Washington Capitals head coach Todd Reirden held a conference call with reporters Monday morning. It marked the first time he’s spoken to the media since the coronavirus outbreak suspended the NHL’s 2019-20 season.
Reirden said during the call that he’s sheltering in place with his wife Shelby and his 17-year-old son Travis, who has an immune system disorder. “We’ve had to be careful about what we bring into the house” to keep him safe, Reirden said.
But all that extra time at home has meant more TV time and the Reirdens have watched some eclectic programming.
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“We’re watching a lot of different stuff depending on who has the controller in their hand,” Reirden said. “We’ve watched a couple different things. I obviously do a lot of reading and looking at what’s going on in the league, so I did take myself through the Tiger King. That I did watch. That one I watched on my own. I did not have my wife and son in on that one.”
When pressed on if he had talked to any Capitals players about the series yet, Reirden said he had,.
“I have not gotten into in-depth discussions,” Reirden said, “but when I do get together with the players one day when things become normal for us, it’s all different ways to be able to relate and have conversations and connect with players. If you know they’re doing something, you want to make sure you can share in that conversation or talk to them about it. It’s just something I’ve always kind of paid attention to during an offseason, different things they’re looking at and doing. I think right now it’s been more texting and short conversations. Most of our conversations have been more about the health of their families, themselves, and how they’re doing training-wise.”
Meanwhile, Shelby Reirden puts other things on.
M”y wife strongly watches a lot of the reality shows no matter if it’s Survivor, Bachelor, and Bachelorette,” Reirden said. “We’re looking for new series and watched one called ‘Damages’ from a few years ago that involved some court cases and a few different things.”
“If me and my son get some time, we will re-watch some games occasionally,” Reirden said. “He loves watching hockey. He loves numbers. Always a little bit different who’s sitting there at the time.”
The Capitals head coach also said that he’s done some home improvement projects outside the house with Travis.
“It’s trying times trying to stay busy,” Reirden said.
Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB
