The Peerless Benchmarks

I shouldn't have to tell you this, but if you're not reading The Peerless Prognosticator, you need to be. He routinely brings some of the strongest analysis, style and opinion around, and his in-season gameday previews are must-reads.

Most of all, it's clear that everything The Peerless writes is born of the passion of the Caps fan. Case in point, he recently concluded a series of "Benchmarks" against which to compare the 2007-08 Caps team as they get ready to head into the new season. Check 'em out, and see if they can't help get you through the late-August/early-September doldrums:

• Benchmarks, Part I -- Top Line
• Benchmarks, Part II -- The Second Line
• Benchmarks, Part III -- The "In Your Face" Line
• Benchmarks, Part IV -- Top Pair
• Benchmarks, Part IX -- Shootouts
• Benchmarks, Part V -- Defensive Balance
• Benchmarks, Part VI -- Goaltending
• Benchmarks, Part VII -- Power Play
• Benchmarks, Part VIII -- Penalty Killing
• Benchmarks, Part X -- Playoffs