• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Washington Capitals

Dale Hunter Leaves Lasting Impression on Capitals

By Darren Coslov May 15th, 2012

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

 

Dale Hunter Capitals coach

(Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE)

The Washington Capitals parted ways with Bruce Boudreau during the 2011-12 season. Luckily for Boudreau, the Anaheim Ducks came calling.The Capitals however, felt just as fortunate to be able to hire a coach they had sought after for quite some time in long time former Capitals forward Dale Hunter. When Hunter arrived, the atmosphere changed immediately. A new voice, a new challenge and plenty of work to do to salvage a season that seemed at the time, a road to somewhere outside the elite eight in the Eastern Conference.

Less then six months on the job though, Dale Hunter has opted to leave the Washington Capitals to return to his family, after leading the team to game seven against the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.

As shocking as it is to some, the Capitals brass had a feeling this situation would come about. Better yet, there were no promises made by Hunter, that a long term stay was in his sights.

“Id rather have him for six months than not at all, because he had quite the impact on this club,”General Manager George McPhee said. “He really taught this club the “how” of how to win. They all wanted to win. They just didn’t know how. They “how” is being a team and sacrificing, and he sure got that out of this club.”

Any doubts in the players minds about how the initial coaching move would pan out, are simply washed away. Evident by the player reactions following Monday’s disappointing news for the Washington Capitals.

“I just had a little short chat with him and shook his hand and said thank you. I asked him if there was anything I can do to convince him to stay,” forward Brooks Laich said when addressing the media.

When Dale Hunter arrived in DC, his style of coaching took some time to sink in. Players took some time to not only get to know their new bench boss, but understand that cutting back their ice time was a way of improving the on ice performance by the entire team and not singling out any one player.

“For me, personally, it was pretty hard, to be honest with you,” Alexander Ovechkin said.

Ovechkin witnessed his ice time cut back significantly and in one post-season game skated nearly 14 minutes.

Dale Hunter agreed to coach the Washington Capitals and promised management one thing, he was going to not only make them believe in themselves, but ultimately show them what was needed to be done to win a post season hockey game. He was successful in his first stint in doing that, but will now embrace his family and forever be remembered as the coach who taught and demanded the Capitals to compete to win hockey games, especially the big ones.

Follow me on Twitter @ DarrenCoslov

  • Tags
  • Alex Ovechkin
  • Brooks Laich
  • Dale Hunter
  • George McPhee
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 19th 7:42 PM
Colorado Avalanche

Wild Acquire Ian Cole From Avalanche for Greg Pateryn

Jan 19th 6:05 PM
Calgary Flames

Flames Need to Be More Disciplined if They Want to Stay Hot

Jan 19th 5:50 PM
Columbus Blue Jackets

9 Blue Jackets’ “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” Fun Facts

Jan 19th 5:40 PM
Toronto Maple Leafs

Babcock Bombs as Former Leafs Coach Tries to Clarify Marner Drama

Jan 19th 5:25 PM
Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights Are 3-0, But Still Have Plenty of Work To Do

Jan 19th 5:15 PM
New York Rangers

Rangers News & Rumors: Essential Workers Night, DeAngelo, Trouba & More

Jan 19th 5:05 PM
Calgary Flames

Flames Should Add Forward Oliver Okuliar to Prospect Pool

Jan 19th 4:55 PM
Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens: 3 Takeaways from Week 1

Jan 19th 4:45 PM
Hockey History

Top 3 Penguins Trades Under Jim Rutherford

Jan 19th 3:45 PM
St Louis Blues

Blues Weekly: Up and Down Start to the 2020-21 Campaign

Editor’s Picks
World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information