The Washington Capitals hired veteran assistant coach Ray Bennett yesterday. Bennett is a long time and well-respected coach that has worked for the Islanders, Los Angeles, St. Louis, and Colorado, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2022. Check one thing off Washington’s to-do list.
Bennett is a power play guru, an area of great concern for the Capitals the last few years, especially last season. Their power play’s inconsistency was a major reason the Capitals missed the playoffs this past season by one point. Bennett knows the power play and has run very good units in the past.Â
The Caps used to have one of the league’s most potent power plays for over a decade, with players like John Carlson, TJ Oshie, Alex Ovechkin, and Nicklas Backstrom running the show. Since Backstrom retired, the power play has been largely inconsistent. Backstrom vision and ability to make cross-crease, tape to tape passes is an element that the Caps lack at the moment.
The Athletics Barry Svrluga made the point that Ovi has lost a few steps and has hampered the efficiency of the Caps power play, which is true. But I think it also has a lot to do with the absence of Backstrom. Since his retirement, the Caps They are loaded with wingers and centers who are more shoot-first forwards, not set up men. They need someone to get them the puck. Without that premiere passer, the Caps have not been inconsistent on the power play.
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