NHL
Can Todd Reirden Help Washington Capitals Repeat Cup Victory?
Not two weeks after the Capitals won the Stanley Cup for the first time in their 44-year history, head coach Barry Trotz resigned. He had the chance to go for another run in the following year and he left to coach the New York Islanders. Can the Washington Capitals repeat as Stanley Cup champions without the man who led them there for the very first time? It’s still to be seen, though promoting Todd Reirden to the position provides the team a solid chance.
The Capitals could succeed with another coach, but Reirden was the obvious choice. His relationships with the team and staff are already built. It’s an advantage—one that the Caps will gladly take. As a team that consistently struggles through the first half of their season, not having to spend time adjusting is a benefit.
“I expect this to be an extremely seamless transition, and I think the reason I can make that statement is because I’ve been here for four years,” Reirden said. “I know everyone from the top of the organization to the bottom of the organization and I’ve been able to establish working relationships with them.”
Bringing in someone else would require time for an emotional buy-in between coach and team. Connections and trust have to be built. With Reirden at the helm, this buy-in simplifies. They already understand the way he works because he’s been a part of team decisions. The team and management trust Reirden’s process. If they didn’t, General Manager Brian MacLellan would have interviewed more people for the job than just him.
Places for Improvement
The Capitals have proven they know what it takes to win the Stanley Cup. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t changes to be made. Reirden has been working to improve the Capitals’ defense during his tenure—a job at which he’s excelled overall. The predominant focus needs to be placed on improving special teams and zone entries.
Since trading Marcus Johansson to the New Jersey Devils, the Caps power play started struggling. The team isn’t missing his goals. What’s missing is how effectively he was able to enter the offensive zone on the power play. Without him on the team to keep control, the Capitals dropped from fourth in power play rankings in 2016-17 to seventh during 2017-18.
The penalty kill was a problem for the Capitals. The team ranked 15th in the league last season, dropping down from seventh during 2017-18. As a former defenseman, Reirden placed a heavy focus on the Capitals defense, but something was lacking. While not entirely at fault, missing top penalty-killer Matt Niskanen early in the season set the Capitals off to a rough start. He suffered a hand injury on Oct. 13 against the New Jersey Devils that left him out for a month. Even after returning in November, it took time for him to get back to full strength.
Hopefully, a settled blue line will make 2018-19 a successful season. Michal Kempný and Jakub Jeřábek were acquired at the trade deadline from the Chicago Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens, respectively. While Jeřábek didn’t get much time on ice, Kempný settled in and solidified their defensive play. Having him for a whole year in combination with Reirden’s defensive focus means those rankings should increase.
Follow Jess on Twitter at: @jmstarr_
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