Bruins vs. Capitals: How Much Has Changed Since They Last Met

The 2010-11 season series between the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals was over in an almost unjustified hurry.

At least the final installment on Dec. 19, 2010, unfolded in compelling fashion, but there had to be mass disappointment among hockey promoters when this matchup failed to materialize in the Eastern Conference finals. It would have meant pitting two persistent franchises together after each had suffered repeat first- or second-round collapses and putting a bonus dose of vindication on the line.

Instead, when these clubs converge on the Verizon Center Tuesday night, it will bring an end to a little over 13 months―or more precisely, 401 days―of waiting for a rematch.

In the interim, well, just consult this list of developments for each organization as well as their respective markets and the world in general.

The New Year’s Eve ball at Times Square has dropped twice.

The Capitals have played in a Winter Classic, beating the Pittsburgh Penguins at Heinz Field, 3-1.

The Bruins have played in a Stanley Cup final, vanquishing the Vancouver Canucks in seven games to end Boston’s 39-year championship drought.

The Capitals have fired head coach Bruce Boudreau in favor of Dale Hunter.

The Bruins have acquired and subsequently dealt Tomas Kaberle, who went from being a Maple Leaf to a Bruin to a Hurricane to a Canadien all within the year 2011.

The Bruins have also obtained Chris Kelly, Rich Peverley, former Capital Joe Corvo and Benoit Pouliot. They have given away Mark Stuart and Blake Wheeler and lost Michael Ryder to free agency and Mark Recchi to retirement.

Former Bruins forward Marco Sturm has gone from being a King to a Capital to a Canuck to a Panther.

The Capitals acquired and subsequently lost free agent Jason Arnott, who went from being a Devil to a Capital to a Blue within the year 2011.

The Capitals have also obtained former Bruins defenseman Dennis Wideman, Joel Ward, Jeff Halpern, Roman Hamrlik, Tomas Vokoun, Troy Brouwer and Tomas Kundratek. They have given away Dave Steckel, Semyon Varlamov and Eric Fehr and lost five key free agents in Matt Bradley, Scott Hannan, Andrew Gordon, Boyd Gordon and Tyler Sloan.

The Bruins have faced every other team in the NHL, save for the St. Louis Blues. They have encountered 10 members of the Western Conference more than once.

The Capitals have faced every other team in the NHL, save for the Minnesota Wild. They have encountered nine members of the Western Conference more than once.

The Bruins and Capitals have each paid their last visits to the Atlanta Thrashers and each of their first two visits to the newly reincarnated Winnipeg Jets.

The NFL and NBA lockouts began and ended, lasting 136 and 161 days, respectively.

The New England Patriots beat the eventual Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers, one night after the Bruins beat the Capitals, 3-2, at TD Garden. The Pats later lost unexpectedly to the New York Jets in the AFC divisional round, went through a brief lockout, then rebounded to punch in their passports to Super Bowl XLVI two nights before the Bruins were slated to visit the Verizon Center.

The Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals have both undergone a managerial change. Jim Riggleman abruptly resigned from the Nationals June 23 while the Red Sox dismissed Terry Francona Sept. 30 in the wake of a colossal, late-season meltdown.

The Capitals came back after another premature playoff exit, starting the current season at 7-0-0. They have since slipped back to mortality and fluctuated around the midsection of the Eastern Conference leaderboard, but have more than a decent chance of returning to the postseason.

The Bruins had a 3-7-0 start to their title defense, which mired them in last place at the end of October. They have since shaken off their hangover and hustled into a two-way footrace with the New York Rangers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Another Northeast Division crown is likely their worst-case scenario.