Theodore Will Open as No. 1 Goalie

Semyon Varlamov ended last season as the Washington Capitals' No. 1 goaltender, starting 13 consecutive playoff games and carrying the team within a victory of the Eastern Conference finals.

But when training camp begins next month, the goaltender sitting atop the depth chart will be José Theodore, the veteran whom Varlamov supplanted one game into the playoffs, Coach Bruce Boudreau said Thursday.

"Right now José is the number one guy and the other two young men [Varlamov and fellow prospect Michal Neuvirth] have got to come in and play the way they did last year and try to push him out," Boudreau said. "José won [32] games for us last year, and like the year before when Cristobal Huet got hot down the stretch, Varly came in and did a great job where we just couldn't take him out."

"But that was 13 games," Boudreau added. "It doesn't make up for 12 years of experience. I've seen an awful lot of goalies come in at a young age and go into a slump for a year or two. I think José has earned and deserves the right [to be] the number one guy."

Theodore rebounded from a sluggish start to last season. But after a shaky showing in the regular season finale and then after surrendering four goals on 21 shots the Capitals' playoff-opening 4-3 loss to the New York Rangers, he was benched in favor of Varlamov.

When Boudreau's comments were relayed to Theodore, the goalie didn't sound surprised.

"I don't see myself as a backup," Theodore said at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, where he was skating with former Capitals Jeff Halpern and Brent Johnson and former prospect Stephen Werner. "My frame of mind was to enter the season as the number one guy. [Whether] or not that was the case, that was going to be my approach. We all know in hockey, number one is only a title. It's still on the ice that you have to earn your points."

Irbe Is New Goalie Coach

Arturs Irbe was among the first Europeans to land a starting goaltending job in the NHL. Now it's his responsibility to make sure Varlamov, a Russian, and Neuvirth, a Czech, do the same.

Irbe was named as the Capitals' goaltending coach Thursday, replacing Dave Prior, who stepped down for family reasons after 12 seasons with the team. Prior was Olie Kolzig's coach when he won the 1999-2000 Vezina Trophy with the Capitals and recommended the acquisition of Huet at the 2008 trade deadline, as well as the selections of Varlamov and Neuvirth in the 2006 entry draft.

At times, Varlamov's limited English has made communication with the coaching staff difficult. But that won't be a problem because Irbe speaks English, Russian and some German.

"I should be able to communicate with him in any language, whichever he prefers," said Irbe, a native of Latvia. "I hope it will be an asset to make it easier, the transition" to the NHL.

Irbe, a small yet feisty goalie who led the Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup finals in 2002 and spent a total of 13 seasons in the NHL with four teams, came to the Capitals highly recommended by Prior, who coached Irbe when he played for the San Jose Sharks.

"Dave basically did the interviewing for us, about what the job would entail and also [asked], 'How are you going to teach?' and 'Are you going to allow them to play the way that got them here?' " General Manager George McPhee said. "He gave all the right answers."

Irbe has no prior NHL coaching experience. But the 42-year-old spent last season coaching the goalies with his hometown Kontinental Hockey League club, Riga Dynamo. He also has coached in Latvia's national team program.

"It's more about supporting them and helping them just to read the game and see the things you are incapable of seeing when you are in the net," Irbe said of his coaching philosophy. "It could be camera, but it's even better if someone who is watching you off to the side and can ask you questions that no one else can ask, like, 'Why did you move this way?' or 'What were you thinking?' "

Irbe will begin asking the Capitals' goalies similar questions next month -- in English and Russian. . . .

Irbe's Hurricanes defeated Theodore's Montreal Canadiens in the conference semifinals seven years ago. . . .

Werner, a native of Chevy Chase who was drafted by the Capitals in the third round in 2003 and cut after the 2007-08 season, said he has been cleared to resume full-contact drills after a pair of concussions ended his season with the Milwaukee Admirals, the top minor league affiliate of the Nashville Predators. Werner has not signed a contract for next season.