Here is a fact for your consumption. The 1998 Eastern Conference Champion Capitals (yes...the Caps experienced success before Ovechkin newbies) made it to the Stanley Cup finals with air-tight defense in their own zone and with timely-opportunistic offense. The 98 Caps had one pure goal scorer in Peter Bondra (52 goals) and Bondra played within the framework of the overall defense without being an offense-only liability. Bondra created opportunities for himself and others by buying into Ron Wilson's system and playing two-way hockey. Coach Ron Wilson had success because that Caps TEAM out worked, out hit and out hustled teams that were often more talented.

Fast forward to now and this Caps squad that is loaded with talent but they are far from a team. The first thing people say when you mention the Caps is the word talented. The problem is they are not combining the word talented with hard working. The Boston Bruins earned a Stanley Cup last year with no where near the talent the Caps have. Why? The simple answer was they proved to be the best team playing the best hockey when the playoffs rolled around. The Bruins had highs and lows last season but they got hot at the right time, played team hockey and endured the longest. They also beat a lot of teams with more talent than they had. 

One of the most important lessons Dale Hunter must teach is showing his team how to play hockey without the puck. Hunter has to show them that you must win the little battles in the corners, behind the net and in the neutral zone in order to EARN scoring opportunities that win games. The previous regime proved to us time and time again that "cute hockey" simply does not work in the playoffs.

Dale's biggest job is showing Alexander Ovechkin and Alexander Semin that they can create offense for themselves and others by playing smart, two-way hockey. No one is asking them to become Selke winners but they can definitely play within the overall scheme and create chances for themselves and others. Peter Bondra scored a ton of goals in a highly defensive system so there is no reason Ovechkin and Semin cannot do the same if they buy in and commit to working hard consistently.

You can no longer run and gun your way to a Stanley Cup like Gretzky and Lemieux did so for those hoping the Caps will get back to that style of hockey your amateur is showing. The Caps under Bruce Boudreau proved that a ceiling existed for run and gun hockey. The moment someone takes away time and space the Caps looked like fish out of water. It is good for regular season wins, home ice in the playoffs, plenty of accolades and beating the New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs but not much else. 

As the Caps move forward with Hunter and his style of play we will see who is not fitting in. We will see who values their "numbers" more than wins and losses. We will also see who requests to seek life elsewhere. This style of hockey (winning hockey) requires hard work, discipline, patience and toughness. Some of the guys starting this journey will not be here at the end.

  

The same principles of patience and discipline goes for Caps fans who got spoiled on the Fool's gold that was Bruce Boudreau's tenure. Bruce won a lot of games and the style of hockey he coached was exciting for fans but the results speak volumes. I'll take winning the games that matter most over winning a bunch of games ten times out of ten and twice on Sunday. The ONLY goal is the Stanley Cup. Not making it to the second round, beating the Penguins or just getting to the finals. The ONLY goal is being the last team standing at Season's end. The real journey towards that goal started last night.