I know someone said elsewhere that everyone would say the team's they are a fan of, so this comment may be in that vein, but I can say that the Caps' room last year was way tighter and more functional than it had been in prior seasons.

It had been factional in the past, and while there are still tight groups that are in sub-sets (the Russians, the Swedes, the Hershey crew, the roomies and other assorted young knuckleheads, the new dads--oh, wait, that's practically everyone), there is more cross-pollination between groups than had been present before (Kuzya and Orpik being tight, for example).

Also, for a team whose personnel didn't change that much, there are some big personalities missing this season--Chimera, Latta, Laich (for the whole year). Their absence in the room is going to be way more noticeable than their absence on the ice. I will be most interested to see who Lars Eller becomes buds with.