Frantic for the Atlantic?

Yes, Caps Kremlin (my favorite blogger), this one is aimed directly at you.

Again, the notion that Capitals fans would prefer to jettison the drek company they currently keep in the Southeast division and bolt off to the Atlantic division has started a little blog buzz.

CK outlines a number of entirely cogent points as to why this would set the franchise back. In fact, every point he makes is unquestionably true.

Yet, I have the complete opposite opinion. I'd jump into that Atlantic division scenario so fast, there'd be a sonic boom.

Before I get to why I'm for this idea, I need to digress for a second about the article that Caps Kremlin is responding to. When I became a hockey fan 25 years (or so) ago, the NHL was a league that was steeped in it's majestic history. I loved the fact that its divisions were named for pioneering men that advanced the game from it's infancy. It made me go back and learn about them and, along the way, I learned of many of the other men that mattered so deeply to the league. Teams were located in established places and stocked with recognizeable players.

I long for those days again.

I hated every malodorous, vile, soul-less opponent in the Patrick division, and I resented how they fought to spoil our dreams.

Truth be told, as much as I try to watch hockey with my cerebrum, I always end up watching it with my brain-stem. If you've been visiting this blog for even a short while, you know my arch enemies are the Flyers and Penguins. I just can't, for the life of me, get worked up about the Panthers or the Thrashers.

I want my real enemies back.

Sure, it would make things a lot tougher. But, just maybe, it would make the Caps tougher too.