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Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the 2007 Sports Fan Magazine NHL Preview! As usual, we take hockey bloggers and webmasters from each NHL city and ask them questions about their team, the entire NHL, and hockey in general. Stay tuned throughout the next few weeks as we lead you up to NHL Premiere in London, England on September 29th.

Next we head toward SFM HQ, as we preview the Washington Capitals. After another year in the cellar of the Southeast Division, the Caps seem poised to make a run for the post-season with some key off-season additions. Here to preview the Caps is J.P. Press of Japer's Rink, Southeast Shootout, and the NHL FanHouse. He spoke to us about Ovechkin, HD hockey and the Caps biggest summer add-ons.

1. At What Moment Did You Realize Your Team's Season Had Gone to Hell Last Year?

Around Christmas the Caps got a rash of injuries to blueliners and the team just seemed to hit a wall. They treaded water early in the new year, but it was straight into the crapper soon thereafter. If there was one moment, it was a January 13 game against Florida in which they got beaten 7-3. Painful

2. If You Ran the NHL's TV Department, Name One Thing You'd Change About the Broadcasts.

Hmmm... for a game that is so great to watch live, it definitely doesn't translate well on the tube, but it's much more enjoyable in HD, so I'd require all broadcasts to be shown in HD (probably not feasible, I know, but a guy can dream, no?).

3. If you could legalize one NHL penalty, what would it be?

I think that giving an automatic 2 minute penalty for clearing the puck into the stands from your own defensive zone is a silly, contrived way to try to increase scoring. Give the ref the discretion to call a delay of game if it's intentionally done to... wait for it...) delay the game, but if that's not the intent, just drop the puck for the next faceoff. Legalize it - don't criticize it.

4. Who will be your team's "Super Rookie" this year?

Nicklas Backstrom is the consensus pick, but watch out for Francois Bouchard if he makes the team. Karl Alzner is a manchild as well (but, like Bouchard, will likely be headed back to Juniors).

5. Name the Best and Worst NHL Play-by-Play Men.

Best: I like Jim Hughson, but maybe that's because he does the Play-by-Play on the EA Sports hockey games.

Worst: I can't listen to Rick Jeanneret. Sorry.

6. Word Association

Daniel Briere - Gutless

Chris Drury - Clutch

Pierre McGuire - Bloviator

Brian Burke - Winner (or is that whiner?)

Mike Keenan - Douche

Mike Emrick - Annoying

7. Which player best represents, for better or worse, the character of your team?

Alex Ovechkin - a good mix of rugged and skilled with a good work ethic. Just as happy delivering the big hit as scoring the big goal.

8. Which player on your team would you most hate to lose?

Ovechkin. Next question.

9. Which can let the door hit his ass on the way out?

Ben Clymer.

10. Name your team's biggest "villain."

In Buffalo, it's easily AO (thanks to the Briere incident(s) last year), but elsewhere it's probably Donald Brashear (and, of course, there's the team's "all-time" villain, Dale Hunter).

11. What off-season move (gain or loss) was the biggest transaction for your team this Summer?

There really are two - Michael Nylander and Tom Poti. Getting Nylander gives Ovechkin the first legitimate playmaking center he's had in the NHL, which is huge, and the addition of Poti gives the team a good power-play quarterback for the first time since Sergei Gonchar was shipped out. Both acquisitions should improve the offense immensely.

12. Best Fictional Hockey Fan: Tommy Gavin (Rescue Me - Rangers) or Dr. Perry Cox (Scrubs - Red Wings)

Cox.

13. What is the atmosphere like at a Caps game?

Hopefully different than it has been in the past. When the team is winning, it's a great building to be in.

14. The one thing my team needs to do to improve it's off the ice image is ______?

Win.

15. Finally, where do you expect your team will finish? What will its record be? What one thing will make or break your season?

It's really hard to say. If they stay relatively healthy in a couple of key spots, they'll be right there for a playoff spot, and I could see them finishing as high as 7th or so in the East. But if Kolzig gets hurt, it could be back to the lottery. I'll go with 40-34-8, just missing the playoffs but giving Caps fans a ton of hope for the now near future. It all comes down to Olie's health, really.


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