News of Boudreau’s ouster rippled through the roster via text message as the players prepared to head to Kettler Capitals Iceplex for practice.
Goaltender Tomas Vokounwas stunned. Veteran winger Mike Knublesuspected something might happen. Center Brooks Laichwas angry.
Capitals General Manager George McPhee addresses the media about Coach Bruce Boudreau's firing on Monday at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. Former Capital Dale Hunter will replace Boudreau.
“He’s somebody I personally owe a lot to,” said Laich, a former sixth-round draft pick who Boudreau coached in the minor leagues and this past June signed a six-year, $27 million contract extension. “It’s tough to see him take the fall for . . .”
Laich paused as he searched for the right words. “Things that should be blamed on the players. But that’s the way sports goes, you probably can’t trade all 23 guys or move them out.”
Asked whether he sensed that players had stopped playing for Boudreau, Laich folded his arms and seemed offended by the question.
“You would have to ask a guy who you think wasn’t responding to him,” Laich shot back, his eyes moistening. “I still believed in him. I still worked as hard as I could. Even the last game, we were still talking strategy, what we can try to do. There was no throwing in the towel. He hadn’t lost me.”
Across the lobby at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, former Capital and current St. Louis center Jason Arnott was not surprised by the news. Arnott played 11 regular season and nine playoff games in Washington after being acquired last February.
“It’s very hard,” said Arnott, whose Blues practiced on an adjacent rink. “When you let guys do what they please, what they want, then you come in and get hard on them, it’s pretty tough. The guys should have responded for him. . . .
“It was probably time for a change. I don’t know much about [Dale] Hunter. But from what I hear he’s a pretty good coach who will come in and put some structure into their lineup.”
Hunter is the fourth coach McPhee has hired, but unlike the previous three, he takes over a team with the highest of expectations. That, at least in some part, has a lot to do with the man he is replacing.
“As a player, there’s always a tinge of guilt that goes through you that you didn’t do enough,” Knuble said of Boudreau, “that you could have done more to help the team and not put the coach in this situation.
“His four years here were a good thing for the Capitals. The team achieved a lot while he was here. You could say, ‘They didn’t win the big game.’ They still made a lot of forward progress. He left it a different organization, for the better.”
More on Boudreau firing/Hunter hiring
Poll: Was it the right move? | Hunter addresses media
Timeline: Breaking down Boudreau’s tenure in D.C.
Video: McPhee on Boudreau, ‘The tank was empty’
Tracee Hamilton: Boudreau had to go
D.C. Sports Bog: Top 10 Boudreau moments
Box Seats: Caps say “Goodnight Bruce”
Bog: The biggest goal in Caps history
The Post Most: SportsMost-viewed stories, videos and galleries int he past two hours
Loading...
Comments