Home / News / Barry Trotz will coach the Metropolitan All Stars at the 2018 All-Star Game. It’s the third ASG nod of his career.

Barry Trotz will coach the Metropolitan All Stars at the 2018 All-Star Game. It’s the third ASG nod of his career.

By Ian Oland

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January 6, 2018 4:23 pm

For the second time in four seasons coaching the Capitals, Barry Trotz will serve as a head coach during the All-Star Game.

Saturday after practice, Trotz spoke to the media about the nod and credited his players and staff.

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“It’s an honor to be selected, but let’s get this right. I’m going there to represent the Washington Capitals staff and players,” Trotz said. “They’re the ones that got it done. I’m the one that gets to go and represent them. I really thank them.

“Every year it’s a new adventure, and this one, at this point in time, put us in a position to send me to represent them, which is great,” Trotz continued. “Anytime you experience the All-Star Games, the World Cups, the Olympics — all those things — they’re all great experiences and they don’t come around that often.”

The Capitals, who at one point in November were three points out of last place, found their footing after Trotz reunited star players Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom together on the first line. The move came five days after a disaster outing against the Colorado Avalanche and after a mediocre first 20 games of the season.

“If you would have asked me (the ASG nod would come) after about the first five or six games of the year — the way we started and all that — I didn’t think that would be in the horizon,” Trotz admitted.

But Trotz, new line combinations, and a more favorable home schedule helped right the ship.

The game marks the third time in Trotz’s 19 seasons as a NHL head coach that he will participate in an All-Star Game. According to NBC Sports Washington’s Tarik El-Bashir, Trotz served as head coach in Nashville and also served as an assistant in Dallas during the 2007 ASG.

Trotz received the honor due to the Capitals having the highest points percentage in the Metropolitan Division through last Saturday’s slate of NHL games.

Congratulations, Coach!

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