Wouldn't It Be Nice? (2011 Edition)

Some year-end wishes, inspired by Leonard Shapiro's Washington Post column and the venerable Beach Boys.

Wouldn't it be nice if:

* The Washington Capitals are able to fully embrace Coach Dale Hunter's playing system and thrive in 2012?

* The team played more consistently?

* The special teams continued to improve?

* Alex Ovechkin started scoring goals again on a more regular basis?

* Alex Semin finally is shipped out of town?

* Brooks Laich finally gets some recognition for all of his great play?

* The goalies take a stand?

* The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup?

* The Caps won the Stanley Cup?

Caps' Transition Continues

It's been an average start to the beginning of the Dale Hunter Era, as the Washington Capitals (15-14-1, 33 points) are 4-5 since their onetime captain took over behind the bench.

Overall, the team is ninth in the league in goals per game (2.90), but 23rd in goals against (3.06). Some of that is expected, as the team has been asked (for the second straight season) to do a complete 180-degree turn in playing style midway through the campaign. However, with Hunter behind the bench now (as opposed to former Coach Bruce Boudreau leading the charge last winter), improvements are very slow to materialize.

The only advantage the Caps have right now is time: they've only played 31 games and are just two points behind the last playoff spot. The disconcerting stat is that their goal differential is minus-five (ninth in the East), whereas they were plus-27 last season. If they can buy what Hunter is selling -- and do it effectively -- then all of that will change.

But for a team that had high hopes coming into the season, it is quite painful to watch right now. They suffered through a 2-1 loss at Colorado last night and squeezed by the Jets in a 1-0 win at Winnipeg Thursday night. And let's not forget the embarrassing 5-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at Verizon Center Tuesday night.

The team hosts the Nashville Predators Tuesday night before traveling to face the New Jersey Devils Friday night and Buffalo Sabres on Monday.

Realignment Hits Home Run

The Washington Capitals are going home, so to speak, after the NHL announced a realignment plan yesterday that essential reinvigorates the old Patrick Division. First, the new set of four conferences (no, that is not a typo):

* New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Washington and Carolina.

* Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Buffalo, Florida and Tampa Bay.

* Detroit, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago, Minnesota, Dallas and Winnipeg.

* Los Angeles, Anaheim, Phoenix, San Jose, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Colorado.

The NHL has been discussing realignment for a while now, and there have been many proposals (including mine). The conferences above makes clear two things: one, there were sets of teams that the league weren't willing to separate, and two, they wanted to stress historic rivalries. Yes, the Caps could have ended up with Carolina, Florida and Tampa (along with most likely Pittsburgh and Philly), but the NHL was going for maximum impact and went back to the future.

By the way, the league also went back to the old playoff format: the top four teams in each conference make the playoffs and play each other in the first two rounds. Then, two conference champions (most likely mirroring something similar to Eastern and Western Conferences now) will face each other to determine the Stanley Cup finalists.

Putting the Caps with the Devils, Flyers, Penguins, Rangers, Islanders and Hurricanes not only gives the red, white and blue an easier travel schedule, but it makes their path to a division conference title much more difficult.

As for those sets of teams that the league created, here's how I see them:

* Caps and Carolina
* New York (x2) and New Jersey
* Philly and Pittsburgh
* Boston and Buffalo
* Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa
* Florida and Tampa
* Detroit and Chicago
* L.A., Anaheim, and San Jose
* Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton

It's going to be interesting to see if the Caps can clinch a fifth straight Southeast Division title this season -- and then how things will shape up next year when the realignment is instituted.

Patience, My Young Jedi

Coach Dale Hunter got the first win of his tenure behind the Washington Capitals' bench last night as the team still adjusts to his system. Yes, the team hasn't looked amazing yet, but then again, there is much precedent for switching coaches mid-season and going onto much success. There's also history for teams who were floundering, didn't make many changes and ended up doing well.

One example sat across from Hunter Thursday night: Pittsburgh Penguins Coach Dan Bylsma. He was hired in the middle of the 2009 season -- despite the fact that team had made it to the Stanley Cup finals the season before under another coach -- and lead the team to its first title since they repeated in 1991 and 1992. (There was a time when some folks weren't even sure if the Penguins would make the playoffs that season.)

Another case was the Detroit Red Wings, who have started many a season slowly only to turn it up in January and cruise to a division title and playoff success.

Let's not also forget the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers, who didn't get into the playoffs until the last day of the regular season only to lose in the finals in six games.

Finally, there's Coach Bruce Boudreau's first season -- when the team famously went from the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings to the first of four straight Southeast Division titles.

This year's team is 13-11-1 (27 points in 25 games), second in the Southeast Division and tied for either in the Eastern Conference. Yes, it's not the place the team probably thought it would be on Dec. 4, but certainly it's not as bad as many have painted the picture.

There are still 57 games left in the regular season -- plenty of time for the team to take on Hunter's personality and reach the lofty goals it has set for itself.