There’s something about Spencer Carbery that makes him different than other coaches.
The Washington Capitals bench boss is honest, open, and smart. He’s a community builder — a person who brings people in and makes them feel welcome with his positivity, optimism, and kindness.
But what sets Carbery apart is his deep and unyielding passion for excellence. “He always wants to win,” Aliaksei Protas said to RMNB in 2023. It’s never enough for him.”
These qualities, specifically his competitiveness, are evident in his opening speech to players kicking off 2024 Training Camp.
Here’s what Carbery said in full, but I urge you to listen if possible.
First of all, just welcoming everybody to the 2024 Washington Capitals Training Camp.
I think it’s important that as a group we reflect back to last year, okay, in order to be able to move forward and understand where we need to go and understand where we need to get better.
This league is f***ing hard.
Everything about it is hard.
It’s hard to make the league.
It’s hard to score a goal in the league, one goal.
It’s hard to win one hockey game in this league.
It’s hard to make the playoffs in this league.
If we can get comfortable and know right away how hard it’s going to be and we can thrive in that environment, in the uncomfortable moments, in the tough games, in the hard back-to-backs, the better we’re going to be.
Appreciate it.
Thank you guys.
[APPLAUSE]
Carbery, 42, is coming off his rookie year as an NHL head coach. The Victoria, Canada native led the Capitals to an improbable playoff berth in the final game of the season despite having the worst goal differential, minus-37, of any team to qualify in the salary cap era.
At season’s end, Carbery, a former player in the ECHL, finished seventh in Jack Adams Award voting for NHL head coach of the year.
The Capitals will look to rebound from an early playoff exit last spring when the New York Rangers swept them in four games.
