Top 3 reasons Brian MacLellan earned his promotion

The Washington Capitals made some big news yesterday. No I’m not talking about the Sonny Milano chia pet. I’m talking about re signing and promoting Brian MacLellan to a well deserved role.

MacLellan has been general manager for the last 10 seasons. Now he’s not only a Capitals general manager, but also President of Hockey Operations.

Team president Dick Patrick is now team chairman while Dick’s son Chris will be associate general manager.

Here are the top 3 reasons GMBM deserved that promotion:

#3 He’s won before

Since the start of the 2014 15 season, MacLellan’s Capitals have compiled a record of 409-213-77 which is good for a .640 winning percentage and the third most wins in the NHL during that stretch.

That all equates to a Stanley Cup, two Presidents’ Trophies, and a franchise record five consecutive Metropolitan Division tittles.

That Stanley Cup came in 2018 and out of the 19 players that took the ice during the Cup clinching win in Game 5, eight of those players were either signed, traded for, or drafted by MacLellan. That includes three of the four players that scored in that magical game (Jakub Vrana, Devante Smith Pelly, and Lars Eller).

He’s also won a Stanley Cup as a player so winning is in his DNA.