[Editor's Note: Instead of rocking the red at Verizon Center for game two on Saturday, five-year Caps season ticket holder Ilan was at his brother Eyal's graduation at Indiana University. Enjoy.]

I am a long-time hockey fan, long-time Caps fan, and season-ticket holder. My brother and I grew up playing hockey and sweating the Caps hardcore. When I was in high school, we converted our basement into an indoor rink, and while pretending we were Olaf Kolzig, Craig Berube, and Peter Bondra, we wreaked havoc to the tune of drywall crumbling and light bulbs bursting. It was awesome.

Now for the not-so-awesome: I had to miss game two. My brother actually managed to graduate college this year, and his graduation ceremony was scheduled for that Saturday in Bloomington, Indiana. I thought about skipping his graduation but I am not a douche. Instead we tried to convince our mom to let us skip the festivities of the graduation at Indiana University and fly my brother home for game 2. No dice. Then I found out the worst part: we had to be at the ceremony at 2 pm. I wanted to die.

We found our seats in the nosebleeds of the assembly hall with the score still 0-0. They didn’t have the game playing on the jumbotron, so I had to resort to my DROID, which I made sure to charge before. I found my brother sitting about two-thirds of the way back from the stage. I checked my phone and realized the third period was just underway, still 0-0.

The anxiety of not being able to watch after having been there for every home playoff game the past five years got to me. I was sweating through my shirt. I looked down at my brother during stoppages and saw my brother was also checking his phone. I looked back to mine.

Stoppage – Goalie Freezes Puck (Breathe…. Breathe….)
WAS Shot on goal – Chimera (ARGHHHH)
NYR Shot on Goal – R. Nash (HOLTBY!!!!!!)

All the while, some guy with a doctorate and Nobel Prize was teaching everyone how to be awesome. And then it happened:

WAS Penalty to Troy Brouwer – 2 mins slashing (Please no! – longest 2 minutes of my life)

I couldn’t bear it, so I rabbit-punched my sleeping dad in the shoulder until the penalty was over. Then I got this text from my brother: “OVERTIME”.

When Steve Oleksy got called two minutes for delay of game, I said “#$@*”, and I could feel 100 parents glaring at me, not to mention the six-year-old sitting behind me wearing the tool bag tie-shirt-vest combo, learning some new words. The Caps killed the penalty, and I sighed “holy #$&%”. People are staring at me angrily now, and I am not caring.

My sports app told me “penalty to Ryan McDonagh – 2 minutes for Delaying Game.” I stood up and pumped my fist, immediately scolded by parents watching the ceremony. I let them know it was okay because the Caps were on a power play. They told me to shut up. (Ungrateful.)

I was hitting the refresh button on my phone like an 8-year-old with ADHD trying to get the last bit of sugar out of a pixie stick, and then it happened. Caps 1 – NYR 0. There was no player credited with the goal yet, but I didn’t care. I woke my dad up with a slap to the face and whispered “WE #$&%ING DID IT!!!” But before I could do that, I heard a student below scream.

I looked down to the sea of black robes. I located the source of the sound and saw a spot of white.  In my sister’s crappy cell phone photo, you can clearly see my one student standing up during the commencement ceremony, ripping his robe open to reveal a white CAPS road jersey. That student was my brother, and he is awesome. Don’t you forget that. You can see him holding his phone too. He is calling me to celebrate. All the while the ceremony is still going on. Other students stood to see what had happened. They were paying as much attention to the ceremony as our sleeping father was.

We did a toast after the ceremony. It was awesome.

Note: Ilan’s letter was edited for length and celebratory profanity.

[Editor's note: Renee, a long-time Caps season ticket-holder, won the ultimate prize in the Caps annual "Jerseys Off Our Backs" event on Fan Appreciation night. Here's her story.]

The “Jersey Off Our Backs” winners hang out at ice level and watch the Boston Bruins walk into the locker room.

