The Washington Capitals have named their new head coach. Less than a month after firing Todd Reirden, the team announced Tuesday that Peter Laviolette, a veteran NHL coach with 18 years of experience, will now lead the team.
“Peter is a successful NHL head coach who has won a Stanley Cup and brings a wealth of experience to our team,” senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan said in a press release. “We feel he is a great communicator who will motivate our players to play with passion, structure and discipline, while helping our young players reach their potential.
He went on, “In addition, he is a high-character individual who is highly respected for his coaching pedigree, all of which make him the ideal person to lead our team to compete for the Stanley Cup.”
Laviolette previously coached the Carolina Hurricanes, the New York Islanders, the Philadelphia Flyers, and most recently the Nashville Predators, leading three of them to the Stanley Cup Final. He is the fourth coach in NHL history to do so. Laviolette won with the Hurricanes in 2006.
“I’m thankful and excited for the opportunity to lead this hockey club,” Laviolette said in the 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.”
In late August, the team fired Reirden days after being eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs, marking the second year in a row the team made an early exit. The team lost to the New York Islanders, led by former Capitals coach Barry Trotz, four games to one in a best-of-seven series.
“We have higher expectations for our team, and we felt a fresh approach in leadership was necessary,” MacLellan said in a post on the team’s website at the time. “We would like to thank Todd for all of his hard work and efforts with our organization.”
Reirden was previously promoted from his top assistant job, replacing Trotz in 2018. The Capitals let Trotz leave instead of giving him a raise following the team’s Stanley Cup victory, per ESPN.
