The 37-year-old was consulted at the start and end of the process of the Capitals' coaching search.
WASHINGTON -- The Washington Capitals finally have a new head coach, turning to 41-year-old Spencer Carbery to take over and replace Peter Laviolette. And when it came to the coaching search, general manager Brian MacLellan did keep Alex Ovechkin in the loop.
While Ovechkin was kept up to date, he didn't play a major role or have a big say in MacLellan's decision.
"[Ovechkin was consulted at] just the beginning and at the end when we decided to hire him," MacLellan said on Thursday.
The Russian is no stranger to Carbery, who played a big role in the organization over the course of the last decade. Carbery not only laced 'em up for Washington's ECHL-affiliate South Carolina Stingrays, but he served as their head coach and also led the Hershey Bears from 2018 to 2021 before heading to Toronto for two years to be an assistant for the Maple Leafs.
"That'll be an experience once we get into training camp and into the schedule," MacLellan said of Ovechkin's thoughts on Carbery.
Over his time in the Washington system, Carbery got to watch Ovechkin directly and indirectly, and now that he's his new head coach after two years with the Leafs, he feels he owes a lot to the star as he chases down Wayne Gretzky.
“What I think it’s a huge responsibility as a head coach. I watched outside and his greatness up close... I take a lot of responsibility in that now," Carbery explained. "So it’s my job as a head coach to put him in situations where he can be successful."
He also added that he wants to balance Ovechkin's pursuit of the NHL's all-time goals record with the Capitals' ability to return to top form after missing out on the playoffs for the first time in nine years.
"That’s what the challenge is, and I don’t take that lightly at all," Carbery added. "That’ll work into how we play as a group. That’ll be one of my focuses is how we’re gaining situations to succeed.”