I started off my Friday like anyone else — scrambling to get work done before the week ended. But one phone call ended my productivity: I had been randomly selected for the “Jersey Off Our Backs” event on Fan Appreciation Day. As a longtime season-ticket holder, this is one event I’ve watched with awe – even back when the Caps would toss their signed jerseys haphazardly over the glass to waiting fans. Long story short, I didn’t get much done on Friday.

Fast-forward to game day. I watched periods one and two like anyone else — anxious to have the Caps produce on what looked to be good play despite the 0-2 score at the end of the 2nd. As the 3rd period started, I gathered with a crowd of lucky fans in the concourse. Count was taken and we were ultimately asked to pick a random manila envelope from our host — the envelope that held each of our future jersey’s numbers. We were escorted underground to wait for the end of the game. None of us saw Mike Green’s goals to tie it up, but we heard the crowd’s amazing cheers and we celebrated too. We followed tweets and text messages from friends and family in the arena, trying to harness the excitement of broken glass and overtime. The horn sounded a win and the crowd erupted in a frenzy. From the end of the hall, we watched the Bruins, heads down, trek to their locker room. And then it was our time.

We stepped onto the ice, looking back at the crowd from a vantage point you rarely get. It’s a grand place, there on the ice, looking up. The Caps skated out and stood at the blue line, looking at us, us looking at them. Anyone standing on that carpet who says they weren’t giddy is lying. We snapped photos. We giggled. At that point, I could’ve been offered ANY player’s number and I would’ve smiled — it was just that kind of night.

But, when I opened my envelope and saw a number 8 and realized that the captain of the team, the Rocket Richard winner, and arguably the best player in the NHL was skating up to me to give me his jersey…well, I can tell you I didn’t remember much after that.

I love the Caps, I love all of them. But I can’t deny that having Ovi hand me his jersey, signed, and then pose with me for a photo makes me one of the luckiest people on Earth. I don’t remember him saying much besides the niceties anyone would expect. I remember saying “thank you” a bunch of times, smiling ear-to-ear, and thinking to myself that I’d never complain about the price of hockey tickets again.

How did I get picked to be here? How did I pick *that* envelope? And, perhaps a better question, did I just blow my entire life-savings of luck on this one night? If I did, I think it might have been worth it.

Photos

Section 107 Row T seat 2? Hey, that’s Renee!

The winners eagerly wait for the event to start.

As do the players.

Mike Ribeiro signs his jersey.

The Great Eight!

Ovi!

One wonders if he told Renee any “In Soviet Russia” jokes.

The Paralyzer manages not to stun a fan while giving away his jersey.

#TheBank

All photos via Renee.

[Editor's Note: RMNB reader Jessica Martin met Steve "Binky" Oleksy at practice Wednesday. She shares her experience.]

I’ve been waiting for a chance to meet Steve Oleksy ever since he played for the Hershey Bears. It was only a matter a time before he was called up to the Capitals and began blowing everyone away with his hits, fights, and ability to put up points. The only thing I needed was a sweet shirt or a jersey for him to sign. Russian Machine came to the rescue with their exquisite Binky 61 shirt. I ordered it as soon as I could, and when I got it in the mail I made plans to come out to Kettler.

As Wednesday’s optional practice wound down, a small crowd formed near the gate by the player benches. I asked an extremely nice gentleman if he’d be willing to take a picture of my encounter with Oleksy, and waited my turn.

As soon as I got to him, I asked him if he’d sign my shirt. He said “yes!” (of course), but I made him promise he would still sign it even after he saw what it was. I unveiled the Binky 61 shirt (to a roar of laughter from the other people wanting an autograph) and he laughed and shook his head, saying, “no way! They make this in a shirt now? How cool is that! I’ll definitely sign this. Definitely.” He took his time admiring it and signing it, then I asked him for a picture. He topped it off by saying, “I’ll only take a picture with you if you hold up the shirt!” I obliged. He thanked me, and I thanked him for being awesome.

