Top 5 storylines as the Capitals enter a new season

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Spencer Carbery, Washington Capitals (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

#4 A new bench boss

Spencer Carbery was brought in to coach the Capitals at the tail end of May with his first press conference with the D.C. media in the beginning of June. As the youngest coach in the league at age 41, there is inexperience. But don’t let it fool you.

Carbery when he takes the bench tonight will have officially coached at every level of hockey from the ECHL to the AHL and then finally to the NHL. But he does have a bit of NHL experience under his resume as he was an assistant for two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs that helped form them into one of the league’s top power plays.

After his playing carer ended, Carbery spent five seasons as the head coach and director of hockey operations with the South Carolina Stingrays from 2011 to 2016. They joined the Caps as their ECHL affiliate in Carbery’s final two seasons.

After that he spent three seasons with the Hershey Bears. His final season saw the Bears post the best AHL record. He coached a lot of young Capitals players that wound up on today’s opening night roster.

He also seems to know the veterans well and looks to engage every player. Will this coach’s new life added to the Capitals translate into wins? That question will be answered throughout the course of the season.

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