uniquely visited Washington this week. … Continue reading

Posted in Gary Bettman, Hockey Towns, Morning cup-a-joe, Much-needed realignment, Southeast Division, The Great Old Patrick Division, Washington Capitals | 6 Comments

A House Undefended

Separate and distinct from the scoreboard verdict, there was a disquieting vibe to Super Sunday’s matinee tilt between the Penguins and Capitals. I sat down low in Verizon Center for it, and I didn’t like the vibe at all. This … Continue reading

Posted in National Hockey League, NBC, Pittsburgh Penguins, The Great Old Patrick Division, TV, Washington Capitals, Washington the cursed hockey town | 3 Comments

When Animals in Orange Attack

Last month I intimated that the reconstitution of the Patrick division represented something very special for Capitals fans. But by very special I didn’t mean always uplifting. Dateline, Philadelphia, January 5, 2012. Three Philadelphia Flyers fans are wanted by Philadelphia … Continue reading

Posted in Morning cup-a-joe, National Hockey League, Philadelphia Flyers, The Great Old Patrick Division, Winter Classic | 4 Comments

Size, of Body and Heart, Matters — Especially in 2012

Instructive moment: Rangers’ captain Ryan Callahan, made captain at so tender an age partly out of his affinity for playing December hockey games like they’re game 7s in May, blocked a John Carlson slapshot at the point the other night, … Continue reading

Posted in Dale Hunter, George McPhee, HBO's 24/7, Jeff Schultz, Morning cup-a-joe, New Jersey Devils, New media, New York Rangers, Old Time Hockey, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, The Great Old Patrick Division | 6 Comments

What Reunification Means To Us

Patrick Division 2.0 we’re calling it. Our collective heads are still spinning over the dream-like developments of the past 72 hours. It was just this past Saturday night that word broke — exploded, really — that the NHL’s Board of Governors would consider a proposal brought to them by the commissioner that would reunite the Capitals with their natural rivals in the Mid-Atlantic and obliterate — forever — the Southeast division. Not long after we in Washington got home from school and work Monday night it was a reality. Continue reading

Posted in Much-needed realignment, National Hockey League, The Great Old Patrick Division, Verizon Center, Washington the hockey town | 14 Comments

OFB TV: Christmas for Caps Fans — Hello Again, Patrick Division!

When it comes to the Capitals’ past, there are few voices in our region bearing the vivid fidelity of Baltimore WNST’s Ed Frankovic. Ed worked for the Caps during the glory days when the team nightly battled the likes of … Continue reading

Posted in Eastern Conference, Ed Frankovic, Much-needed realignment, New media, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, OFB TV, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ted Leonsis, The Great Old Patrick Division, Washington Capitals, Washington the hockey town | Leave a comment

We Want This (in the Worst Way)

‘The Hot Stove‘ last night dropped a realignment bombshell on us. Take a look: Christmas-pinch me: Could it really be that in the very same week Dale Hunter is returned to D.C. legacy-honoring leadership is emerging in realignment discussions, such … Continue reading

Posted in Much-needed realignment, National Hockey League, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, The Great Old Patrick Division, Washington Capitals | 5 Comments

How About a Little Audio Poetry?

Walton Bids Good Night in Western Pennsylvania

Posted in 2 Points, John Walton, Media, Pittsburgh Penguins, Radio, The Great Old Patrick Division | 3 Comments

By and Large, by Design, a Training Camp of Tranquility

The best part of the Capitals’ preseason has arrived — its conclusion. They survived a slate of seven exhibition games largely unscathed; no front-line performers ought to be missing from Saturday’s opening night here against Carolina. For a team not … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Colorado Avalanche, Dmitri Orlov, Front Office, Gary Bettman, George McPhee, John Walton, Kettler Capitals Iceplex, Mathieu Perreault, Michal Neuvirth, Morning cup-a-joe, Much-needed realignment, Much-needed relocation, National Hockey League, Radio, The Great Old Patrick Division, Tomas Vokoun, Washington Capitals | Leave a comment