[News] Caps fire Head Coach Todd Reirden. UPD: Pens hire Reirden as an assistant coach

[sureLoss]

Elliotte Friedman @FriedgeHNIC
Hearing Washington is making a coaching change. Todd Reirden is out.

https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/ca...es/c-318706116

The Washington Capitals have relieved head coach Todd Reirden of his coaching duties, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.

"We have higher expectations for our team, and we felt a fresh approach in leadership was necessary," said MacLellan. "We would like to thank Todd for all of his hard work and efforts with our organization. Todd has been a big part of our team for more than half a decade, including our Stanley Cup run in 2018, and we wish him and his family all the best moving forward."

Reirden, 49, was the 18th head coach in franchise history and led the club to a 89-46-16 record from 2018-20.

[dissentowner]

I bet Laviolette ends up there.

[DazzlinDino]

Good teams know what they are doing!

[3thirty]

Any coach available now prefers that job to Calgary if/when we actually look for a coach.

[agulati]

Yeah, thought this decision would be incoming. Back to back early exits in the playoffs for that roster.

[Poe969]

He's the next coach of the Flames. Another cheap alternative is just what the Flames need, meanwhile the caps will get Gallant and be a cup favourite.

[Vinny01]

No clue why they just let Trotz walk away in the first place?

[Bleeding Red]

Originally Posted by DazzlinDino

Good teams know what they are doing!

Didn't they let Cup winning coach Trotz go in order to keep Reirden?


How is that knowing what they are doing?

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

No clue why they just let Trotz walk away in the first place?

I believe I recall it being money related. They didn’t want to pay him.

[ComixZone]

Decisive. Quick acting because there are good coaches on the market, smart management.

Originally Posted by Bleeding Red

Didn't they let Cup winning coach Trotz go in order to keep Reirden?


How is that knowing what they are doing?

They won the Cup while already having decided to move on from Trotz. Big mistake, but at least they’re learning as they go and making quick decisions now while clear upgrades are on the market.

[DazzlinDino]

Not surprised they are addressing quality coaching, citing higher expectations before focusing on the players. Firing the coach now gives them an opportunity to grab an available coach while in comparison the Flames are likely to take their time, further closing the window of availability and opportunity. The Caps know the first business of order if they are going to continue to have success in the playoffs. The disappointment of seeing how many times the Flames have missed the playoffs compared to some other teams has a bitter taste. The Flames need to look at and Model how some successful teams manage their business if we want to be a regulars in the post season.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Bleeding Red

Didn't they let Cup winning coach Trotz go in order to keep Reirden?


How is that knowing what they are doing?

They made a mistake they are trying to address it quickly. They certainly have done a lot better than most teams over the last decade.

[Erick Estrada]

Wouldn't be surprised of Washington is the landing spot for Laviolette.

[Roof-Daddy]

Yeah bye bye Laviolette.

If he does go there we'll probably never know if the Flames even reached out to him or not.

[SportsJunky]

I want Boudreau for Calgary. Go sign anyone else Caps.

[Geeoff]

It's crazy to me we know what the Caps are doing with coaching before the Flames, since Ward has been an interim guy for months.

[mrdonkey]

This situation is a good example of why "the process" doesn't work. When a team like the Flames drags their feet it puts them at a disadvantage because good teams are eventually going to look to make changes too. And that immediately takes mediocre teams out of the running for good coaches. This is now one more team with an opening that the Flames simply aren't in the same stratosphere as for opportunity and competitive viability.

Unfortunately the clock started ticking the second Peters was let go, and the longer this drags out, the more likely it is we end up with another dud behind the bench.

[The Original FFIV]

Originally Posted by Poe969

He's the next coach of the Flames. Another cheap alternative is just what the Flames need, meanwhile the caps will get Gallant and be a cup favourite.

Iirc Reirden was a finalist when we hired Gully. Not saying he’s the next one but there is history.

While I get people wanting an elite coach, Calgary is not a Desired location. Small market team that many players have on their ntc. Life in a fishbowl under the microscope. Constant scrutiny which may impact your family (esp if coach has kids that go to school). Track record of an organization that doesn’t pay top dollar for coaches.

Forget gallant. Forget Lavioette. You are looking at an up and comer Looking for their first chance at a HC job or someone on the way down (like a Hartley/Keenan). Outside chance at Boudreau but outside of that, not a big draw For what would be considered a good established coach.

[browna]

It’s almost a certainty that, directly or indirectly, Treliving knows who as a coach would be open to coming to Calgary and who wouldn’t be, and if they were, the timings on that potential availability, in the days after the Peters resignation. If you want to call that “reaching out” or not is up to individual semantics.

How he decides from there as to acting quickly, or giving Ward and the team some time, or giving Ward the rest of the season etc, is up to him, but he would know who would be interested in the position then, and now.

Bill Peters knew he was coming to the Flames within days of him saying he wouldn’t return to Carolina because of the ownership change, if not before.

[Strange Brew]

The lesson here is that promoting assistant to head coach doesn't often work out and they usually will have more success in a different organization. It's a weird transition to make.