[Editor's note: When Mike Knuble was let go by the Capitals over the offseason, Knuble's Knights were temporarily without a player to worship. After some careful thought, they re-formed as a fan club dedicated to power forward Troy Brouwer and dubbed themselves the Brouwer Rangers. Nathan Burchfiel, the group's fearless leader, is now here to reveal the group's new spandex'd uniform and signs for the Caps home opener. The floor is all yours, Nathan.]

After the Caps lost their season opener to the Tampa Bay Lighting on Saturday, many Caps fans were weeping and gnashing their teeth about this Schultz or that Ovechkin. We, on the other hand, were busy experiencing something of an existential crisis.

As we struggled to squeeze into lycra suits and freshly painted motorcycle helmets during our first and only Brouwer Rangers “dress rehearsal,” the existential question wasn’t, Who are we and what are we doing with our lives? It was more, How are we going to pull this off without being arrested for indecent exposure?

As you may know, for the past three years, we’ve attended Caps games decked in plastic armor, shields and swords, and armed with an array mildly controversial but mostly silly signs in support of fan-favorite Mike Knuble. With Knuble’s departure – and at his encouragement – we knew we had to continue the tradition with a new victim muse player to cheer for.

There’s plenty floating around about why we picked Brouwer (and why we do this at all in the first place) so we won’t rehash it here. With the lockout still fresh in our minds, who really wants to dwell in the past anyway? Instead, the fine folks at RMNB asked us to provide a preview of what’s in store for the Brouwer Rangers during this shortened season. Our existential crisis has become, Can this possibly live up to the antics and adventures of Knuble’s Knights?

We hope so. Here are the Top 11 (because 20 (Brouwer’s number) divided by 2 (number of Brouwer Rangers) equals 10, plus one for good luck – don’t overthink it) reasons we’re hopeful this season will be the best yet, in no particular order.

1. New hashtags and sign. Not only is #brouwerpouwer fun to say, it’s also applicable to goals, hits, penalties (ironically, natch), funny quotes and basically anything that makes Troy Brouwer cooler than your favorite player. Use it liberally. And it’s already a handy-dandy printable sign. And remember #knublefacts? #brouwerfacts is like that, but more Brouwery. Follow us on Twitter @brouwerrangers to get your game-day #brouwerfacts. Also, #ConstellationEnergyBrouwerPlay. (That one might not stick.)
2. More games, in “better” “seats.” Though it’s a shortened season, it’s our first as full season-ticket holders. For us, this means more chances to finally catch one of those “burritos.” (Spoiler alert: it’s really a t-shirt wrapped in foil.) And who needs the 100s, with its wide sets, vertigo-free inclines and easy access to bathrooms? Bring a Sherpa and come say hit at the very top of Section 402. We picked these seats because they’re directly across the ice from Horn Guy, so we’ve got optimal sound-wave directionalization. It’s science.
3. Cooler shirts. I mean, seriously, who doesn’t want one of these? (100% of our proceeds from these shirts will go to Caps charities, just as soon as you people buy enough stuff to warrant Spreadshirt cutting a check. So, order some.)
4. BROOOOOUUUUUWEEERRRRR Sign. Will #knublesign be revived as #brouwersign? Who knows? Maybe. [coy smile]
5. Adam Oates. We hereby promise not to create, distribute or display any signs that may be deemed critical of head coach Adam Oates or any other member of team management. Unless Brouwer is ever healthy-scratched, bought out, or traded — then all bets are off.
6. Spandex!, which brings us to our next point:
7. Mandatory Fanny Packs! We were going to go “full Ranger.” Our wives … did not want us to do that. Awkward fanny packs were the compromise. You’re welcome, everyone. (We promise Ranger Ryan will have his by Tuesday’s home-opener.)
8. Brouwer for President. Brouwer’s contract expires at the end of the 2015-2016 season. There is a presidential election in 2016. Coincidence? We think not. We’re already working on very realistic Hawaiian birth certificate for Troy.
9. Cornhole Tournament. It’s a certifiable traveshamockery that we have these sick unbelievable hand-painted Caps cornhole boards and no parking lot to tailgate in. We hereby challenge the team of Ted Leonsis and George McPhee to a cornhole match at center ice. Winner sits in the owners box for a game; losers sit in our seats. But seriously, who has the hookup for setting up a pre-game cornhole tournament in the arena or nearby? Tweet us.
10. Oppan Brouwer Style. Go ahead and get all up on your high horse about the dystopian future pop music is dragging us toward. We’re right there with you. But don’t pretend you’re not going to love it when Brouwer scores his first goal of the season and busts this out.
11. Fun. In all seriousness, this should be a ton of fun. We go crazy like this because it’s fun, and we like to think it helps other people have some fun as well.

