Top 3 coaching candidates that would be perfect for the Capitals
The Washington Capitals could be hiring a new head coach very soon. But who are the names we should keep an eye on in the coming weeks?
#3 Bruce Boudreau
Bruce Boudreau has currently been enjoying his role as a TV analyst on NHL Network but he would love nothing more than to get back behind a bench soon. No better team reunion than a Gabby reunion to the Capitals.
My sense is the process has yet to begin in earnest. But hear me out … Boudreau might not be the craziest thought in the world. The Caps are entering a transitional phase, and there’s no guarantee MacLellan’s rebuild-on-the-fly strategy is going to yield immediate results. That’s a risky proposition for a potential first-year head coach like Spencer Carbery or Jeff Halpern. Boudreau, meanwhile, has a track record of jumpstarting stagnant teams and offenses. And, of course, the 68-year-old fan favorite already knows where Ovechkin’s buttons are and when to press them, having coached the Caps captain from 2007-2012. That’s a big deal as No. 8 pursues Wayne Gretzky over the next couple of seasons.
If Tarik doesn’t think it’s a crazy idea, I don’t either.
#2 Spencer Carbery
News has emerged that Spencer Carbery has received a request of permission to be interviewed by the Washington Capitals. They also interviewed other candidates but Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, who reported the news, didn’t disclose who they were. That’s probably because his source didn’t want to.
Carbery has has experience in the Capitals organization for over a decade. He started out as part of the coaching staff of their ECHL affiliate the South Carolina Stingrays. He then coached the AHL’s Hershey Bears for three seasons before taking the assistant coaching job with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In 2018 19 he went 43-25-0-8 while his second year saw him go 37-18-0-7. HIs third year he went 24-7-0-2 before he took that assistant coaching job with the Maple Leafs.
“Now that the Maple Leafs are out of the playoffs, there’s no question that teams will be reaching out about Toronto assistant coach Spencer Carbery, and I believe the Capitals, his old organization, have already sought permission to interview him for their vacant head coach position, although neither organization would confirm that Tuesday.”
The Maple Leafs fell to the Florida Panthers in the second round of the playoffs in five games with Radko Gudas providing the game winning assist.
#1 Jeff Halpern
The number one candidate who the Caps should hire is Jeff Halpern. It looks like according to the rumors they already talked to Halpern and Carbery among others.
Halpern has spend the past five seasons as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was an assistant coach with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch for two seasons before joining the Bolts.
The 47 year old also had a 14 year NHL career as a player, having appeared in 976 career games with the Capitals, Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Los Angles Kings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Arizona Coyotes.
Halpern hails from Potomac, Maryland and he joined the Caps as an undrafted free agent. He spent time there from 1999 through 2006 as well as the 2011 12 season. He played in a total of 507 games with the Capitals.
Halpern was teammates with Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and John Carlson when they were basically kids. It would be cool to see him return to his hometown organization getting a chance to see him coach Ovechkin as he chases one of sports biggest records.
light. Hot. Washington Capitals News: Spencer Carbery emerges as head coaching candidate, big decision looming for Nicklas Backstrom
Hopefully we’ll know who the new Capitals coach is at some point but I’d be shocked if it was somebody other than the three we mentioned here.