(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

The playoffs are about trends and familiarity. Whether it’s a player who statistically flounders during the regular season and annually becomes a dynamo when the games really count. A dynamic goalie ends up falling flat on his face Spring after Spring, or a team regularly dominating the competition, there’s always a trend somewhere.

This year, the trend that’s come up in the second round is a little different. Last year, Bruce Boudreau took the reigns of the Washington Capitals in November, helping them rebound from a horrid start, and led them all the way to the playoffs, only to be dismissed in the first round by the Philadelphia Flyers.

This year, the same thing happened with the Pittsburgh Penguins: Dan Bylsma came in after Michael Therien lost his touch with the Penguins’ lineup, and a dynamic turnaround occurred.

Now, in the second round of the 2009 NHL playoffs, the original (Boudreau) is set to take on the newly-cast hero (Bylsma). Admittedly though, Bylsma does have a bit of a leg up on Bruce.

“Coming up, he’s probably like any other new coach—nervous and anxious. But he’s been in the NHL a bit longer than me (as a player).”

Professional-level experience on the ice or not, Boudreau has been an instant success in Washington. With two division championships, 87 wins in 119 games, and a Jack Adams award in just two years have Caps fans singing the praises of the one of the most prolific AHL scorers.

Despite that early success, Boudreau hasn’t lost track of his ultimate goal.

“Growth comes with winning a Stanley Cup. Our goal isn’t simply to win one series. It’s to win all of the series.”

The growth Boudreau witnessed from his players, specifically his defense in their recent seven game series with the New York Rangers had the coach beaming. Calling it “the best defensive stretch of seven games” since he’s been there, Boudreau was impressed, not only with his younger players like Mike Green, but Tom Poti and the veteran guys as well.

“Tom is our most experienced defenseman. He’s been in a lot of situations and played in a lot of tough buildings”, Boudreau said. “He’s a quiet guy, but he has his way of communicating (that experience) with the younger defensemen on the team.”

He may not be the defacto leader that everyone thinks of when you think ‘Washington Capitals defense’, but while some overlook Poti’s adjustments and attributes to the team, Boudreau’s appreciation of his veterans is second-to-none. When Chris Clark returned to play in game seven of that first round series against the Rangers, there wasn’t a player or coach pulling for him more than Boudreau.

For a player that had been through so many injury problems over the past two years, he had always stayed positive, making Boudreau even happier that Clark was able to play pain-free. The patience and support paid off in spades as Clark had “a really good game”, surprising even Boudreau.

Sergei Fedorov is another one of the veterans that Boudreau loves to have on his team, and he’s not the only one.

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