--The secrets are out: Mike Knuble and Nicklas Backstrom did have thumb injuries in the playoffs. Knuble admitted as such in an exit interview with the Washington media after the Lightning series. He broke it in the Rangers series and had four pins put in that night. He then got injections to numb it to be able to play every game after that. "In all honesty, I felt it didn't hurt me much at all," he said. Backstrom confirmed to the team's website that the thumb injury he suffered in late February hampered him late in the season and throughout the playoffs at times.

--The Caps and GM George McPhee tried to end speculation about coach Bruce Boudreau's future by saying they expect him to be back. The sudden four-game sweep against the Lightning brought up a firestorm in Washington of people screaming to get rid of the coach. But McPhee quickly brushed it off. There hasn't been much talk about it recently -- and the players have all backed him up, pretty much unanimously -- but Boudreau is going to be on the hot seat next season, without question.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"The one that has bothered me is this notion that the pain of losing is because our window is closing. I'm a fan. I want instant results. I feel great disappointment. I, too, would like to figure out why we can't go deeper in the playoffs. It's really what we've been spending time on the last several weeks." -- Team owner Ted Leonsis in The Washington Post.

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