Two points garnered is no longer good enough in a game. First place in the East is not good enough. Second most points in the NHL is not good enough.
We need to win the Stanley Cup like right now. Tonight. Sweep all 16 games. Right now. Until you do, you are a bum.
And we need to be undefeated in the regular season to boot.
I appreciated getting some of your emails at 9:30ish last night saying how we lost to Montreal and we aren’t a very good team. We are lazy. We have no heart. Thank you. A very courageous game analysis.
However, I am proud of the way the team rallied last night on the road. I am proud that we tied the game after having a 2-0 lead. I am proud that we won in the shootout and we get two points. Did you know that the Capitals have the least amount of regulation losses this season to date in the entire NHL? We have only lost five games in regulation. Imagine if we could win a few more shootouts or games in OT?
It was Thanksgiving weekend. We played two games and we get four points. We are still banged up as a team and it shows. But we are fighting through it.
I have perspective. We got every point available to us this weekend. Lots of players are chipping in and we are getting wonderful goaltending.
I am grateful. All we can do is get the points made available.
This honestly isn’t the Olympics. You don’t get style points. You are what your record says you are. Yes – we can play better. Yes - we aren’t a great team, yet. Yes - we aren’t playing playoff like hockey. We get it. We honestly do.
But have a little perspective. We won on the road. Try to enjoy the ride. And next time you want to send an email rant, at least wait until the game has ended. 
Too funny. Have some faith. Thank you. Go Caps!
Ted, you need to find a way to slough off the comments of those who are obviously speaking with their mouths in overdrive and their brains in neutral. These type of people exist, and they happen to pay a significant part of the freight for the franchise.
But we all have to realize that it isn’t how you play in November that counts, it’s how you play in March …. and April …. and hopefully May …. and hopefully June. You need to look back no further than last season for exhibit A.
This years edition of the Washington Capitals is simply the most fun I have had watching hockey in 45 years of watching hockey. A lot of hockey.
This is a great team that plainly has a plan and depth in place for this year and years to come.
If you are not enjoying and appreciating this team, owner and coaching staff folks…you simply do not understand the game or appreciate excellence.
Just don’t get it either, but it was all well said by everyone above. In life you just can’t make everyone happy, and most of the time those people that complain at times like these will NEVER be happy. If we win the Cup they will say we should have won 16 straight; if you have a parade then they will complain that it was too hot that day; if there is a tree in the forest – who put that tree there? Keep your vision because your vision is what the fans believe in because we are watching it work before our eyes… Good luck tonight and thanks, Mr. Ted.
I think the more impressive thing is that we have this record and are in this position considering the injuries we have. Many other teams would have declined precipitously in the standings with our man-games lost, but we’ve persevered. Not all the wins are pretty, but they’re wins.
Go Caps!
Ted-
I’m glad you have such a great perspective about our team. I hate it when “fans” just go right ahead and have no trouble at all dissing our team. If you’re frustrated, don’t watch us play then. When you’re a real fan, you’re dedicated and believe in your team no matter what the odds. And of course, you realize what the team is lacking when they play bad. But sometimes it just happens. We can’t win every game. We’re going to lose a few. Every team does. And once people realize that, everyone is going to be a lot happier. We ARE a great team, and I know we can play the best hockey in the league if our team really puts their minds to it.
LETS GO CAPS!
Ted — I’m a 35 year Caps’ fan and I’m extremely grateful for what you’ve done with this team and I’m very excited about the potential for greatness that this team is now realizing. But i think you need to have some perspective on fans’ reactions to the Montreal game the other night. Face it, for a lot of that game they were outplayed by a pretty bad team. After scoring two early goals, they basically played like they could take the rest of the night off. Montreal clearly had the territorial edge in the second and third periods. Caps were pinned in their own zone for long stretches. As great as is their potential, they still have a lot to learn about discipline and playing their game for a full 60 minutes. You’d be better off acknowledging that and facilitating whatever it takes to correct it than denying it.
Well I agree with you Ted. My belief is that the CAPS follwing has broaded so far, that some fans don’t fully understand the game or the season yet. It will come in time.
Lets go CAPS!
