Caps are at a Fork in the Road, and They Need to Take It

Although I've never been the coach or general manager of a professional sports franchise, and the closest I've come to being part of a locker room meeting was simply stepping foot in one, it seems to me the Washington Capitals could use some tough love right about now.

Beyond stating the obvious -- that teams are playing the Caps differently now and the red, white and blue haven't adjusted -- what's hurting the Caps right now is the same thing that used to help them soar by opponents: offense.

Too many times, the Caps could hide a sub-par effort by simply using their skill to outscore opponents. They didn't play too well or too consistently, but a late two- or three-goal bulge would give them two more points towards the best record in the Eastern Conference or the entire NHL.

But this year has been different. It's not just the fact that a second-line center seems to sorely missing. Or that the team has been riddled with the flu bug. It just seems that there's always an excuse for why they can't accomplish their goal.

To quote the eloquent Elliotte Friedman from today's edition of his excellent 30 Thoughts: -- "The concern I have for the Capitals is this: Of all the really good teams in the NHL, they are the most fragile. Bruce Boudreau is tough on his goalies, but everyone else gets a lot of freedom and encouragement. Despite that, there's a kind of 'Woe is me attitude' when things go bad."

Has there not been a more spot-on assessment of the Nation's Capitals under Boudreau? Stop me if you've heard this one: "their goalie played out of their mind" or "we just didn't have it tonight" or even "I don't have an answer right now," as the coach mused after last night's 7-0 embarrassment at Madison Square Garden.

I'm not saying they're not responsible, but there does always seem to be another factor that had a greater contribution to their failure. And, I might seem like a broken record here, but the embodiment of this attitude is Alex Semin.

He's been great for October and November, but has been nearly invisible this month. And as I've said over and over again, I'm not surprised. If GM George McPhee really wants to send a message that the status quo -- even if it's good for the fourth-best record in the league -- isn't suitable for the long haul, it's time to trade the enigmatic No. 28.

In case you haven't noticed, the Pittsburgh Penguins have won 12 straight games -- and that's without Evgeni Malkin. The Caps, as currently constructed, don't seem like a team that could reel off such as streak. It's time to change that, and find a way to put forth a team that's consistent, responsible and, most importantly, eager to change the course of history.