NHL suspends Capitals assistant Mitch Love following investigation into alleged domestic abuse

The NHL has suspended Washington Capitals assistant coach Mitch Love for the entirety of the 2025-26 season following an investigation into alleged domestic abuse, according to hockey insider Frank Seravalli.

The Capitals later announced they have relieved Love of his duties.

“The victim reported (the) allegations directly to (the) NHL and teams Love interviewed with over summer for head coach vacancies,” Seravalli reported.

Last September, the Capitals placed Love on a team-imposed leave, pending results of the NHL’s investigation.

Love joined the Capitals ahead of the 2023-24 season after one-year stints serving as the head coach for the AHL’s Calgary Wrangers and Stockton Heat. He also served three seasons as head coach of the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Saskatoon Blades and seven years as an assistant with the Everett Silvertips.

As a player, Love spent five seasons in the AHL, scoring six goals and recording 21 assists for 27 points and 808 penalty minutes in 278 career regular-season games with the Lowell Lock Monsters, Albany River Rats, Lake Erie Monsters, Houston Aeros and Peoria Rivermen. 

He also spent parts of six seasons playing in the WHL with the Silvertips, Moose Jaw Warriors, Swift Current Broncos, scoring 33 goals and 66 assists for 99 points in 320 regular-season games and 901 penalty minutes.

The Capitals are 6-3-0 with 12 points through nine games, including a 7-1 loss at home to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Forward Tom Wilson leads the team in goals and points with five and 11, respectively, while Dylan Strome has a team-leading eight assists.