Ted,
Caps hockey is moving from casual entertainment to passion and I love it. We have a taste of winning and we want more of it. We all get frustrated when we lead nearly every game this year, lose the lead, and have to play catch up later in the game.
Our statistics for first period goals (2-1) are mirror image of the last period (1-2). We have lost leads pretty consistently throughout the first 25 games.
So watching a game, we have a sense that our early lead is not going to hold up. And we are not generally wrong. So frustration sets in.
To be a really elite team, a top five in the league, which should be our goal during the season, we all want to see us get the lead and hold it.
I don’t think fan anger and frustration is any different than Coach Boudreau’s anger and frustration.
We should, of course, not email you and show our frustration, at least until the game is over.
Ah, the price of greatness.
One final point. We prove we can show up for games, dress in red, and cheer very loudly (without prompting). We are also proving we can be as demanding as any group of fans in Philly, Pittsburgh, Toronto, or Montreal. Yes we can!!
Ted
Hi Ted,
Don’t fret so much about the nattering nabobs of negativism (to quote, I think, Spiro Agnew or it might have been William Buckley). Caps nation has faith. People with nothing to say have email and lots of time. Capture the vibe from the crowd and the team, not the poor souls who, apparently, fill your in-box with simply stupid remarks. Sorry to be harsh, but stupid is as stupid does and I am not going to hide these people’s stupidity behind another, more polite, word.
Keep it real, Ted. We are with you and the team every step, every goal, every shot, every save, every game. Game by game, one day at a time. (Except for the whole Versus/Direct TV thing that I really wish you all would resolve. Sorry, I had to go there.)
Paul R
Amen…people need to chill out…this team is hurt and still in first place – leave the owner alone!
I would like to thank Mike P for posting that link to the video about Comcast jumping the gun on the games outcome. I saw the same thing and being that I frequently fall asleep watching TV I was wondering if I had passed out and dreamt the whole shootout thing.
Ted, I am afraid you will have to deal with the crazies. Think about our other local teams. The wiz, well i’ll be nice for now. The Skins, gimme a break. There is only one team in town worth following.
By the way, I get more positive comments when I wear my Ovie jersey to skins games than I do when I wear skins gear. They are actually 2-0 when I wear it by the way, so wear your caps jerseys to skins games. I can’t sell my tickets anymore so I have to go.
Too many games go into over-time and/or a shoot-out that shouldn’t. That’s the complaint some fans have… not winning in regulation against the weak-sister teams in the league has to be questioned. Losing to Toronto how can that be accepted without question? I always look forward to watching the Caps play against the best teams in the league but I always worry when a last place team comes to town. Fans pay the at the turnstile, at the concession stands, fans are the reason advertisers pay for time during Caps broadcasts and fans are the reason any sports team exists – corporations may own the teams and sign the contracts but without the fans the ownership and those contracts would be meaningless.
Yeah, we have a few issues as a team that needs fixing, but it’s not even 1/3 through the season. Like Ted said, we’re in first. Teams that peak early usually fail late. We’re winning and we have a lot of injuries. We’ll be fine. This isn’t the old Caps where a goal behind in the 3rd means certain death. 2 goals behind with 5 minutes left and I’ll still watch because this team can do it. Enjoy the ride, people!!!
Maybe the fans emailing Ted caught the beginning of that Comcast Sportsnet Broadcast…that is hilarious. Ted…a lot of us get it…and I don’t know how you read these emails and keep putting up with the cyberworld….when it comes to the Caps at least.
Keep up the good work…no where to go but up…maybe not when it comes to the standings though since we’re pretty high up on that ladder.
Also love some Varly, 10-1-2. Not bad…GO CAPS!
I’m sorry you have to take so much abuse, Ted. You’re doing a great job, and most of us are happy with the Caps so far. Yes, it would be nice to stop the stupid penalties and some of the lazy play, but overall, being in first in the conference makes up for that.
Thank you for everything you do.
Give Lisa Hillary a break. She’s working Thanksgiving weekend while you’re watching the game. Also they’re (CSN) trying to keep up with college football, basketball, etc…plus it looked like the game was just about over and then Fehr scored. It was an honest mistake on her part. Go Caps!
ATTA BOY! TED.