We’re so glad that (NHL) hockey is back, and we know you all are too. See you at the games, and Go Go Brouwer Rangers!

On Saturday, several Washington Capitals players rented out Kettler Capitals IcePlex to scrimmage against local college kids. Two readers who attended, Lexi Martinez and Kate Hudson, share their experience below. Lexi did the write-up, and Kate snapped the photos. Enjoy!

Caps fans got a surprise Thursday night, when John Carlson took to Twitter to announce that he’d be joining a few teammates back on the ice at Kettler the following morning for something special. Along with Brooks Laich, Jason Chimera, Jay Beagle, Jeff Halpern, and former Capital Peter Bondra, John would be scrimmaging a team of college players from around the area. It was thrown together late and all for fun, but for me, it meant a little taste of the Caps hockey we’ve all been missing so much. Naturally, I was freaking out.

Friday was rainy. I woke up the earliest I had since high school. It was also the day that the Maya had predicted would be the end of the world (a little disappointed I’m not going all Walking Dead on zombies right now, but I digress). I thought about chucking my alarm clock across the room and returning to my comforter cave. But then the guilt hit me. What kind of fan would I be if I slept away a rare glimpse at my boys back in action? Ugh, I’m so dedicated, I swear I should get some sort of award. But whatever.

There was something comforting about being back against the glass watching part of the team, even if they were preparing to toss a puck around with a couple kids instead of getting ready to face a division rival. Jerseys dotted the stands, little kids climbed over each other in oversized Caps t-shirts, pre-teen female fans primped their hair in their front-facing iPhone cameras in anticipation of the autograph signing that was to come. It had all the makings of a great day at Kettler, but, something was off. There wasn’t the buzz that comes from regular season practice. There’s just something missing from the air with guys like Ovi and Backstrom on the other side of the planet. As the scrimmage progressed, the already dull crowd began to thin out. The kids got bored and quieted down. The cameras stopped clicking and flashing as there wasn’t much to photograph. The greatest Kodak moment was when Jason Chimera tripped and fell to the ice. He just kind of gave up and laid there. I know that feeling, Chimmer.

Credit has to be given on the boys on the ice, though. At this point, they’re technically unemployed. They pay for their own parking, rent out the ice with their own money. They’re not allowed in the private locker rooms they’ve been using for years. They get their own skates sharpened, their own equipment replaced; THEY WASH THEIR OWN HAIR. THE MADNESS. They don’t have to do things like this for the fans, but they do, because they care about giving us the hockey we miss. Their jerseys sport the NHLPA logo, with #THEPLAYERS on the back where their last names used to be. They’re not playing for the name on the back, or the name on the front (yes that was a cliché Miracle reference, sue me), but in the name of hockey; in the name of the game and the fans that are suffering without a season.

It’s obvious that fans’ patience with league negotiations is wearing thin. It’s getting harder to find interest in anything hockey related when we feel so betrayed by the league itself. We can, though, rely on our boys to try to give us a little something to hold on to. They’re still on the ice, and even if we find ourselves daydreaming about goal horns and the roar of the Verizon Center that we once had, we’re still watching.

Photos via Kate Hudson

Kate’s signed iPhone.

[Editor's note: After the Washington Capitals extended Troy Brouwer's contract for another three years on Wednesday, Nathan Burchfiel, fearless leader of Knuble Knight's, had his own announcement to make. The floor is all yours, Nathan.]

