Capitals Leafs name assistant Spencer Carberry as head coach

Emily KaplanESPNMay 30, 2023, 11:01 a.m. ET2 minutes to read

The Washington Capitals named Spencer Carberry as their new head coach on Tuesday.

A source told ESPN that Carberry, 41, will have a four-year deal.

One of the more recognizable names on the coaching circuit, Carberry most recently served as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs and directed their power play. Now back in the Capitals organization, he’s come through the workouts in the ranks of the ECHL and its AHL affiliate.

Sportsnet was the first to report Carberry’s hiring.

The D.C. side parted ways with veteran coach Peter Laviolette this season after missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Laviolette’s contract was not renewed after three seasons with the team; He has since interviewed for other Metropolitan County job postings, including with the New York Rangers.

Capitals owner Ted Leonsis captain Alex Ovechkin promised the team would continue chasing the Stanley Cup while chasing the all-time NHL scoring record, though general manager Brian MacLellan began engineering a retooling so the team could get youngsters.

The Capitals lost 440 men’s games to injury last season.

In eight years as head coach at the pro level, Carbery’s teams have finished below . 500 only once. His best work to date was engineering a 17-point streak in 2018-19 that moved the AHL Hershey Bears from last place to the playoffs. He was quick after winning ECHL Coach of the Year (2014) and AHL Coach of the Year (2021). Washington wanted to keep him, but Carberry took an assistant job with the Maple Leafs in 2021. Since Carberry took over the power play, Toronto has the second-best player unit in the league (behind Edmonton).