Trotz at the top of Caps’ to-do list
Stanley Cup win has made coach a desirable commodity again
Barry Trotz thought of mentors and friends Jack Button, Tommy Ebright, David Poile and Wayne Fleming when he lifted the Stanley Cup over his head.
The Washington coach didn’t think about his future, the same approach he has taken all season and playoffs.
“I wasn’t getting consumed with what was said, what my future holds, whatever,” Trotz said. “I’m in a pretty good spot.”
Trotz was in as good a spot as imaginable Friday as he and the Capitals landed back home in the Washington area with the Stanley Cup in tow.
The celebration will last through the team’s parade on Tuesday, but once that’s done, the work begins for general manager Brian MacLellan to try to re-sign Trotz, top defenceman John Carlson and other free agents.
After not extending Trotz’s contract last summer, owner- ship and MacLellan now hope to keep him around. MacLellan said after winning the Cup that Trotz will be back if he wants to be.
Trotz and Carlson, who set a franchise record for playoff points by a defenceman, can be free agents July 1 along with unlikely post-season hero Devante Smith-Pelly, trade-dead- line acquisition Michal Kempny and longtime glue guy Jay Beagle.
Washington will have to do some salary-cap manoeuvring to keep Carlson, Smith-Pelly and Kempny in the fold but can break the bank for Trotz.
Following a roller-coaster, lame-duck season with presumed coach-in-waiting Todd Reirden still on staff, Trotz was asked if he saw a future for himself with the Capitals. He said: “Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.”
“I love what I do in Washington,” Trotz said.
“I love the guys. I’m just in a good spot, a good place.”
Off-season priority No. 1 for owner Ted Leonsis and MacLellan is signing Trotz to a new deal — if he wants to stay. It’ll cost them.
Toronto’s Mike Babcock is the highest-paid coach in the NHL at $6.25 million (U.S.) a year, Chicago’s Joel Quenneville is next at $6 million and Montreal’s Claude Julien third at $5 million. Trotz will soon have his name on the Stanley Cup like them and should approach that price.
Carlson will exceed it after leading all defencemen with 68 points in the regular season and the 20 in the playoffs.
The 28-year-old right-shot defenceman trails only elite New York Islanders centre John Tavares in free agent interest and is likely to command $8 million-plus on a long-term deal.
“Typically a big dog on the back end takes most of the responsibility. John’s definitely one of the big dogs,” said Capitals winger T.J. Oshie, who just completed the first season of a $46 million, eight-year deal.
“But it seems like that’s shared a little bit with (Matt) Niskanen and (Dmitry) Orlov being able to play against other teams’ top lines as well. We’ve got a 1, 1A and 1B I think. We’re sitting pretty good back there.”