Best D.C. Team: Washington Capitals

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JUST FIVE YEARS ago, it would have been nonsensical to call the Washington Capitals D.C.'s best team: They finished the 2005-06 season at the bottom of their division and were in the first year of rebuilding the team with rookie Alex Ovechkin at its core. Then Bruce Boudreau took over as coach on Thanksgiving Day 2007, and the Caps quickly became the toast of the town. "It's been a work in progress between the development of our young guys and the job management has done to supplement that talent," says defensemen Brian Pothier, who joined the team in 2006. "You could sort of see it coming, [but] it happened quicker then I expected, honestly."

Championship-bound?: The Caps have never won the Stanley Cup, but many experts say this could be the year. "Could be," captain Chris Clark says. "We've got as good a chance as any."

» Explore a full list of the year's winners at the Best of 2009 index.

Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post