Veteran coach Trotz has pushed Capitals to elite status

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This article was published 25/11/2015 (3578 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WASHINGTON — Barry Trotz is more comfortable than ever in his own skin.

The Winnipeg native, 53, is soaring in his latest role as head coach of the NHL’s Washington Capitals. He’s been a head coach in the league since 1998, but this is only his second assignment.

“I was in Nashville a long time,” Trotz said Wednesday. “When you change organizations, get moved out, I think it actually brings you a lot of clarity of what you do and why you do it.

“When you come to a new organization, you think about it, that ‘I’m doing this because I believe this,’ and you try to convey that message not only to your coaching staff but your players, that this is how we’re going to play and this is why.”

Trotz’s Capitals were an Eastern Conference force last season and they’re off to a grand start to 2015-16, now 15-5-1 after dispatching the Winnipeg Jets 5-3 Wednesday night.

Trotz is now up to 617 career wins, tied for 11th all-time in the NHL. It will be his 1,300 game coached Friday when his team plays Tampa Bay.

Trotz started with the Predators in 1998, “when they were picking out the carpet colours,” he joked.

“We were a low-budget team that found ways to make it happen,” he said. “You want to bring all those good things. Here, there are a lot of things this organization, being in a big market, does very, very well, maybe that we didn’t or couldn’t do and you try to blend the two.

“(The change) gets you out of your comfort zone. I was there an exceptionally long time. This has been an awakening for me, great. I had to sort of rework everything. You have to work out relationships but it’s been really good for me personally.”

Trotz said he pointed out to his new players that he’s not a defensive coach.

“I’m just a coach,” he said.

The plan here?

“It’s not about defence, it’s about getting the puck back,” he said. “When you have the puck, do what you do. When we don’t the puck, do what I want you to do and we’ll be fine.”

Have we seen a glimpse of the return of the forceful Andrew Ladd?

It’s possible.

Ladd hammered home his fifth goal of the season on Wednesday night with his patented quick release. And some quicker play, something the captain has struggled with at times so far in 2015-16.

He led the team in scoring in 2014-15 with 62 points.

“I thought that as well the last game,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “The first two games that (he’s had) any quickness. He says he feels fine.

“This is just an opinion but that (sports hernia) surgery that he had, he says he’s fine but that’s a significant (thing). I think he’s just starting to get his game and skating back. He was definitely quicker last game and this game.”

Ladd just shrugged when asked about it after the 5-3 loss to the Caps.

“I guess I felt pretty good tonight but at the end of the day you’re looking at a 5-3 loss and not feeling very good about it,” Ladd said.

“I think everyone can find a little more to get everyone going consistently in the right direction.”

Jets goalie Michael Hutchinson said he had no issue with the presence of Washington’s Justin Williams in the crease on Wednesday’s winning goal, a screened point shot by Dmitry Orlov.

“I’m focused on battling and trying to find the puck,” Hutchinson said after falling to 5-5-1. “I don’t really notice if I get hit or not. I’m just trying to make the save. That’s what replay’s for. I couldn’t tell you if I got hit or not.

“I saw Orlov go to take a one-timer and as soon as he made contact with the puck, the screen came right in front of me and I kind of lost it.”

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca