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Washington Capitals: Young guns coach the prospects

By Ron Juckett

20 MAR 2004: Spencer Carbery (26) of St. Norbert advances the puck up the ice against Middlebury during the Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championship held at Kreitzberg Arena on the Middlebury College campus in Northfield, VT. Middlebury defeated St. Norbert 1-0 in overtime for the national title. David Herskowitz/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
20 MAR 2004: Spencer Carbery (26) of St. Norbert advances the puck up the ice against Middlebury during the Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championship held at Kreitzberg Arena on the Middlebury College campus in Northfield, VT. Middlebury defeated St. Norbert 1-0 in overtime for the national title. David Herskowitz/NCAA Photos via Getty Images /
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The Washington Capitals needed new coaches for both minor league clubs. They went outside the box and hired two hungry coaching prospects to run the show.

As the Washington Capitals show stability on the ice, they are not afraid to try new coaches behind the bench.

This holds true in the minor leagues too. Both the Hershey Bears and South Carolina Stingrays have new head coaches under 40 and getting their chance for the first time at their respective level.

For the AHL Hershey Bears, the new man in charge is Spencer Carbery.

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He hopes to bring the same physical-style to the Bears he brought during his career. With any luck, he can return Hershey to the Calder Cup playoffs. In the 21 years Washington and Hershey shared a partnership this time, the Bears have won the Cup twice.

As a player, Carbery never made it past the ECHL. His last stop as a player was with South Carolina. In four seasons at the Double-A level, he piled up the penalty minutes with 481 over 181 games.

A good goal scorer in juniors and college, it never carried over into the pros. He scored 32 regular-season goals.

Yet, Carbery showed leadership abilities as a player and took a coaching job with South Carolina when he retired. First as an assistant then a four-year stint as head coach. At 29, he was the youngest boss in ECHL history. The Stingrays made the playoffs all five seasons he coached and the Kelly Cup championship finals once.

A brief stint coaching juniors, then an assistant with the Providence Bruins followed, before Washington tabbed him this summer.

Although he is 36, Carbery has success as a leader and a coach. A good role model for his young players to follow. Or a rookie coach such as Spiros Anastas. The South Carolina Stingrays tabbed him as their head coach earlier this week.

At 33, Anastas has been behind the bench nine years already. A strong leader as a player, he was a four-year captain at NCAA Division III Lebanon Valley College, he immediately became an assistant coach at the school upon graduation.

Highlights include two good seasons with Detroit’s AHL team, Grand Rapids, and four years as head coach of Lethbridge University in Alberta. Considered great with prospects, Anastas has international coaching experience with South Korea and Estonia in international tournaments.

A successful run in North Charleston will add to his resume and fast track Anastas to a future NHL job.

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The Washington Capitals show patience by going young in their coaching hires. The risks are low and the rewards are good.

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