Top 3 takeaways from Spencer Carbery’s introductory press conference
Today at District E next to Capital One Arena, the Washington Capitals introduced Spencer Carbery as the 20th coach in franchise history and the first one to become head coach at all three levels within the organization.
He got his start in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays. He continued that success with the Hershey Bears before finally getting his first NHL promotion as as assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Ultimately he’s back home where he belongs now as the new bench boss.
#3 A perfect match
The Caps had Carbery high on their list early into the coaching search. They had to wait until the Toronto Maple Leafs season ended though before they could call him. But in the end I think this is going to work out. So did the men of the hour.
“He possesses a lot of the qualities that we were looking for at head coach,” said Capitals General Manager Brian MacLellan. “But beyond the resume I think the main thing we’re here today and hired Spencer is there’s a high level of trust and comfort with both parties.”
“I’m beyond excited to roll my sleeves up and get to work for this organization, this fan base, and our players. I’m going to put everything I’ve got into this organization, the community, the players,” said Spencer Carbery. ” I’m going to do everything I possibly can to make this team a group on the ice that we can proud of… Such an honor and a privilege to lead that group.”
#2 His coaching identity
Carbery is no stranger to the game of hockey. Before his coaching career began in 2010 11 as an assistant coach with the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL he played parts of two seasons with that team and helped them capture the Kelly Cup in 2009.
That same season he was honored as the Stingrays inaugural Jerry Zucker Community Service Award winner for his work in the Lowcountry community.
The forward played 181 games over three ECHL seasons with Bakersfield, Stockton, Fresno, and South Carolina and in 63 games in the CHL with Tulsa. He graduated from St. Norbert College, where he played for three seasons after playing his freshman year a the University of Alaska Anchorage.
“From watching and my philosophies on the ice the two words I think I will use a lot early on are pace and being connected. A lot of people equate pace with speed. To me, pace is a lot different than just players that can skate fast and play quick,” said Carbery.
“Pace, to me, is you can show it with the puck or without the puck… The connected term I use I think it is important that we have five guys all together that are on the same page with what we’re doing.”
#1 Great power comes great responsibility
Having a head coaching job in the NHL is almost as powerful as it gets as it’s third to the owner and the GM. But now that Carbery has that power he has responsibility especially when it comes to Alex Ovechkin.
Ovechkin will be in the center of the sports world the next two seasons as he looks to break a record that many once thought was impossible. It’s up to Carbery to put his team captain in position to succeed.
“It’s a huge responsibility for me as a head coach. I’ve watched and saw his greatness up close and indirectly and I take a lot of responsibility into that so it’s my job as a head coach to put him in situations where he can be successful. That’s what my challenge is and I don’t take that lightly at all,” said Carbery.
“That’ll work into how we play as a group but one of my focus is putting him in situations to succeed.”
Carbery was joined by his wife Casey and his two kids Hudson and Victoria. When they arrived to F street they were greeted by a cheering crowd.
It’s great to see fans excited about a new coach and hopefully this era will go well. Even if they win one playoff round next season that’s still a big success. But no playoffs? It’s operation get the puck to the great eight.
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“We’re in a transition period and we’re trying to make the best of it,” says MacLellan.