Barry Trotz Is The Perfect Coach For Washington Capitals

The Washington Capitals have put everything together perfectly this season. The additions of T.J. Oshie and Justin Williams were exactly what this team needed. They lead the NHL in goals against, rank second in goals scored per game and are second in powerplay. Add in a top-five finish in the penalty kill, and you easily have the best team in the league.

No matter what you put on the ice, no matter how much talent this team has, they couldn’t have gotten there without head coach Barry Trotz.

The Caps have been extremely disciplined, being in the top ten in total penalty minutes. They play a great game on the ice on a nightly basis. This team seems to listen to their coach better than any other team.

Who knew a team led by Alexander Ovechkin would be called one of the most disciplined in the league? That is what Trotz brought to this team. He takes every player for what they are and fits them into his system. Ovechkin is back to being one of the biggest offensive threats in the league. This is far from the conversations some people were having, saying the team would be better off without their captain. Those conversations are over.

Nicklas Backstrom revived his career under Trotz. He has some injuries pile up and it seemed like he was becoming the forgotten star on the team. Since Trotz came, he has established himself back as one of the best centers in the league.

The Capitals will ultimately get judged by what they do in the postseason. It’s been over a decade since they made it to a conference finals. This team needs to win at least two playoff series before they can call this season a success. They have the perfect formula to make this their year. Keep an eye on this Capitals team, because with the Montreal Canadiens faltering and the Western Conference weaker than in years past, they can roll to the President’s Trophy.