Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Is Trotz Coming Back to the Capitals?

June 13, 2018, 6:14 PM ET [48 Comments]
James Tanner
Washington Capitals Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT


According to multiple reports, the Capitals are hoping to bring back coach Barrie Trotz.

Now, for a team that just won the Stanley Cup, this would seem like a slam dunk, but there may be some bad blood.

The Capitals did not look to extend Trotz last off-season or during this past season. Everyone seemed to think that he and the team were going to go their separate ways after the season.

But then a funny thing happened - the Capitals won the Stanley Cup.

Trotz faced criticism this season for some of his lineup moves, such as benching Andre Burakovsky and Jacob Vrana, despite them being two of the team's best possession drivers, and overall best forwards.

After four years under Trotz, with the team in need of a re-tooling, everyone just pretty much assumed the Caps wouldn't resign him. That he would be a big-ticket item for some other team this summer.



But instead of a re-tooling, the Capitals won one of the most improbable Stanley Cups in recent memory. They opened up against the Blue Jackets with their starting goalie struggling and benched.

Due to some bad luck this season, the Blue Jackets and their massively superior and very underrated roster opened on the road. They then beat the Caps for both of their home games.

That should have been the end, but somehow the Capitals came back.

Then they faced their arch rival, the Penguins in round two. The Penguins beat the Capitals last season when the Capitals were the clearly superior team. With roles reversed, the Capitals somehow pulled off the improbable: they beat the Penguins.

The third round was the Lightning round, and yet again the Capitals found a way to beat an opponent who, at least on paper (and by basically everyone's evaluations) was superior.

No matter.

The final round was against a team that was the worst team they faced all playoffs, ironically. I'll probably take flack for that, but there is no way in hell that the Vegas Nights have a better roster than the Blue Jackets, let alone the Lightning or the Penguins - they just had a goalie performing at the highest level possible.

And the Capitals won.

Stanley Cup etc.

But now it's kind of awkward because Trotz knows he was gone. They of course have to welcome him back,since he did win the Cup. But they probably don't want him, or at least if they do, they seem like phonies about it.

I expected that Trotz would walk for a huge pay-day on a different team. But now it seems like he is going to stay.

It will be interesting to see if he, in fact, does.
Join the Discussion: » 48 Comments » Post New Comment
More from James Tanner
» Coyotes: Vrbata Retires + Injury Update
» Chychrun, Dvorak, Galchenyuk Out for Season Opener
» Galchenyuk to Miss Opening Night + Cuts
» PLUS/MINUS: Almost the Regular Season Edition
» Injuries Ravage Coyotes Roster