When the 2011-2012 NHL season ended, the questions about the future were only just beginning. The zeitgeist was buzzing about whether there would even be a 2012-2013 season, but moreso about what would become of Knuble’s Knights, that magnificent armor-clad duo who won the hearts of many a Caps fan with their often strange and occasionally ill-advised antics in support of their one true liege. Could the Knights continue on with their fearless leader in limbo? Would they carry their swords into battle for another worthy team member? Would they fade into the masses of normal Caps fans? Would they finally get upgraded to full season tickets? (YES!)

The new Brouwer Ranger helmet.

Well, the future is now, good people. And the news of the extension of Troy Brouwer’s contract by three years provides as good a news hook as any to announce that the armor has been polished and locked away in museum-quality display cases and shipped off to the NHL Hall of Fame, for the Knights have mightily morphed into something, dare we say, bigger, better, and more badass. Ladies and gentleman, the fans formerly known as Knuble’s Knights, in conjunction with the fine upstanding journalists at Russian Machine Never Breaks, proudly introduce … the Brouwer Rangers. (See what we did there with the mightily morphed thing?)

In his exit interview with Elliot Segal on DC101 in June, Knuble said of us, “they’ve got to take somebody else under their wing.” We knew we wanted to carry on the tradition we’d started, and Knuble’s parting words sealed the deal. After much soul-searching, and considering literally every combination of player name and character we could think of (Chimera’s Chimeras, Wolski’s Warriors, the King Crabbs, Neuvy’s Ninjas, Hendy’s Henchmen … the list goes on and on), we realized the first idea we had was, in fact, the best. And not just because the costumes are going to be fantastic (and trust us, they’re … awe-inspiring), but because Troy Brouwer is truly worthy of the recognition, no matter what Neil Greenberg says.* A solid on-ice contributor and locker-room leader whose name happens to adorn Lord Stanley’s Cup but isn’t considered one of the team’s “superstars,” Brouwer embodies the characteristics that make us respect and appreciate a player. Plus it’s really fun to pretend you’re Wes Johnson and growl-yell, “Goal scored by #20, Troooyyyyyyy BRRRRRRRROOOOOUUUUUUWEERRRRRRRR!”

As you may have already noticed (but let’s be honest, you probably haven’t noticed), the Twitter handle has been changed. The logo is set. The final touches are being put on the new costumes (including the new helmet previewed in the picture). The rest will come with time – hopefully sooner rather than later. Will there be a Big Head Brouwer? Probably, yes. The cheering and signs and (reasonably tempered) antics will continue from our new permanent perch atop section 402. We’ll be rocking the Red Ranger suits just as soon as Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr hug it out. (That’s assuming the season is delayed by at least one game. You see, someone planned his wedding and honeymoon before the schedule was announced, and happens to return the day after the scheduled home opener against the Devils. What a dinkus.) We’re excited for this new adventure, and hope you guys have some fun along the way as well!

Go Go Brouwer Rangers!

*To be fair to Neil, his pre-season prediction on Brouwer’s contributions last year was spot on. He said Brouwer would have to up his shooting percentage to 15 to hit 20 goals. His shooting percentage was 13.5, and he scored 18 goals.

Editor’s note: RMNB reader Tharen Koelsch shares this story about a very special Caps fan.

Less than two pounds. That’s what the machine read when Skylar Elizabeth made her life debut. She was just a little bit longer than a ruler. Among the many wires, machines and blue lights, there was a little baby who had a lot of fight in her.

Baby Skylar

Skylar was born without the typical fanfare of a baby’s entrance to the world. There were no bottles of champagne waiting to be opened. No outfit ready to make her look cute for the first car ride home. The hospital bag wasn’t packed and waiting by the door. Instead, frantic nurses, anesthesiologists, and doctors tried to hide their own fears. Her father didn’t see her being born, and her own mother was not conscious. Within minutes, she was airlifted in a helicopter to Children’s National Medical Center, without any of her family.

