HERSHEY, PA — The Washington Capitals are searching for a new coach after parting ways with Peter Laviolette on April 14. The Capitals opted not to retain the 58-year-old bench boss after the team missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years and had its worst full season in 16 years.

Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said during his end-of-season press conference that management would consider bringing in a coach that is younger or had no prior NHL experience.

“I think we’re more open,” MacLellan said. “Our group is changing. We’re trying to get younger. It’s going to be different in that you want a coach that can work with young guys and we’re going to have a veteran group at the top that kinda needs a veteran coach. It’s going to be challenging to find the right guy for that.”

There are several people who immediately come to mind as possible candidates. Former Hershey Bears head coach and current Maple Leafs’ assistant, Spencer Carbery, is seen as a rising star in the league and reportedly believed to be on the Capitals’ shortlist. Former Caps captain and Tampa Bay Lightning assistant coach, Jeff Halpern, has won multiple Stanley Cups as a part of Jon Cooper’s staff. Capitals assistant coach Scott Allen spent time in Hershey as its head coach and helped improve the NHL team’s penalty kill.

Another person who appears likely to be in the conversation is current Hershey Bears head coach Todd Nelson.

Nelson, 53, helped lead the Bears to the fourth-best record in the AHL (44-19-5-4) during his first season behind the bench in 2022-23. He’s successfully blended several high-end AHL veteran players like Michael Sgarbossa, Sam Anas, and Dylan McIlrath with young prospects like Connor McMichael, Hendrix Lapierre, and Vincent Iorio – players important to the Capitals’ future. Hershey also seems to have a heck of a lot of fun while consistently producing a good brand of hockey.

On Tuesday, during Hershey’s postseason media day, I asked Nelson if he hoped to get consideration from MacLellan for the job.

“It’s everybody’s dream to make the National Hockey League, you know,” Nelson said. “Coaches are no different. But we’re focused on the Calder Cup Playoffs. We want to make sure these young, young players in there have a good playoff run and get experience so when they do graduate they can help the big club in the Stanley Cup playoffs.”

He reiterated, “I think with what happened up top, I’m focused on the present right now.”

After receiving a first-round bye, Hershey will open up its postseason on Friday against the Charlotte Checkers. The Bears posted a 3-3-1-1 record against their Atlantic Division rival during the regular season. The first two games of the series will be in Carolina while the final three will be in Hershey.

Nelson said during his chat with reporters that he had a fine working relationship with Laviolette during the season. With so many injuries to the NHL club, Laviolette probed Nelson for context on who could help the big club.

“With Peter, it’s the first time I’d really known and got to work with him,” Nelson said. “There was a bit of dialogue over the course of the season: who’s playing well, who’s not, so it was a good relationship that way.”

Nelson is in his 20th season coaching with stints in the United Hockey League, American Hockey League, and NHL. He was previously an assistant coach for the Dallas Stars and was a part of the 2019-20 Stanley Cup Final team before being hired by Hershey. Before that, he got some NHL head coaching experience with the Edmonton Oilers when he replaced Dallas Eakins midseason during the 2014-15 season, leading the team to a 17-22-7 record in its final 46 games. Nelson also has NHL experience as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Thrashers (2008-10).

Nelson has won six championships during his illustrious career: one as a player, one as a player/assistant coach, one as an assistant coach, and three as a head coach. Nelson’s last championship was with the Grand Rapids Griffins as he led the team to a Calder Cup in 2017, becoming only the third person in AHL history to win the Calder Cup as a player (1994, Portland), assistant coach (2008, Chicago), and head coach.

Another intriguing thing in Nelson’s favor is that he has experience with several players that figure to be in the team’s plans next year beyond prospects like Connor McMichael. Nelson helped develop Nick Jensen and Anthony Mantha during his time with Grand Rapids.

Headline photo: Tori Hartman/Hershey Bears