Brian MacLellan, the general manager of the Washington Capitals, will hold a press conference at 6 p.m. Monday to address the resignation of head coach Barry Trotz.
The Capitals said in a statement that Trotz informed the team he was stepping down Monday afternoon.
“We are obviously disappointed by Barry’s decision, but would like to thank Barry for all his efforts the past four years and for helping bring the Stanley Cup to Washington,” the statement read. “Barry is a man of high character and integrity and we are grateful for his leadership and for all that he has done for our franchise.”
Trotz said last week that “there’s some issues we’ve got to just work through” regarding his negotiations, but that he wanted to return to the team.
A report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggests Trotz had a clause in his contract that awarded him a two-year extension if the Capitals won the Stanley Cup. But that extension was not up to the current market value for coaches, and the two sides could not agree to new terms.
Trotz was already set to be a “free agent” on July 1. The only NHL team currently without a head coach is the New York Islanders, but it’s unknown if any other teams might pursue Trotz.
The Capitals, meanwhile, will have a hole to fill and might turn to associate head coach Todd Reirden.
MacLellan, who was brought in by the Capitals the same year as Trotz, 2014, will answer questions from reporters Monday as a hockey community that just celebrated a Stanley Cup seeks clarity.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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