Washington Capitals ‘mutually part ways’ with head coach Peter Laviolette after missing playoffs
Washington Capitals ‘mutually part ways’ with head coach Peter Laviolette after the Caps missed the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons
- Peter Laviolette’s contract was due to expire at the end of this season
- For the first time since 2014, The Capitals will not participate in the Stanley Cup Playoffs
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The Washington Capitals and coach Peter Laviolette have decided to part ways after the team missed the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade.
General manager Brian MacLellan announced the decision, which he described as mutual, on Friday, less than 24 hours after the Capitals’ season ended.
Laviolette’s contract expired on June 30.
“We are grateful to Peter for his leadership and dedication to our organization over the past three seasons,” MacLellan said in a statement.
“Peter is a first class individual who has represented our club with integrity and guided our team through many difficult circumstances during his tenure as our head coach. We wish him all the best in the future.’
The Washington Capitals have “mutually parted ways” with head coach Peter Laviolette
The Capitals missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2014 season
Laviolette, who had a 35-37-10 record this season, was due to have his contract expire in June
The 58-year-old Laviolette has coached the Capitals for the past three seasons, making the playoffs in each of the first two to extend the organization’s postseason streak to eight years.
They lost each time in the first round and have not won a series since winning the Stanley Cup in 2018 under Barry Trotz.
Washington went 220-115-78 in the regular season under Laviolette, who coached Carolina to the Cup in 2006 and also took two other teams to the Finals: Philadelphia in 2010 and Nashville in 2017.
MacLellan, President Dick Patrick and owner Ted Leonsis are now seeking the eighth coach of star Alex Ovechkin’s NHL career.
Ovechkin is still 73 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s career record. He will be 38 in September and has three years left on his contract.
Leonsis has told Ovechkin he will not rebuild as the old Russian captain chases Gretzky’s record.
Laviolette’s replacement will be tasked with ensuring the Capitals continue to win – and score goals – with an aging roster and limited opportunity for major changes due to long-term contracts and the salary cap receiving only a modest increase for 2023-24.
If the front office chooses a new NHL head coach, former Washington assistant Spencer Carbery, who now works at Toronto, and former captain Jeff Halpern – a two-time Cup winner on Jon Cooper’s staff at Tampa Bay – are considered two of the best candidates.