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Washington Capitals: Who is Todd Reirden

By Ron Juckett

ARLINGTON, VA - SEPTEMBER 23:Washington Capitals Assistant Coach Todd Reirden talks with the media after the team's first preseason practice on September 23, 2016. Reirden is the acting head coach while Barry Trtoz is away. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, VA - SEPTEMBER 23:Washington Capitals Assistant Coach Todd Reirden talks with the media after the team's first preseason practice on September 23, 2016. Reirden is the acting head coach while Barry Trtoz is away. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images) /
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Meet the top candidate for the Washington Capitals head coaching job. Todd Reirden is a hockey lifer with an impressive resume.

With Barry Trotz’s sudden resignation Monday, the Washington Capitals turn to Plan “B” and Todd Reirden.

The Caps carefully groomed Reirden to replace Trotz as early as last year. As Associate Head Coach, Reirden ran the defensive show. Although they are not the same personalities, Washington players will find familiarity if Reirden passes muster.

Reirden will be a head coach in the National Hockey League.

He is an American hockey lifer. Reirden shunned the New Jersey Devils, who selected him in the 12th round of the 1990 NHL Draft, for four years at Bowling Green University. From there, he bounced around the minor leagues with the Devils and the International Hockey League before signing with the Edmonton Oilers as a free agent.

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It was with the Oilers where Reirden made his NHL debut on January 7, 1999 against the Phoenix Coyotes. St. Louis claimed him off waivers before the start of the 1999 season and the defenseman found semi-regular playing time the next two years.

A regular in Atlanta during the 2001-02 campaign, Reirden’s last NHL stop came with a brief stint with Phoenix in 2004. Yet, he was an American Hockey League veteran after 2002 before ending his playing career on the rinks of Germany, Austria and Denmark in 2007.

Upon his return, Reirden started his coaching career as an assistant with his alma mater, Bowling Green. In 2009, he got his first head coaching job with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL. With Pittsburgh’s top club, he guided them to a third-place finish in the Eastern division and a first-round sweep by the Albany Devils. Pittsburgh promoted him to the big club as an assistant the next year.

Reirden stayed through the 2014 season when he was let go. Washington snapped him up and he has been on the staff ever since.

Without question, Reirden is the Caps top choice. General Manager Brian MacLellan will give Reirden a full interview soon. If Reirden succeeds, the coaching search is over. At 47, he gets his shot as a head coach in the NHL.

That is if the interview goes as planned. If it does not, then the Caps find themselves at the start of free agency needing to assemble a full coaching staff. Not a great start on the long road of defending the Stanley Cup. But, that is the worst-case scenario.

Next: Trotz era ends for Caps

Todd Reirden has paid his dues. Between his playing days and coaching career, he has almost 30 years of experience with long stops at every level. Expect the Washington Capitals to hire him.

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