ARLINGTON, V.A. — The Washington Capitals will not have assistant coach Kirk Muller back behind the bench next season. Per general manager Chris Patrick, Muller wants to pursue "other opportunities within the National Hockey League," and as such, Washington will not renew his contract that expires in June. “Kirk has expressed his desire to explore other opportunities within the National Hockey League, and we respect and support his decision. We thank Kirk for his dedication, professionalism, and the many contributions he made during his three years with our organization," Patrick said in a statement. "He is an experienced and highly respected coach whose work ethic, leadership, and commitment to player development had a meaningful impact on our team both on and off the ice. We wish him and his family all the best in the next chapter of his career.” Muller was brought on to complete Spencer Carbery's staff in June 2023, with the primary objective of working with the Capitals' forwards and running the power play. This past season, Washington's power play struggled and ranked eighth-worst in the NHL at 17.8 percent. Though Cole Hutson and Ilya Protas helped bolster the man advantage down the stretch, it couldn't find consistency over the course of the season. Over Muller's three-season tenure, the power play operated at 20.6 percent, ranking in the middle of the pack league-wide. Washington now has another void to fill on the coaching staff, adding to what is expected to be a busy offseason for the Capitals.
