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Peter Laviolette agrees to 3 year deal to coach the Washington Capitals

Photo of Igor Burdetskiy Igor Burdetskiy Follow on X September 15, 2020
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Peter Laviolette has agreed to become the new head coach of the Washington Capitals for the next 3 seasons.

Laviolette, 55, has 18 years of experience as a head coach and ranks 16th in all-time wins with a career record of 637-425-123. Laviolette won a Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006 and most recently coached the Predators, but was fired in January after five and a half seasons with the team. Laviolette also led the 2010 Flyers and 2017 Predators to the Stanley Cup Final.

Laviolette is still under contract with the Predators for next season, making $2.5 million, but the Capitals are expected to cover that salary as part of the deal.

Laviolette replaces Todd Reirden, who was fired three days after the Capitals were eliminated from the playoffs early into August. Washington hired Reirden, one of their top assistants, after getting into a contract dispute with coach Barry Trotz shortly after winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. However, the Capitals were knocked out in the first round in Reirden’s first two seasons, including a five-game loss to Trotz’s Islanders this summer.

Reirden has since been hired as an assistant coach in Pittsburgh.

Washington GM Brian MacLellan was clear that the top criteria he was looking for in a new coach was experience. Mike Babcock and Gerard Gallant were Washington’s two other finalists, according to sources. Trotz was the only one of six coaches in the Alex Ovechkin era with previous head-coaching experience. The other five were rookies.

MacLellan said last month that he began noticing a regression in his team in late December.

“You could see the style of play start to deteriorate,” MacLellan told reporters in August. “I think we had a good culture here, and it’s starting to slip. I think we need to grab a hold of it, get it back to where it was. We’ve developed a habit of thinking that we can play good when we have to play good, rather than developing good habits and the games will take care of themselves.”

The Capitals face another offseason in which they are strapped by the salary cap, which is expected to stay flat at $81.5 million. Goalie Braden Holtby, who won the Cup in 2018, is an unrestricted free agent and could walk as the team turns to 23-year-old Ilya Samsonov in net. Ovechkin, meanwhile, is set to become a free agent in 2021.

Igor Burdetskiy

Igor Burdetskiy

Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & CEO at Hooked on Hockey Magazine
I grew up playing Ball and Roller Hockey day and night somewhat religiously throughout elementary and middle school. The two don't compare though when I lace up the skates and hit the ice. I live and breathe hockey beyond the perspective of "it's just a game" and I will gladly talk hockey for hours with anyone. Hockey is more than just a lifestyle, it's a culture of passionate people who make memories every time the puck is dropped. Hockey has not only helped me get through some of the hardest times in life but has created some of the best memories to date. Want to talk hockey with me? Shoot me an email: iburdetskiy@hookedonhockey.com and let's talk some hockey!
Igor Burdetskiy
Photo of Igor Burdetskiy Igor Burdetskiy Follow on X September 15, 2020
0 2 minutes read
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