She couldn’t breathe, eat or be touched without the most delicate of care. Her beautiful blue eyes had no eyelashes, and were still fused together, knowing they weren’t ready to be out of the womb. Machines were attached to her little frail body, with beeping machines announcing when Skylar wasn’t breathing.

Over the course of eighty-six days, Skylar started her own journey of life. Her first feeding was through an IV. Her first bath was carefully monitored by a nurse. She spent her first Halloween and Thanksgiving in a clear plastic box. Yet, she thrived. She put on weight, she began to drink from a bottle. She began to breathe on her own. What is known to the world as Black Friday, Skylar came home from the hospital.

As the months began to pass, Skylar grew and grew. She started smiling. She slept through the night. The nightmare that had marked her beginning seemed like a distant memory.

Less than two months from coming home, one special follow up appointment would bring it all back in a flash. It was confirmed that Skylar, the little fighter, the miracle, was deaf. The medications that helped save her life, more than likely caused her hearing loss. While it was a severe blow for those that weren’t expecting it, there was hope.

When the hearing aids the little six month old wore didn’t cut it, she became eligible for cochlear implants, a medical device implant in the ear that would bypass the ear part that didn’t work. Skylar returned to her first home, Children’s National Medical Center, for the two surgeries that would change her life forever.

Skylar with her Ovi doll.

Her cochlears activated, Skylar began to babble and coo for the first time. She would startle at loud noises. She began to clap, a developmental milestone that had eluded her at the designated time. Slowly, sounds began to trickle in, and suddenly words. Her first word was “kitty”.

Skylar, like many children, had learned to occupy herself while hockey games played on television sets in the background. She had a padded hockey stick and puck. While in the hospital for one of her cochlear surgeries, she was given an Alexander Ovechkin Bleacher Creature, which she hugged immediately.

The first time her mother tested her hearing at home, Skylar was asked to “Get Ovi”. Skylar stopped, looked around, and brought her Ovi to her mom. Tears of joy welled up in her mother’s eyes.

Skylar turned two on September 2, 2012, a huge accomplishment for her. She is a tremendously happy child, whose smile is contagious to all around her. Skylar has taught so many to appreciate everything in life. The little details, the trivial arguments, the need for material items – it all loses its meaning with her.

Skylar, the little body with the huge fight. She continues her daily battles, but instead of fighting for her life, she now likes to fight naps, teethbrushing, and bed times. She is concrete proof, however, that not all fighters carry hockey sticks.

Additional Photos

Thanks, Tharen, for sharing your story and photos.

Photo credit: Paul Bereswill

[Editor's note: We asked Nathan and Ryan of Knuble's Knights to bid a fond farewell to Mike Knuble as he departs the Washington Capitals. Here's what they gave us.]

Sir Michael of the House Knuble, First of Your Name, Man of 1000 Games, Crasher of Nets, Breacher of Creases, Abuser of Goalies and Grandpa of Slippers:

Thank you.

When the RMNB guys invited us to write a farewell post, they suggested that we provide some highlights of your time in D.C., defend your performance this year, or re-tell some stories about the Knights’ antics. To be honest, the stories have already been told, and there are people much more qualified who will write the reviews and summaries and analyses. As fans, all we’re really qualified to do is say Thank You.

Thank you for the three great years you gave Caps fans. Thank you for your grit, your leadership, and your passion for the game. Thank you for your funny quotes, your positive attitude, your goofy faces, and your general badassery.

On a more personal note, thank you for being so cool to two guys dressed in knight costumes cheering your name. When we decided three years ago to go crazy for a player that other people don’t go crazy for, we didn’t know how it would be received. As ridiculous as it was, you took it in stride. You were gracious toward us and as time went on (and things got progressively sillier), we like to think you even started playing along a little bit. Thanks to your brother Steve and wife Megan, who were both exceedingly kind to us.

