Another former Capitals player is stepping into the coaching ranks.
On Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes announced that Tim Gleason will join Rod Brind’Amour behind the bench as an assistant coach.
Gleason, who retired as a player after the 2014-15 season, spent the last three years in the organization as a development coach, helping the team’s defensemen.
Gleason played 727 games in the NHL from 2003 to 2015. Nine of his 11 seasons in the NHL were with the Hurricanes, where Gleason was a frequent Southeast Division adversary of Alex Ovechkin.
Never afraid to block an Ovechkin shot — even with his face — Gleason and The Great 8 injured each other several times during their intense head-to-head matchups.
For instance, there was that one time when Gleason took a puck to the face after blocking an Ovechkin shot, then returned while wearing a facemask to score the game-tying shorthanded goal.
Or that time when Ovechkin threw a knee-on-knee hit on Gleason which injured both players. Ovi was suspended two games for the play.
Ovechkin had great success against Gleason during his career. During five-on-five play from the 2007-08 season through 2013, Ovi scored four goals and tallied seven assists in 247 minutes head-to-head vs Gleason per Natural Stat Trick. That’s about one Ovi goal per hour head-to-head — or 2.7 Caps goals per hour. Ovechkin posted another two goals and five assists against Gleason on the power play.
The two foes became teammates during the 2014-15 season, when the Capitals traded Jack Hillen to the Canes in exchange for Gleason at the trade deadline. Gleason played 17 games for the Caps, posting two assists. Much of his time was spent as a defensive partner with Mike Green (208 minutes). Gleason played in all 14 games of the Capitals’ two-round postseason run that year — it was only Gleason’s second time playing in the postseason — and retired after the season ended.
Here’s the press release from the Hurricanes:
Canes Name Tim Gleason Assistant Coach
RALEIGH, NC – Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that Tim Gleason has been hired as an assistant coach. The Hurricanes also announced the following changes to the team’s hockey operations department: Peter Harrold will lead defensemen development, Nick Roy has been named equipment manager, Zach Abdou has been named hockey operations coordinator, Mark Craig has been named director of pro scouting, Trace Linton has been named pro scout, Rhys Jessop and Ian Meagher have been named amateur scouts, Christoph Wyss has been named Chicago Wolves strength and conditioning coach and Cody Ward has been named Chicago Wolves video coach.
Gleason, 38, previously led defensemen development for the Hurricanes from 2018-21. Selected by Ottawa in the first round, 23rd overall, of the 2001 NHL Draft, Gleason played 727 career NHL games with Los Angeles, Carolina, Toronto and Washington from 2003-15, earning 142 points (17g, 125a). He was acquired by Carolina from Los Angeles on Sept. 29, 2006, and recorded 107 points (14g, 93a) in 546 games with the Hurricanes, serving as one of the team’s alternate captains for parts of four seasons from 2010-13. Gleason ranks first in blocked shots, second in hits (1,199) and penalty minutes (537) and ninth in games played in team history (since relocation). Among Hurricanes defensemen, he ranks first in hits and penalty minutes, second in shorthanded points (8), third in games played and seventh in assists. Gleason also appeared in 19 playoff games with Carolina, scoring the overtime, game-winning goal in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against New Jersey. The Clawson, Mich., native represented the United States at the 2001 and 2003 IIHF World Junior Championships and the 2008 IIHF World Championship and won a silver medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
