Chills of Excitement

As many of you know, the Washington Capitals begin their 2008-2009 season tonight.

And, as many of you know, I cannot wait. Tonight, in Atlanta, the Caps begin a season in which, for the first time in 4 years, there are expectations of greatness.

Gone are the days in which experts predict a last-place finish or say, "if they could get some help around Ovechkin..."

Gone are the days in which Caps fans would curse Ivan Majesky, Mathieu Biron, or Kris Beech for poor play.

And gone are the days in which I would resign myself to, "this year is a rebuilding year, as long as the players develop then I'm happy."

Now, I expect a win every night. I expect the team to beat the elite teams in the NHL and I expect the special teams to produce like I know they're capable of. No more "rebuiling" excuses. No more, "just wait till next year."

And I couldn't be more happy about it. This team has me more excited than any other Caps team in the past. With this team I see the potential for DC's first Stanley Cup, and I see the potential for a new dynasty in the NHL. General Manager George McPhee has done an outstanding job rebuilding this team and he's built them for success for many years to come.

From just looking at the roster, an outsider wouldn't see much to get excited about. This is, generally, the same team as the one that got beat in game 7 of the quarterfinals by the Philadelphia Flyers. The only new moves were replacing Cristobal Huet with Jose Theodore, a step down in some people's opinion.

But not mine. Last year, the Caps made their run with Olie Kolzig in net. Huet came in at the end and ultimately was the deciding factor, but the bulk of their success came with Kolzig in net. All the Caps need is for Theodore to be better than Kolzig, which should be no problem for the former Hart Trophy winner.

The key to this team's excitement is the vibe you get from watching the interviews and reading the quotes. The team is committed and the players all believe 110% in their head coach, and there are no internal conflicts. From top to bottom, you see ferocious dedication to winning and you see a team that is good enough to be able to sustain injuries and still compete.

If someone - even Ovechkin - goes down, there is enough depth to provide scoring from other parts. And in Hershey, there are players like Chris Bourque and Karl Alzner ready to step in and make a difference.

This is new era in Capitals hockey and the area as a whole is starting to recognize it. They are becoming one of the elite franchises in the NHL and the sky is the limit. It's just a matter of performing like they're capable of.

And it starts tonight. Get ready Caps fans, because it's going to be one hell of a ride.