It was truly an honor for us to do our own small part to cheer for you through thick and thin, to make sure other fans recognized your value to our team, and to, on one occasion, risk physical harm to bring attention to your plight. (About that: Sorry if the whole “Free Knuble” / “Scratch Hunter” thing caused you grief.)

We can’t speak for the Caps organization or for players on the team, but if you ask us, the reaction to the news that you’re leaving speaks volumes to what you’ve meant to Caps fans these last three years. We don’t think there are many role players whose departures, after just a few years on a team, caused so much anguish among the fans. You have earned respect and admiration from guys who knew you and fans who maybe never even met you. And there are lots of fans of other teams who’d love to have you. (Please, not the Penguins.)

As you said in the exit interviews, this separation wasn’t a surprise. That doesn’t make it any easier. We’re just glad it didn’t end in March, with healthy scratches, frustration among the fans (and, apparently, others affiliated with the team), and confusion for you. At least we had that Bruins series. And a lot of other great memories that at least two of your fans will fondly remember for a very long time to come.

Like when we showed up at “Caps on the Fly” in 2009 to introduce ourselves.

Or the two times we convinced entire rows of fans to participate in the KNUUUUUUUUBLE sign.

Photo credit: Clydeorama

Or that time Peter made your name an adjective, and Mark Burrier made it art.

Or when you spent time chatting with us at practice, and you actually thanked us for our support.

Or when we all celebrated your 1000^th game, or the first shootout goal of your career, or any of the other 58 goals you scored for the Caps, with a rousing KNUUUUUUUUUBLE yell.

Maybe the longest distance goal of 22′s career. (GIF by welshhockeyfan.tumblr.com)

And as things got awkward with your situation on the roster, thank you for being a class act – a term many have used in recent days to describe you. In a post-announcement interview, you talked with CSN’s Chuck Gormley about being a role model. “Even on your worst day, there’s always a kid who wants an autograph or that moment in time to shake your hand,” you explained. “You can’t ever forget that. Even on your worst day you still want to make sure you’re extremely nice to that kid because he’ll remember that. You hope they remember you in a good way.”

We will certainly remember you in a good way, Mike. We’d venture to guess the vast majority of Caps fans of all ages will remember you that way as well – yes, in part for your contributions on the ice, but also because of the man you strove to be off it. The Washington Capitals were lucky to have you. Even if the organization forgot it, the fans didn’t. You’ll be missed.

But all good things must come to an end, and we must part ways. We’ll still cheer on our Caps, and you’ll move on to the next stage of your career. We wish you the best and will root for you wherever you end up, whether it’s on the ice or off. (Unless it’s the Pens.) If it is on the ice, we hope you find a team that recognizes the value you add– not only in the stats, but also in the intangibles– and a coach who understands the right ways to use your skills. Their fans will be lucky to have you.

But seriously, please not the Pens.

Photo credit: @jlrpuck of capsbypuck.blogspot.com

Ed. Note: Justin Goldman is the founder of The Goalie Guild, an independent goalie scouting service and overall resource for all things professional goaltending. He’s written for NHL.com, been interviewed by Stephen Whyno, and knows more about goaltending than everyone in this blog put together. Check out his story below and make sure to check out his site. Padtracker is the best.

Caps Fans:

I’m writing this note during Game 6, because regardless of whether he wins or loses, my message remains the same.

You have a very special young goaltender in Braden Holtby.

For his age, he is very polished, composed, and adaptable. In fact, when I break down his game at the elemental level, I come to find that he has many positives, and very few negatives.

Most of you are keen enough to see this with your own two eyes. It’s just the way he moves in the crease, the body language he displays. The statistical results act as the perfect “visual proof” most of us need to argue that he has a very bright future.

But it is because of this visible “elite potential” that I have to stress how important it is for you to be patient with his development.

I have seen it time and time again, for years and years, to all types of teams, and all types of goalies. That’s why this message is being written in the first place; the very nature of history repeating itself can be a total pain in the ass. Goalies that face high expectations can often face even higher expectations when the fans lack patience. This happens in all types of markets, to goalies of all ages and pedigrees and experience levels.

