If there is one thing I might very well be grateful for this year, it's the lockout.
Why, you ask? Well, the lockout forced me into greater roles in my other occupations and has since kept me from keeping as close an eye on the Washington Capitals as I normally do.
Straight up, Caps fans, this has been damnnnnn hard to watch.
And I am happy that I haven't scarred my eyes with too much Caps hockey as there is no telling what my mood would be if I'd have seen what you've seen.
Nevertheless, I do have to focus on this team and pay attention from time to time, and if my apt description above doesn't fully explain my feelings about this team, then let me tell you some more;
- Ovechkin has 3 goals
- the Caps have 2 wins
- Mike Ribeiro is your leading scorer...this isn't Dallas
- 5 points = worst in the East and all of the NHL
- worst team +/- differential (-17)
- 25 goals for in 11 games played
- 41 goals against in ...
- Holtby, 56th in Sv%, 61st in GAA, 52nd in wins, ugh. Neuvirth, 47th in Sv%, 43rd in GAA, 50th in wins, ugh.
- Nicklas who?
- Four, count 'em, 4 players on the Caps have a +. 18 sitting in the minus.
- MJ90, -7, Kundratek, -6, Ovechkin, -5.
- 70.6% efficiency on the PK = 27th overall
- 47.3% faceoff efficiency = 24th overall
- 28th overall in 5 on 5, or even-strength
Last night's debacle of a second period, which sprung from what had been the Caps best road period to date, highlights how fast and far down the hill the Capitals have tumbled in the past few seasons.
No longer is there a sense of reliability on this team. No one seems to be able to figure it out, and no one is taking charge of this ever-growing mess.
It has come to the point where I am being inundated with reports about the imminence of Alex Ovechkin being traded. And while I am having a hard time verifying any of the information I am receiving as being legit, the sheer fact that it is coming from all four corners of the NHL tells me that there is more than meets the eye with the Caps these days.
True, there are some excellent prospects on their way, but that was the same kind of talk that went on following the last lockout. And that was 8 years ago.
To be back in that situation, well, it's downright sad.
Disheartening as it may be, there really doesn't seem like there is much rope left to save the season. And that is just frightening because the Caps are only verging on finishing up their first quarter of play.
If the season can be saved, I'm not quite sure how.
This is a vent session, so feel free to let your feelings be known.
There is little to defend at this moment, only what appears to be rotting flesh to pick off the bones.
Pick away.
www.twitter.com/StevenHindle
Washington Capitals Blogger • 
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