Capitals rent Spencer Carbery as coach

The Washington Capitals have a brand new coach.

The Capitals employed former Toronto Maple Leafs assistant Spencer Carbery to switch Peter Laviolette. This shall be Carbery’s first alternative to guide an NHL group, however he holds ties to the Capitals. The 41-year-old spent three years teaching the Capitals‘ AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears (2018-2021) and five seasons coaching the team’s ECHL affiliate in South Carolina (2011-2016). 

“We are extremely pleased to name Spencer as our new head coach,” normal supervisor Brian MacLellan stated in a press release. “Spencer is without doubt one of the finest younger coaches within the sport who’s had success at each degree at which he has coached. 

“We feel his leadership, communication skills, ability to develop players and familiarity with our organization will be a tremendous asset as he makes this next step in his coaching career.”

Carbery has been seen as one of many NHL’s rising coaches. After he left the Bears in 2021, Carbery joined the Maple Leafs as an assistant below coach Sheldon Keefe. With Toronto, Carbery was accountable for the group’s energy play — serving to the unit convert 26.6% of its possibilities over the past two seasons, the second-best fee in hockey. He was additionally an achieved minor league coach, profitable ECHL Coach of the Year and AHL Coach of the Year in 2014 and 2021. 

In Washington, Carbery shall be charged with guiding the Capitals again to the playoffs. Washington this yr missed the postseason for the primary time since 2014, main the group to half methods with Laviolette after three seasons. In an April press convention, MacLellan stated Washington was in search of a coach who may information the group’s veteran core whereas additionally creating younger expertise. 

The Capitals need to keep aggressive with Alex Ovechkin and others within the last years of their careers. Ovechkin, specifically, is 73 targets away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s scoring file, and the group’s objective is for Washington to compete for an additional Stanley Cup whereas Ovechkin pursues the file. Ovechkin, 37, has three years left on his contract. 

Carbery had lengthy been talked about as a candidate for the Capitals’ prime job. The group additionally interviewed former captain Jeff Halpern, now an assistant with the Tampa Bay Lightning, for the place. 

“It’s a tremendous honor and privilege to be named the head coach of the Washington Capitals,” Carbery stated. “I would like to thank the Capitals organization for affording me the opportunity to lead this team. I look forward to working with this group of talented players and building upon the winning culture in place. I would also like to thank the Toronto Maple Leafs organization for all their support over the past two years and wish them all the best in the future.”

The Capitals plan to introduce Carbery at a press convention Thursday. Born in Victoria, British Columbia in Canada, Carbery performed school hockey on the University of Alaska Anchorage earlier than spending 4 years (2006-2010) within the minor leagues. He started teaching in August 2010, latching on with the South Carolina Stingrays — Washington’s ECHL minor league affiliate the place Carbery hung out as a  participant. Carbery turned the Stingrays’ coach in 2011 at simply 29 after working as an assistant for a yr.  

At 41, Carbery is at the moment the NHL‘s youngest head coach. Four groups, nonetheless, nonetheless have teaching vacancies: the Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers.