Toss Me a Hoodie, for Hockey’s Here at Last

Across the Mid-Atlantic winds of change seemed to sweep away summer last night. Vacationing on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, I took the dog for a walk this morning in layers of clothing, attire I hadn’t needed since early last spring. It felt good to be so bundled up. As recently as yesterday afternoon I wasn’t so stoked to write about rinks. This morning, perhaps from the magic of meteorological change, I am. Still: no summer has proven to be as ill-equipped to heal a previous hockey season’s hurt as this past one was for me. Time is supposed to heal all hurt, but as recently as August I listened closely to reflections from departed heart-and-soul Capitals’ veterans, hardly axe-grinders, and longstanding concerns I had were renewed from their views. Still, this morning, there is something healing in the air. Hockey returns in full force this weekend, with the start of training camp, and it brings a host of hotly talked about questions related to the stat...