You don't have to know hockey to know what is happening with the Caps because the Caps don't have a hockey problem as much as they have a leadership and identity problem. Inconsistency of that magnitude usually begins in the front office and filters down. It has been my experience that crazy swings in performance from groups/teams usually mean someone within the group/team is not being held accountable. The others within the group/team see this player get away with murder and develop an apathetic attitude. 

There must be a lot of things going on that Joe and Jane the fan are not privy to because the George McPhee cone of silence has proven quite effective over the years. What I have seen is one good coach run out of town because the star players on this team quit on him and the front office sided with the players. While that is not unusual I am wondering how the organization is going to justify this again with Hunter at the helm. I see those same star players that quit on Boudreau under-achieving for Dale Hunter. They are playing a bit better but clearly not well enough to make a significant difference in the win-loss column. Some choose to blame the Caps dismal results on injuries but everyone has injuries to key players and other teams are flat out getting it done.

Here is what I know. I know that Dale Hunter is one of the most fundamentally sound players and coaches I've ever seen. I know this because I watched him perform for decades.  So how does a guy that lives and breathes hockey like Hunter put such an inept team on the ice? The short answer is I don't think it is Hunter at all. I think the Caps have a cancer in that locker room and the other players in the locker room have become apathetic. The players don't talk about it until they leave and when they do say something the Caps minions are quick to dismiss them as disgruntled former employees. My theory is if two people tell you you're drunk it's time to give up the keys. The other gorilla in the room that no one can ignore are the results. This team started the season with the goal of hoisting the Cup and right now they look like one of the worst teams in the league. 

So what have we learned? The Capitals ownership and front office made the mistake of hedging their bet on superstar players instead of a time tested winning identity. A good example is the six time world champion Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers winning tradition is not about superstar players but more focused on a way of doing business. The Steelers hit hard, play hard, tackle hard and run hard so no matter who wears the jersey you know what they represent. Having a clear identity provides organizational consistency and stability. The Steelers will only hire tough coaches because that is who they are. They will only draft tough players because that fits what they do. What is the Caps identity? Inconsistency is an identity but not the one you want.

Besides inconsistency the Caps have no identity. They are not regarded as a smart team. They will never be confused for the hardest working team either.  Talent is wasted if it does not come with results. The road to fixing this identity problem starts with Ted Leonsis deciding what his team identity will be. Next step is removing the cancerous players and creating an atmosphere in that locker room where everyone is held equally accountable but also equally empowered. Goal scoring and defense are a team effort and not reserved for superstars. The Caps could also use an on ice leader that actually knows what he is doing in terms of leading men through a very difficult season.