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Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan admitted he wasn’t sure the ideal candidate for the Capitals head coaching job even existed. That’s because the requirements have changed significantly since the last time he was looking for a head coach. And those requirements are now much more complex and wide-ranging.
“I think we’re more open. Our group’s changing. We’re trying to get younger. We’ve brought in some younger players. It’s gonna be different,” said MacLellan back on the team’s breakdown day.
In simpler terms, there are a number of prime candidates to coach a veteran (aging) group and a number of candidates that are ideal for a young, developing team. Finding a coach that is a perfect fit for both categories is a completely different story.
“You want a coach that can work with young guys and we’re gonna have a veteran group at the top that kinda needs a veteran coach. So it’s going to be challenging to find the right guy for that. Probably a combination of what we’ve had would be the ideal candidate. I don’t know that we can find it, but we’ll do the best we can.”
Further complicating the situation is the current mission statement by the Capitals: There will be no “rebuild” in the final years of Ovechkin’s time in Washington. That means making moves to win games right now. Whether that’s the right strategy or not is a topic for later debate, but that’s the goal at this point in time. Return to playoffs with a realistic shot at winning another Stanley Cup in the next three years.
So saying there will be no rebuild seemingly leans the job requirements to a seasoned head coach. A coach that can hit the ground running this summer and begin preparing the team for a Stanley Cup run right away. No head coaching learning curve. That would also seem to diminish the chances for rookie head coaching candidates like Spencer Carberry and Jeff Halpern. Or does it?
Both Carbery and Halpern have been rumored to be in the mix for interviewing for the job, and both have strong player-development backgrounds. In fact, if you read the tea leaves, the rumors seem to signal MacLellan’s intentions. If you look at a majority of the candidates kicked around in the rumor mill, potential rookie head coaches are prominent and topping the list.
A rookie head coach should definitely be considered as a viable candidate for the job. The next head coach will be looked to make a run not just next year, but the next three years while Ovechkin winds down his career, and also for the seasons that follow. Winning another cup for Ovechkin should be looked at more as winning a cup in Ovechkin’s final year than focusing on winning another cup next season, and using the next two-plus years to get to that spot in year three.
Yes, the first two years might be considered wasted bullets, but your chances in year three might be a lot better than three one-year, isolated reloads. That would also enable a rookie head coach some time to acclimate, align ideal veteran assistant coaches, and for brilliant up-and-comers like Spencer Carbery, enough time to figure things out.
Selecting the right veteran head coach would not be a bad move, and in fact, might be the best move to meet immediate needs for next season. But looking at the Capitals over the next four to five years, the current need to develop younger players, there is time to allow a rookie head coach with development skills to develop himself.
By Jon Sorensen