Washington Capitals Hockey

         Thursday, March 27, 2008          

Visting a Familiar Face - Get Used to It

Eight and a half years ago, we witnessed the sudden emergence of the Washington Capitals' first ever homegrown prodigy, an undrafted guy not many ever heard of.

After playing four years at Princeton University (not exactly an NHL supply chain) and all of six games in the AHL, Jeff Halpern found himself in a perfect situation during the 1999-2000 season. Halpern, 23 years old at the time, anchored one of the best checking and puck-cycling lines in Capitals history, centering Ulf Dahlen and Steve Konowalchuk.

Halpern's first two seasons, spent entirely with Dahlen and Kono, also happened to be his best. His third season, however, was marred by injury when he tore his ACL in January. That was also Dahlen's last season in Washington. Kono was around for one more before being traded early the next season. No longer teamed with experienced linemates, Halpern was never quite the same.

But he hung around through the fire sale and lockout before being promoted to captain during Alex Ovechkin's rookie season. We all know the lack of success of that first rebuilding season, so Halpern decided to leave the team he grew up rooting for when he became unrestricted at the end of the season.

What follows is why Caps fans, no matter how much they've hated on Olie Kolzig recently, should absolutely love the big fella.

In an interview Wednesday, Halpern said, "Getting into the playoffs and getting a chance to win a Stanley Cup is everything. That's a big part of why I went to Dallas. So another season without getting that chance was a tough pill to swallow."

One more losing season? He can't stick around for that? Couldn't he tell Ovechkin was special and would lead this team back into contention?

Halpern left town when Olie re-signed and stuck it out. This is just the thing to give the Capitals a little extra motivation now that they'll see Halpy and the Lightning six times a year, after seeing him only once since his departure.

The former Capital has pulled a one-eighty after Dallas sent him to Tampa Bay as part of the Brad Richards trade.  Since the move, the Stars have sucked (putting it bluntly) and so have the Lightning. But Halpern has been brilliant, scoring 7 goals and 8 assists in 13 games and figuring in on 41% of Tampa's goals since arriving.

Halpern won't make the playoffs this year, but he gets to play spoiler in trying to prevent his former team from doing just that. After all, he didn't want to be in Washington because he wouldn't make the postseason.  

Certainly he doesn't want to sound like a fool.