Is Peter Laviolette The Right Coach For The Next Phase Of The Washington Capitals?

He’s handled a ton adversity throughout his stint as head coach of the Washington Capitals. A worldwide pandemic and a rash of serious accidents has accompanied Peter Laviolette’s tenure in Washington, rendering it something however typical. Sadly, the adversity has additionally clouded the flexibility to obviously assess his efficiency throughout his time in Washington. However there are “breadcrumbs” value contemplating.

Laviolette, by most accounts, has been effectively acquired by the gamers, the Capitals entrance workplace, in addition to followers. He’s been greater than proficient, and with a coach of his pedigree, was the precise play following Todd Reirden’s reign. However is it the precise play transferring ahead?

The workforce has been fast first spherical exits within the postseason in Laviolette’s first two years because the Capitals bench boss, and is very actual chance of lacking the playoffs altogether within the last yr of his deal. However once more, there are many accidents to forestall putting all of the blame on Laviolette’s shoulders.

Regardless, Laviolette’s contract expires on the finish of this season and the workforce is going through fairly a little bit of change coming between now and free company this summer time. The workforce will undoubtedly see loads of new faces in coaching camp in September, because the group makes an attempt to reshape, in addition to get youthful.

The first query, at the very least underneath the purview of this publish, would Laviolette be the precise head coach for the following section of the Capitals?

Laviolette has constantly demonstrated a propensity for preferring the aged veteran over the growing teenager, even to the purpose of getting younger expertise beg for a ticket on the primary bus out of Washington. What would this Capitals workforce be with Jonas Siegenthaler, 25, now one of many league’s higher defensemen, patrolling the blueline?

To Laviolette’s credit score, he has guided the insertion of Capitals prospect Martin Fehervary right into a full time roll with the workforce, however in all actuality, the inertia for that elevation was occurring effectively earlier than Laviolette’s arrival. Aliaksei Protas might be one other teenager credit score for Laviolette, but that has been something however a full-time roll.

Laviolette has demonstrated he prefers going with the identical veteran gamers, night time after night time, reasonably than together with any form of revolving, periodic insertion of prospects, strictly for growth functions. He begins what he believes will give him the most effective probability at successful each night time, which isn’t a loopy technique. However sadly, philosophy has detrimental impacts later down the road. When all is alleged and accomplished, we simply don’t have an excellent really feel for Laviolette’s means to educate and develop youth.

The perfect head coach for the following section of the Capitals might be somebody higher suited at motivating and managing younger gamers, but in a position to achieve success on the NHL stage. That seems like a tall order, however perhaps not.

Examples embody Spencer Carbery and Todd Nelson, who’ve confirmed their means to educate, develop and handle younger gamers, each on the Junior and professional ranges. A head coach of their make could be optimum in growing Capitals prospects, in addition to coach and handle the remaining getting old veterans on the workforce.

The secure play for Capitals’ Normal Supervisor Brian MacLellan could be to increase Laviolette for an additional two years, or the remaining time period of Alex Ovechkin’s contract (three years). It will get rid of any probability of a giant “swing-and-a-miss” in hiring the following coach, and squandering the remaining Ovechkin years.

However on this case, secure isn’t greatest transfer for long-term well being of the group. The Capitals have one last three-year stretch to reshape/retool/re-whatever-you-want-to-call-it, and make one or two critical runs for a Cup. It could appear dangerous however the most effective transfer could be to rent a younger motivator to assist construct, develop and handle the workforce to the Ovechkin end line.

By Jon Sorensen