Please don’t allow yourself to expect great success from Holtby forevermore. Only he should expect that type of greatness, that type of constant success. Your role in this special goalie’s development should be different. Help his cause by realizing he is still a rookie, and he still has a lot to learn about stopping pucks at the NHL level.

It’s hard to believe Holtby is now the third rookie goaltender to carry the Capitals through the last three playoff runs. It’s a credit to the team’s goalie coaching and scouting staff when I say all three of them have significant long-term upside. All three of them are goalies I wouldn’t be afraid to build a team around. They are goalies everyone will want when they are in their prime, which is around four or five years for this triumvirate of Holtby, Michal Neuvirth, and Semyon Varlamov.

If Holtby is destined to be a key part of the team next season, you have to understand that struggles are going to occur. Very few goalies have ever escaped from the clutches of the sophomore jinx. Every goalie in Holtby’s situation loses some of their luster as a Dynamic Entity at some point or another. Yes, some continue to shine, and continue to get brighter, but many others inevitably fade into black.

Holtby will enter the final season of his entry-level contract next year and make a $600,000 NHL salary, and he could very well become the team’s legitimate starter. The fact he’s “just a baby” at age 22 will be lost amongst many fans, because the way he stops the puck is so darn impressive, interesting, and bold. As I have told many fans many times before, he plays the position very loud and proud, and it works for him.

But from someone who is trained to recognizes patterns in goaltending development and evolution, please understand that he will have to dig through some serious trenches over the next two seasons. He will lose tough games, he will give up bad goals, he will frustrate you. He will lose some of his luster from time to time.

I won’t go into all of the reasons why this happens, as I have many articles on my website that go into the issues of the sophomore slump. I just want to make sure as many Capitals fans as possible learn to understand that this will happen, in some way shape or form. Therefore, understand that patience from yourselves (and your favorite team) will be a major key in truly tapping into his long-term potential.

For those of you that are wondering about the process, I can’t answer that, because every goalie comes to reach their true potential in different ways, at different times, by going down different paths. But if the Capitals want to enhance the process in which Holtby gets through these potential sophomore slumps, and therefore becoming a more consistent and steady performer, they have to dedicate a hefty percentage of the workload to him. Experience is everything, and the more he plays, the faster he becomes a wiser and smarter NHL goaltender.

The message, therefore, is very simple. Don’t freak out if he plays some crappy hockey next season. Don’t expect him to be a rockstar every single night. Don’t let him overwhelm your senses. He is still a rookie. He is still very early in his overall maturation as an NHL goaltender. Yes, every goalie develops at a different rate, but very few escape the sophomore slump.

Whenever that dreaded sophomore slump happens, no matter how long it lasts (even if it is over the course of two seasons) understand that it is all part of the natural path that almost every goalie has to take to become a fully-matured goaltender. Don’t lose sight of the bigger picture, and keep this kid in a Capitals uniform. He has the potential to be extremely special…and he could win a lot of hardware by the time he’s in his actual prime.

Photo by Clyde Caplan, clydeorama.com

Editor’s Note: Amidst the excitement of tonight’s first playoff game, Caps fan Ashley Christoff decided to gather her co-workers and work on a special project today. We’ll let her explain below.

Another look at the sign

I work for the Entertainment Software Association, which represent the publishers of computer and video games. My co-workers Rich, Dan, Jeff and I are pretty rabid Caps fans and with our office being located across from the Verizon Center at the corner of 7th and F Street, we knew we had to do something big for the playoffs. So we purchased a ream of 8.5×11 bright red paper and cajoled some other co-workers into donating their windows so we could spell out “Let’s Go Caps.” It took about an hour and a half to tape up the letters and make sure we had it centered correctly. We figured with our location, it was the perfect way to pump up the city and fans as they head to the arena for the game. We also recently sent a console and several video games to the team to keep them occupied during the road games. Here’s hoping for a nice, long playoff run that fades those letters out to a nice pinkish hue. Go Caps!