Washington Capitals and head coach Peter Laviolette mutually part ways

The Washington Capitals have mutually parted ways with head coach Peter Laviolette, as announced by the team on Friday afternoon.

The Capitals concluded their 2022-23 season on Thursday with a 5-4 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils, capping off a disappointing year that saw them finish outside of the playoffs for just the second time since 2007. They finished in sixth in the Metropolitan Division with a 35-37-10 record, and were 12 points behind the Florida Panthers for the final wild card spot.

“We are grateful for Peter’s leadership and dedication to our organization for the last three seasons,” said Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan in a statement released by the time. “Peter is a first-class individual who has represented our club with integrity and guided our team through many difficult circumstances in his tenure as our head coach. We wish him all the best moving forward.” 

Laviolette was in his third season as the head coach of the Capitals, finishing with a record of 115-78-27 in the regular season with the team. He failed to win a playoff series during his tenure, losing to the Boston Bruins in 2021 and the Florida Panthers in 2022.

The Capitals were the fifth team that Laviolette has coached, previously spending time with the New York Islanders from 2001 to 2003, the Carolina Hurricanes from 2003 to 2008, the Philadelphia Flyers from 2009 to 2013, and the Nashville Predators from 2014 to 2020, winning a Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006. If Laviolette is not hired by another team this offseason, it will be the first time since his NHL head coaching debut in 2001 that he won’t start a season as the head coach of a team.

Laviolette was also the assistant coach of the Boston Bruins in 2000-01, and was the head coach for both the Wheeling Nailers in the ECHL and the Providence Bruins in the AHL, with whom he won a Calder Cup with as the AHL champions in 1999.

Laviolette is just the second head coach let go as some teams enter their offseasons, with the Anaheim Ducks parting ways with Dallas Eakins earlier on Friday after finishing last place in the league.