#2 Stronger leadership
From team captain Alex Ovechkin all the way down to the healthy scratches, everyone needs to understand their role. From the head coach, to the video coach, every role has to be held accountable.
No matter who the Washington Capitals go up against, whether it be the Pittsburgh Penguins or the Buffalo Sabres, the team has to keep motivated at all costs.
This isn’t a shot at Alex Ovechkin whatsoever. He’s done a great job as team captain. Nicklas Backstrom is a great alternate captain as is John Carlson who has been counted on to help lead the defense. But perhaps the coaching leadership needs to either be taken up a notch or go in a different direction.
The pause in the NHL season makes you wonder if this saves coach Todd Reirden’s job for at least another season.
Of course, winning changes everything so when the season does come back or if we shift into next season it’ll be a very important stretch in Reirden’s coaching career. This is his chance to prove himself and that he’s got what it takes to lead this team.
Play disciplined, step up in leadership, those are two ways to fix the Capitals. Now there’s just one more.