The Washington Capitals kick off the 2008/09 season tonight with none other than Eastern Conference leader Boston Bruins. The Caps trail Boston by 10 points, but lead the Southeast Division by 12 points.
Yesterday of course was about one Capital, HC Bruce Boudreau. Bourdreau was formally inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame. Boudreau earned the honor as a player and a coach and it is a recognition that Boudreau does not look upon lightly.
“This is a very humbling experience when you see all of the great players and hockey people that are up here,” Boudreau said during a luncheon honoring this year’s inductees and the AHL all-stars. “I owe the American Hockey League everything, quite frankly. Over the 30-plus years that I’ve played an coached, the American Hockey League has been part of it all.”
“The one thing I learned about the NHL about five games into my tenure,” Boudreau told the packed ballroom. “I went on a little tirade about the referees in the paper. Instead of getting the $200 fine [like in the AHL], General Manager George McPhee comes in and says [NHL disciplinarian] Colin Campbell wants to talk to you. Colie said, ‘You do it again, and it’s $10,000.’ That was the last time I said anything negative about a referee.”
On behalf of DC Pro Sports Report and our readers, we sincerely congratulate the Coach!
Other articles on Boudreau’s huge accomplishment: Boudreau Wings Way to AHL Hall of Fame (Wash Times). Former Indian Great Boudreau Says He Owes Everything to AHL (MassLive.com), An Appropriate Honor (DC Examiner), Former Hershey Bears coach Bruce Boudreau inducted into AHL Hall of Fame (Harrisburg Patriot)
John Feinstein of the Washington Post joins Tom Boswell aboaerd the Caps bandwagon.
It really doesn’t matter that Montreal’s fans stuffed the ballot boxes to get four of their players into the starting lineup or that Ovechkin, the best player in the league, wasn’t a starter, or that other all-star-worthy Caps got snubbed. Because there has been so little actual winning among the professional sports teams in this town during the last 20 years, there’s a tendency to make a big deal out of things that just aren’t that important.
Abe Pollin acted as if Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes had returned with a second championship trophy a couple of years ago when the Wizards had two players named to the NBA all-star team, as if that might somehow wipe out the fact that the franchise has still won exactly one playoff series in the last 20 years — a number not likely to increase in 2009.
The Redskins, who were last taken seriously in the NFL in 1991, have shamelessly milked the death of Sean Taylor as if his tragic shooting is something worth reminding people about every chance they get. They act as though ‘honoring’ Taylor’s name and number by brandishing it publicly is some kind of badge of courage or dignity.
It’s called painfully honest, painfully brutal, but it is also called, painfully correct. I am not going to go into a long diatribe that is seemingly popular here at DCPSR about the state of the Washington Capitals compared to the sadder states of the Washington Bullets, Washington Nationals, and certainly the Washington Redskins. We’ve beat that to oblivion. But it is the whisper of popularity of these Washington Capitals and hockey in general, in the Washington DC area, that is absolutely warming and thrilling!The important thing here is to grow the fanbase, encompass your family and friends and tell, come on, give live hockey, give the Caps at the Sea of Red a shot, come experience the Washington Capitals. 3
I’ve done my part. I have converted two friends to Caps fan, my son is now a huge Caps fan, even bigger than the Redskins, then did the impossible and flipped my Wife to the Caps and hockey. Have you done your part?
Finally, as we put in the Comments of the Red Alert post yesterday (please check the comments, that is sometimes the best way for us to update posts, because it is teh easiest way for you to find updates. I know other Blogs don’t do it that way, the simply add an update to the thread, but DCPSR is not other blogs!) Karl Alzner returns to DC and will likely play tonight in Boston.
The rookie defenseman was sent to Hershey of the American Hockey League during the NHL All-Star break; he played in two games for the Bears.
Getty Images Karl Alzner has a goal and three assists in 26 games for the Capitals this season.
“[Alzner] played pretty well this weekend, and I was really happy with him,” Boudreau said. “Sometimes you need a refresher course. You go down, and even though it is great down there, you go, ‘Whoa, I want to get back to the NHL.’”
Congrats to Hershey’s Chris Bourque. Bourque scored the game winning goal for Planet USA in the AHL All Star Game.
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