Training camp is not a try out

 Preseason games are a yawner for me. Not only are they not intended to be competitive, but they are also designed to get players their skating legs, and not even a time to show off. Strategy is minimal, because coaches don't want to give anything away. Hockey is hockey, but this, just barely. 

There is always some conversation about a player getting hot in training camp and having some good games in the preseason. Will that player make the opening night roster? I would venture to guess the answer is no. Organizations knew who they had because of years of scouting of players previous seasons with the team, or with juniors or with minor league franchises. Sure, Andrew Cristall is "making things tough" for the Capitals, but he was never making the team. Keep it up in the AHL for a couple of weeks, then welcome aboard. It was already written in the stars. 

The Capitals will stay in DC

So it isn't the relocation speculation of the Coyotes or even the Jets, but the Washington Capitals (and the Wizards) had been in discussion to move out of the District into northern Virginia, which is a completely different cultural environment.

The Caps have played at Capital One Arena right downtown DC. I mean, it's right across the street from the National Portrait Gallery. It's a half hour walk to either the Capital Building or the White House. Many of the people that live in close proximity are often congressional functionaries and foreign dignitaries. 

Were they to move to northern Virginia, they would never be more than 5 miles from a HomeGoods. Residents are more long term, working perhaps more for the various departments of government, rather than in the fleeting capacity of Congress. Ironically, some of these residents may work for Capital One. 

It makes more sense for the Caps to want to be among the longer term residents of the region, the people that are probably Caps fans, and not taking their allegiances from their district near Detroit, or the national affiliation from the Central African Republic, or what have you.

Of course, one thing I can tell you about suburbs anywhere, be they in Northern Virginia or, for example, Glendale or Mesa, they don't really want stadiums or arenas built in their backyard. And most lawmakers would prefer getting zero blowback on getting an arena getting built, so how about a largely transient population in the Nation's Capital? 

Oh, that would put undue burden on the rest of the residents of the District that ARE long term residents but don't live downtown? That's fair. Maybe just stay at Capital One Arena. Everyone that doesn't own an NHL or NBA franchise wins. And they get to stay next to the Portrait Gallery, which is still kind of neat. 

Alexander Ovechkin is still the main show in town

 Even after all these years, Russian superstar Alexander Ovechkin is still the leading scorer with the Washington Capitals. The offense flows through him, and
given the state of other sports in the DC area, it's not too far a stretch to say he is the biggest athlete going in the nation's capital right now.

Of course, just like the rest of DC teams, the Caps are not in playoff position right now. They are 9th in the East, but 5 points out of the second wild card spot, It's a far cry from the halcyon days of the Capitals, who have watched the rest of the Southeast pass them by. 

It's not hard to see that things are off with the Caps. Yes, Alexander Ovechkin is still the leading scorer for Washington, but were he on, say, the Minnesota Wild, in about the same position out West, Ovechkin would be #5 in points. Ovi is still leading the Capitals, but instead of a pronouncement of his extensive talent, it is more of a condemnation of the rest of the team.

Decent goaltending and a solid backline are keeping the Caps in the hunt, even as their offense runs through a 38 year old on the downside of his career. In fact, they are close enough with few enough teams ahead of them that they might take a swing at the deadline to get them back in.

And well they should. For most teams, most players, I would say Ovechkin himself should be on his way out of town, but not someone who has spent nearly 20 years associated with the organization. Not the greatest player ever in the organization. The Caps are simply better off giving Ovechkin a send off, rather than trying start building for next year, with or without Ovechkin.

Sometimes building a team back is the right move, but Alexander Ovechkin is the best thing Washington has going on the sports scene. Let him keep doing that through the rest of the year. 

The Metro needs a hard reboot

The Pittsburgh Penguins just ended a 7 game losing streak. Yes, those Penguins. Yes, 7 games. Of course, they broke the streak against the Capitals, so maybe things aren't as bad as it seems and no, wait, the Caps are only two points ahead of the Penguins, despite having two more games in hand. Those two teams aren't in last, though. That spot belongs to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who aren't any better than they have always been, despite making the most notable free agent acquisition of the offseason. The only thing that could make the first month of the season stranger in the Metro is if the Devils were in first place, or something. 

Tweet of the Moment

Catch current Caps prospects live at @CapitalOneArena next week for the #CapsDevCamp Open House and Scrimmage on July 15!

The event is free and open to the general public with prior registration at the link below.

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 7, 2022

Do you think the Caps know that the draft is tonight? Are they advertising their current prospects because they don't realize they may soon have an exciting new set, or is this a condemnation of the prospect pool in the draft this year? Or is this just a reflection on the attitude in the front office? They won't be able to get anyone good, so you might as well just enjoy what you've got. *shrug*