November 22, 2007
Capitals fire coach Hanlon TheFourthPeriod.com
The Washington Capitals have fired head coach Glen Hanlon and named Bruce Boudreau as his interim replacement today.
Boudreau, 52, has coached championship teams in the AHL and the ECHL and is in his third year as the head coach of the Hershey Bears, Washington's AHL affiliate.
He led the team to the Eastern Conference championship and the Calder Cup finals in each of his first two years in Hershey, winning the Calder Cup in 2006.
Boudreau becomes the 14th coach in Washington Capitals history. He will make his debut behind the Capitals' bench tomorrow at Philadelphia.
Hanlon posted a 78-123-9-29 record during parts of four seasons with the Capitals. The team finished in last place in the Southeast Division each of his two full seasons, and the team currents sits in last place of the Eastern Conference.
No timetable has been set for naming a head coach beyond Boudreau's interim status. The rest of the Capitals coaching staff will remain in place.
It was only a matter of time being changes were to be made in Washington. The Capitals simply could not get their act together. Their scorers weren't really scoring, and despite injuries, the team wasn't good - with the exception of their 7-1 win over Toronto in October, a game I covered. This should only be the beginning, as changes to the roster are expected as well.
