After the day off on Friday, the Capitals have reconvened this morning at Medstar Capitals Iceplex with some changes.
For starters, Hershey stud Daniel Sprong has joined Group A to take shifts on the third line. Also, Ovechkin and Backstrom are reunited.
By Peter Hassett 2 years ago
Peter Laviolette has 18 seasons of head coaching experience for four different NHL teams. But after being hired by the Capitals in the summer, the 56-year-old Lavy has had trouble getting to know his new players because of restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s just completely different,” Laviolette said. “Typically a coach would be here a month before the season starts and in the rink. And while you’re not allowed to work with the players and I respect the rules, you see them and bump into them. You may see them around the rink or you could go to dinner with them or you could sit down with them at breakfast and talk and get to know them a little bit.”
Laviolette also recently had to decline a meal with the team’s captain and best player, Alex Ovechkin, due to the new protocols.
New Washington Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette has landed in DC and will take part in his first training camp with the team on Monday, January 3. Laviolette, who has led three different teams to the Stanley Cup Final, will try to repeat his success in Washington where the Capitals are reeling from two straight first-round exits in the playoffs and feel the pressure of capitalizing during the final years of Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom.
Tuesday, during a press conference with Capitals media, Laviolette addressed questions about the NHL’s pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season which will bring plenty of new challenges and protocols. One requirement for coaches this season is that they will need to wear masks on the bench.
Laviolette, who was open to doing anything that the NHL requires to play games, was excited about the new addition to his wardrobe.
Elliotte Friedman broke the news today. The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired Manny Malhotra as their assistant coach, thereby denying ex-Caps bench boss Bruce Boudreau of getting job with his old favorite team.
Losing his chance at the Leafs job plus the Caps position going to Peter Laviolette. That’s a bummer… but also an opportunity!
The Capitals should hire Bruce Boudreau to be their new assistant coach.
By Peter Hassett 2 years ago
Elliotte Friedman wrote about the Capitals’ coaching search and the eventual hiring of Peter Laviolette in his latest 31 Thoughts column. While Friedman believes Laviolette was the team’s ultimate first choice, he reports that Mike Babcock, who won the Stanley Cup in 2008, got a lot of consideration from the Capitals because his interview went so well.
MacLellan only interviewed Laviolette and Babcock face-to-face due to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
Peter Laviolette has taken the reins of the Washington Capitals, ushering in the era of the Washington Lavitals. In today’s episode, Peter and Ian try to figure out what that means.
By Peter Hassett 2 years ago
Capitals majority owner Ted Leonsis is very pleased with his general manager Brian MacLellan.
Tuesday, Leonsis welcomed new head coach Peter Laviolette on Twitter and also added a kind note for Mac on the hiring process.
“Very impressed with how efficient our GM conducted his search,” Leonsis said.
Peter Laviolette was hired as the Washington Capitals’ new coach Tuesday morning. He’s the 19th coach in franchise history.
“I’m thankful and excited for the opportunity to lead this hockey club,” Laviolette said in a Capitals’ press release. “This is a winning organization with high expectations. I look forward to coaching this tremendous group of players and bringing my experience and vision to the team.”
Laviolette celebrated his new three-year, $12-plus million contract by raising a Washington Capitals flag in the backyard of his New Hampshire lakehouse.
After a three-week search, the Washington Capitals have found their new head coach. Peter Laviolette will be the Capitals’ 19th coach in franchise history and seventh of the Alex Ovechkin Era (15 seasons). For Ovechkin, Laviolette will be just the second coach he’s played under who had prior coaching experience in the NHL.
The news was first reported by Elliotte Friedman.
By Ian Oland 2 years ago
Sportsnet analyst Elliotte Friedman was a guest on NHL Network on Tuesday and gave some more insight into the Capitals coaching search.
Over the weekend, Friedman reported that the Capitals have interviewed Mike Babock and Gerard Gallant during Hockey Night In Canada’s Saturday Night Headlines segment. In late August, he also reported the team had interviewed Peter Laviolette after asking for permission from the Nashville Predators.
During the interview with EJ Hradek, Friedman handicapped Mike Babcock’s chances of becoming head coach while also giving context on what went wrong for the Capitals in the bubble.
