Two weeks ago, the Capitals played the New York Rangers at Capital One Arena. Before the game, head coach Barry Trotz was asked about the team’s acquisition of Kevin Shattenkirk at the trade deadline the season before.
“We play a little different than some teams,” Trotz said. “It worked in areas that we wanted. He helped our power play. He made it more dangerous in that. I think everybody thought of him as a 1-2 (top-pairing defenseman), and he really wasn’t, he was a little lower.”
The criticism garnered national headlines and made its way back to Shattenkirk who admitted to being bothered by the comments.
But the story doesn’t end there. Monday, The Post’s Larry Brooks revealed that Trotz talked to Shattenkirk after the Capitals’ 4-2 win.
“He came up to me and apologized after the game,” Shattenkirk told Brooks Monday’s Rangers practice. “He explained what he had said and told me that it had been portrayed differently than he intended. I appreciated that.”
That night, Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault gave Shattenkirk the start. The Capitals scored on their first shift.
First shot of the game!#CapsRangers #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/sWu91dxT4y
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 9, 2017
After a poor step up by Shattenkirk in the defensive zone, Jay Beagle scored 14 seconds into the game.
“That game I felt I had a point to prove and then the first shift it’s in the net. I felt that I was playing catch-up the rest of the way,” Shattenkirk said. “But after the game, talking to him and with the explanation he gave me, I put it out of my mind. It hasn’t stuck with me.”
It’s easy to make mistakes; it’s difficult to take ownership and apologize for them. The latter is what shows true character in a person.
Props to Barry.
