Peter Laviolette: 'It is not about me' after first win as Caps coach originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

New Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette may have felt good after his first win behind the Washington bench, but made sure to deflect postgame attention to the ones who executed his gameplan on the ice. 

When asked if the veteran head coach ever gets tired of winning, Laviolette made sure to praise his veteran stars. 

“I think reverse the question a little bit and you got guys who have been here a long time – and Alex Ovechkin or a Nick Backstrom has been here a long time and there were changes that were made this summer but like I said, it is a lot more than just me,” Laviolette told media postgame. “It is not about me. There is a lot more than just me that got changed over and turned over and a lot of new pieces in there and I think it is really important for our team.”

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Washington’s core has been intact for some time now, with players like Ovechkin (16th season), Backstrom (14th season), and John Carlson (12th season) still playing at the peak of their powers. Laviolette noted just how influential their veteran leadership can be moving forward. 

“Guys who have been here for a long time and new faces alike so winning is always fun. The first game can be fun for everybody,” Laviolette said. “You don’t have to be a new person. It’s the start of the season or the start of a new direction and I think guys can really enjoy that. You try to pull off them, build that momentum and build off of it.”

No matter how much Laviolette deflected the attention away from himself after a good start in the win column, it’s still important to note just how good it feels. 

“If you asked me I have enjoyed myself tonight, then I did.”