I think the Caps are terrific, I think GMGM and his staff have done a great job building this team, and of course you and Lincoln Holdings for supporting and believing on him. Has there been mistakes? Yes. But show me someone who hasn’t made any and I will show you a person that has never tried anything.
You are not asking but I am telling where we need to improve:
Exposure. 1) The local news need to cover the Caps better. Is there a problem with media relations? 2) A Caps TV-show that would focus more in substance – e.g. Nyls, BB’s corner analyzing the game, etc – and less in personal off-the-ice segments – it might attract more non-hockey people but it turns off more real hockey fans.
We’ve also only lost ONE game by more than a goal. (5-2 NJD loss) Every other loss has been in overtime/shoot out or by one goal in regulation… no team is ever going to win all 82 games! This is an amazing team, and it’s a privilege to watch them play. GO CAPS!!!!
Ted,
Is there any chance we can get Comcast to stop blacking out the games on NHL Network when they have the Wizards on CSN? I have season tickets so I don’t mind if they black out home games, but I’d like to watch the Caps in HD on my plasma TV (instead of on the computer) when they’re away.
Thanks,
Ted
Ted: I completely agree that certain fans need to chill out a bit. We have plenty of time t step our game up for the playoffs. We are tied for tops in the east, and points don’t lie…however…people have a point when they say we really need to work on that killer instinct and play in the D zone. That said…I am proud of our team and have conidence in Bruce, the team, and the franchise to get done what needs getting done! GO CAPS!!
Who spends time e-mailing the owner during a game as exciting as that Montreal game? Get a beer and watch the game already! Let’s Go Caps!
Ted:
Couldn’t agree more with you and sorry once again some boneheads decided to intrude on your holiday with silliness at all let alone before the “fat lady had sung.”
I think I’ve been keeping it in perspective all season long this year, and for me one of the the things I’m thankful for this year is if the Caps have to deal with so many injuries this season I’m happy you’re having to do it in November vs. April and May.
Simple extrapolation says the team is on track for 112 points this year and that as they say “ain’t too shabby” – please keep up the great work and also as they say “don’t let the b’s get you down.”
Ted – we readers also get it.
You have amazing patience sorting through emails from the (sometimes ignorant) masses. We’d like to help you out, just publish them and include their reply addresses; we’ll snuff them out one at a time.
If that idea doesn’t appeal to you, maybe stop mentioning every week how you get stupid emails? We hear you. Thanks.
Ted, My son and I are season ticket holder. We do get it, so don’t worry so much and just keep doing what works. Just about every game after listening to the crowd we think they want 1000 shots and 999 goals also. I wish they would get it!
The funny thing is that Lisa Hillary had written off the Caps too… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux-XyHX_AF4&
I heard this after the game and did a double take. Aren’t they even watching the game in the CSN studio?
I’m sure there is a blonde joke in there somewhere…. but I’m not going there.
Ted, any “fan” with a brain understands that you and your staff are doing a great job. I am 66 years old and have been a faithful Caps fan since the beginning. It is remarkable that the organization has built quality depth which has enabled the team to continue to compete at a very high level despite the injuries. Ignore the brainless and enjoy the fruits of your efforts. You have made hockey a real event in Washington, D.C. Most of us did not believe that was possibly. You are operating one of the classiest organizations in the league.Thank you.
Ted, thank you so much for keeping a clear head. I don’t understand all the fans who rant about how poorly the Caps are playing, and I’m glad you keep your perspective.
GO CAPS!
I watched the game last night and knew, just knew, they’d pull the rabbit out of the hat and tie the game. As so they did, but I was a little worried until the last minute when the Caps put on one of the best empty net six on fives, and then six on fours I’ve ever seen. And I’ve been watching hockey a long, long time. To all those who are critics, I’d say the team is playing AWESOME considering how many kids have been called up from Hershey. Further I’d say it’s an AWESOME sign of things to come. I’m looking forward to seeing how well Perrault, Beagle, Sloan, Alzner, Carlson, Giroux etc. all play when they get similar seasoning time as Fehr, Fleishman, Steckel, Laich etc. The future of the Caps is nothing but BRIGHT, BRIGHT, BRIGHT.
Last night’s win was awesome. A goal with 11.4 seconds. In hockey that’s no time at all. Very gutsy win.