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Washington Capitals: Todd Reirden hits the big time

By Ron Juckett

ARLINGTON, VA - JULY 3: Head Coach Todd Reirden waits to go on stage for a press conference in Arlington, VA on July 3, 2018. Reirden was announced as head coach for the Washington Capitals and shared the stage with Brian MacLellan, general manager. (Photo by Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, VA - JULY 3: Head Coach Todd Reirden waits to go on stage for a press conference in Arlington, VA on July 3, 2018. Reirden was announced as head coach for the Washington Capitals and shared the stage with Brian MacLellan, general manager. (Photo by Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post via Getty Images) /
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The Washington Capitals introduced Todd Reirden as their new head coach Tuesday. Here is a glimpse of how others succeeded before him.

Welcome to your dream job, Todd Reirden. You are the 18th head coach in the Washington Capitals 44-year history. The defending Stanley Cup champions, you are the lucky one who gets to bring this talented core of players back to the playoffs.

By a weird coincidence, you do not start with the worst record in team history. Not that fans do not trust you, but Roger Crozier lost his only game in 1982 as the man behind the bench. Beat the Boston Bruins on opening night, and you have bested him.

The bar is low, Mr. Reirden.

If you have a 50-win first season, you will have more wins than half the coaches in team history. Gary Green, who graced the old Capital Centre between 1980 and 1982 won 50 for DC. Also, he lost 78 with 29 ties. No statues ring the old place in his honor.

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You need 164 wins to get into the top five. Terry Murray’s five seasons in the early 90s won 163 and 18 playoff games. A 200-win run with the Caps leaves you one short of Bruce Boudreau’s third-place 201. The good news there is you would be the third-straight coach for the Caps to win 200 games. No small achievement.

Win 205 and you will pass your old boss Barry Trotz as number two all-time on the win list. Trotz is the only head coach in Washington history with an overall winning record in the playoffs. In four seasons, with you by his side, the Caps were 36-27. No pressure on that Cup thing, ok?

Because you are 47, and blessed with a talented roster signed for years, you have the chance to grab Bryan Murray’s records. The longest serving coach in Caps history, he won 343 games over nine seasons. That 672 games coached record is there too. The 1980s were good years.

But, not as good as the last four.

Although you and Trotz may have had your differences last year, his years of success with Washington and Nashville are worth emulating. You have been handed the keys to a lethal offense and, with your defensive knowledge, can take this group back to the finals.

You have your work cut out for you, Todd Reirden. The offseason is too short to start and the championship hangover is real. But, the Washington Capitals groomed you for this moment. Despite the image of an overachieving underdog, you are the right man for the job.

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We wish you the best of luck.

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