The Washington Capitals, who split ways with former head coach Todd Reirden after a disappointing first-round playoff exit last month, have found their new man on the bench.
The Washington Capitals hired former Flyers, Predators, Hurricanes, and Islanders lead man Peter Laviolette as the 19th head coach in the franchise’s history.
The Capitals, who decided to make a change on the bench after failing to live up to playoff expectations after a fifth consecutive Metropolitan Division title, decided to go with one of the most experienced and successful coaches available on the market.
The Massachusetts native is the owner of an all-time 637-425-25-123 record in the National Hockey League and is the sixteenth-winningest head coach of all time. He won the Stanley Cup in 2006 with the Carolina Hurricanes, his only head coaching trophy.
His offensive, high-scoring style kept him in favor with the Predators for five-and-a-half seasons after he was dismissed from his job in January after the poor performance this season.
Laviolette will take over a team which is in “win-now” mode as it looks to capitalize on the final years of Alexander Ovechkin’s prime to add another Stanley Cup trophy to their case.
The new head coach is expected to be formally presented to the media at some point this week.
