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Peter Laviolette to be new Caps coach

By Dave Johnson

Peter Laviolette
FILE – In this Dec. 29, 2018, file photo, Nashville Predators coach Peter Laviolette, center, and associated coach Kevin McCarthy, center left, talk to players during a timeout in an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers in Nashville, Tenn. The team announced Monday, Jan. 6, 2020, that both Laviolette and McCarthy had been fired. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
Peter Laviolette, 55, is the new head coach of the Washington Capitals. The news was first reported by Elliotte Friedman.

“Peter is a successful NHL head coach who has won a Stanley Cup and brings a wealth of experience to our team,” said Capitals Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian MacLellan, in a news 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. 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.” The hiring of Laviolette ends a coaching search that started Aug. 23 when Todd Reirden was fired after two seasons in charge that included two division titles and two first round playoff exits. Reirden, one of five first-time NHL head coaches hired in the era of Alex Ovechkin, was fired days after the Caps were knocked out of the playoff in the first round. The team lost the five-game series to the New York Islanders. Reirden was the first coach fired after hockey’s return following the pandemic-caused shutdown. At the time, Capitals General Manager Brian MacLellan said he was looking for a coach with previous experience. “I think we need an experienced coach,” MacLellan said after Reirden’s firing. “We have an experienced group. We need someone to come in and push some buttons on some players.” Laviolette has 18 years of NHL head coaching experience and is only the fourth coach in NHL history to lead three different teams — Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers and Nashville Predators, to the Stanley Cup Final. He coached the New York Islanders (2001-2003), Carolina Hurricanes (2003-2008), Philadelphia Flyers (2009-2013) and Nashville Predators (2014-2020). He also coached Team USA and represented the U.S. in four Olympic Games as a player and a coach. The Nashville Predators fired Laviolette on Jan. 6, 2020, along with Assistant coach Kevin McCarthy. The Capitals said Laviolette compiled a career coaching record of 637-425-25-123, ranking him second in wins among U.S.-born coaches and 16th most in NHL history. Laviolette is the 19th head coach in franchise history for the Capitals. He and his wife, Kristen, have two sons, Peter and Jack, and a daughter, Elisabeth. The Associated Press and WTOP’s Colleen Kelleher contributed to this story.

Mike Gartner says Alex Ovechkin ‘might pass everybody’ on NHL’s all-time scorers list

By Julius Long
Gartner: Ovi 'might pass everybody' on NHL's all-time scorers list originally appeared on NBC Sports WashingtonWith his overtime game-winner in Saturday night’s 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins, Alex Ovechkin tied Hall of Fame winger Mike Gartner for 7th in the NHL’s all-time leading scorers list.Tonight, with Gartner’s No. 11 hanging in the raptors of Capital One Arena, Ovi has the chance to surpass him.Ahead of the second leg of this back-to-back between division rivals, Gartner joined the crew of Capitals Pregame Live to talk about what Ovechkin's inevitable accomplishment means to him.“He just tied me, he’s obviously going to pass me. He’s going to pass a lot of guys and he might pass everybody," Gartner, who is one of only eight NHL players to score 700 career goals, said.“Alex has got the whole package. He’s a guy that can skate, that obviously is a big player. He plays a lot of games over the course of a season. He shoots the puck a lot and he knows where to play. He really has all of the attributes.”Gartner was the first Capitals forward to be enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame, recording at least 35 goals in each of his nine full seasons in D.C., including a 50-goal, 102-point campaign in 1984-85. The four-time Capitals All-Star feels no shame in being surpassed by arguably the best players to ever wear the Capitals uniform.If Ovechkin can score his 709th career goal, he'll pass Gartner (708) for seventh in NHL history. Next, Ovi will have his eyes set on Phil Esposito's 717 for sixth.
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