Capital Gains in Washington

These days, it seems everyone is talking change in Washington.  Barack Obama is promising it, Hilary Clinton is hard-selling it and John McCain is not George W. Bush so that's change right there.

But for all the talk in Washington about change, the Washington Capitals are the only ones doing something about it.  

Trade deadline day was the catalyst for change in America's capital but it was a phone call from Canada's hockey mecca that got it started.  Around 11 that morning, word trickled in about a trade involving the Capitals and the Montreal Canadiens.  With all eyes on Montreal, still believed to the be front-runners in the much-anticipated, over-hyped push for Marian Hossa, what was Canadiens GM Bob Gainey doing talking to Washington? What did the Habs have that the Caps wanted? 

Turns out it was a number one goalie, Cristobal Huet, a move that still has some chins wagging in Montreal, the one trade that - even now - remains a water-cooler topic at every office building across the city.  Fortunately for Gainey, it appears rookie goalie Carey Price is holding his own between the pipes, with impressive, back-to-back wins against the Atlanta Thrashers and the Buffalo Sabres.

On Friday, it was Washington's turn to see if the deal would prove to be the change the team needed, what with Alex Ovechkin in a bit of a goal scoring slump after posting excellent numbers all season long. Getting the start against the New Jersey Devils would be Huet, who was not warmly welcomed in Washington this week by his fellow goaltenders on the roster.  Both Olie Kolzig and Brent Johnson have labelled the trade confusing and both have indicated they aren't happy with what will be a lack of playing time for each of them.

Caps fans, though, are happy to dismiss the goalie controversy if Huet keeps playing the way he did against the Devils, stopping 18 shots and blanking  New Jersey 4-0 to earn his third shutout of the season.  It appears likely Huet will continue getting the start, too, despite indications Kolzig would start against Toronto the following night. 

The other acquisition made by the Caps on trade deadline day also had an impact Friday night.  Sergei Fedorov, liberated from the Columbus Blue Jackets, had an effective debut, with a beautiful no-look, behind-the-back pass that setup Mike Green's goal, the first of the night and Fedorov's first assist as a Capitals player.  He also made a few solid hits, blocked a couple of shots and filled the Michael Nylander gap - lost to a rotator cuff injury - quite well. 

The last piece of the Caps puzzle is Matt Cooke, snagged in a one-for-one deal with Vancouver for another Matt, Matt Pettinger.  While not as name-worthy as Huet and Fedorov, it's probably a good move as Pettinger has been under-performing this year and any time you can shuffle mediocrity out of town, it's a step forward. 

All in all, the Capitals were one of the big winners once the deadline came and went and if the team's performance against New Jersey is any measure, it's on to bigger and better things.  Currently, only a handful of points are keeping Washington out of a playoff spot and the team is prepared and poised to make a run for the Cup, if not immediately than certainly in the coming years.  Having locked in Ovechkin to a long-term deal, snagging a number one goalie and a smart front office that understands how to build up a team without resorting to a rental, the headline "LORD STANLEY GOES TO WASHINGTON" seems a definite possibility.

And wouldn't that be a change?