- The Washington Times - Tuesday, May 30, 2023

The Washington Capitals have a new coach.

The Capitals hired former Toronto Maple Leafs assistant Spencer Carbery to replace Peter Laviolette. This will be Carbery’s first opportunity to lead an NHL team, but he holds ties to the Capitals. The 41-year-old spent three years coaching 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,” general manager Brian MacLellan said in a statement. “Spencer is one of the best young coaches in the game who’s had success at every level 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 the NHL’s rising coaches. After he left the Bears in 2021, Carbery joined the Maple Leafs as an assistant under coach Sheldon Keefe. With Toronto, Carbery was responsible for the team’s power play — helping the unit convert 26.6% of its chances over the last two seasons, the second-best rate in hockey. He was also an accomplished minor league coach, winning ECHL Coach of the Year and AHL Coach of the Year in 2014 and 2021. 

In Washington, Carbery will be charged with guiding the Capitals back to the playoffs. Washington this year missed the postseason for the first time since 2014, leading the team to part ways with Laviolette after three seasons. In an April press conference, MacLellan said Washington was looking for a coach who could guide the team’s veteran core while also developing young talent. 

The Capitals want to stay competitive with Alex Ovechkin and others in the final years of their careers. Ovechkin, in particular, is 73 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s scoring record, and the team’s goal is for Washington to compete for another Stanley Cup while Ovechkin pursues the record. Ovechkin, 37, has three years left on his contract. 

Carbery had long been mentioned as a candidate for the Capitals’ top job. The team also interviewed former captain Jeff Halpern, now an assistant with the Tampa Bay Lightning, for the position. 

“It’s a tremendous honor and privilege to be named the head coach of the Washington Capitals,” Carbery said. “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 conference Thursday. Born in Victoria, British Columbia in Canada, Carbery played college hockey at the University of Alaska Anchorage before spending four years (2006-2010) in the minor leagues. He began coaching in August 2010, latching on with the South Carolina Stingrays — Washington’s ECHL minor league affiliate where Carbery spent time as a  player. Carbery became the Stingrays’ coach in 2011 at just 29 after working as an assistant for a year.  

At 41, Carbery is currently the NHL’s youngest head coach. Four teams, however, still have coaching vacancies: the Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers. 

• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.

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