Friday afternoon, Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan met with the media and discussed a variety of issues, including Barry Trotz’s future.
Trotz, who came into this season as a lame duck, is in the final year of his contract and has seen his future speculated and reported about in the press ever since last year’s playoff run.
While Trotz has led the Capitals to three-straight Metropolitan Division titles, he has also been unable to get the team past the second round of the playoffs for three straight years despite some of the best rosters in franchise history. Trotz was originally hired by Capitals owner Ted Leonsis and president Dick Patrick before MacLellan got promoted as GM.
MacLellan said that the team will wait until after the postseason to make a decision. He did not answer if the team’s playoff result would impact the decision.
MacLellan said decisions on re-signing coach Barry Trotz and John Carlson will wait until after the playoffs.
Clearly wants to re-sign Carlson, but would have to work out deal/money.
Said Trotz has done a good job. Wouldn't say if playoff results would impact decision.
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) April 6, 2018
MacLellan on keeping John Carlson and if Caps can afford it: "It depends on how much money he wants. It's going to be a trade-off on do we want to create some space or what the salary level we're willing to go to and he's willing to accept."
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) April 6, 2018
MacLellan also spoke about the Capitals’ potential first-round playoff opponents and was “all right with it” being the Pittsburgh Penguins.
MacLellan on potentially playing Pittsburgh in the first round: "Yeah, I’m all right with it. I’m all right with whoever we have. I think our fans would have a little conniption."
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) April 6, 2018
The Caps GM credited Tom Wilson for meeting with the Department of Player Safety’s George Parros to learn how to be a more clean player.
MacLellan said that when the Caps played in Calgary, he and Tom Wilson met with Department of Player Safety boss George Parros for an hour. Looked over video of what makes a hit suspension-worthy and how Wilson could stay out of trouble.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) April 6, 2018
MacLellan admitted he was concerned Wilson's plays that kept getting him fined/suspended might hold him back.
He credited Wilson with educating himself. He hasn't been fined or suspended since. https://t.co/0lwI1GmUrE
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) April 6, 2018
Mac is interested in a Michal Kempny return for next season.
Asked MacLellan if re-signing Kempny is a consideration. "Yes," he said.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) April 6, 2018
He talked about the team’s past playoff failure.
MacLellan says #Caps needed time to get over last year and acknowledges history still follows them: "The baggage is here. It's going to be here. The same articles are going to be written here. The same cut-and-paste stuff: Here's what happened."
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) April 6, 2018
MacLellan: baggage is "going to be there till we win. … You can't ignore it. It's part of the deal here. I think you get in a little trouble where you say, 'It's not part of our history.' Well, it is now because the past four years, the same story."
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) April 6, 2018
Finally, MacLellan was at his most quotable during a one-on-one interview he conducted with team writer Mike Vogel. Vogel asked MacLellan as a Stanley Cup champion player himself what advice he would give the players. MacLellan, a two-time 30-goal scorer, won the Cup with the Calgary Flames during the 1988-89 season.
Washington GM Brian MacLellan talks with @vogscaps as the Capitals prepare for the start of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/YGRj01jIKU
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 6, 2018
“Last couple years, we put pressure on ourselves. It might have taken a little bit of the fun out of the game,” MacLellan said. “I think it’s important to have fun and enjoy this time of year. It’s not about the pressure of winning, it’s about the pressure of competing and playing your best at this time of year. This is what you play all year for: get in the playoffs, to have fun, and to win.”
The quote points to MacLellan wanting the players to have a shift in focus. MacLellan doesn’t want the Caps to be focused on winning or the team’s past history in the playoffs, as that’s out of their control. He wants them to focus individually on how they can be at their best during every game.
Brendan Doyle also contributed to this article.
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