So, why Reirden?
Todd Reirden was the coach who molded the Capitals defense into the one that won the Stanley C up in 2018. He spent four years as the coach responsible for the defense. Take a look at these stats as provided by nhl.com when he was named Washington’s head coach.
"In his four previous seasons with the Capitals, Reirden was responsible for the team’s defensemen. During that span, the Capitals have posted a record of 205-89-34 and ranked second in goals against average (2.45). This season, Washington defensemen combined for 176 points, including 138 at even strength. During the 2016-17 season, the Capitals ranked first in the NHL in goals against per game (2.16), marking Washington’s lowest goals against per game in franchise history. In addition, the Capitals ranked fourth in shots against per game (27.8) and the Capitals held their opponents to the fewest goals in an 82-game season in franchise history (182). During the 2015-16, the Capitals held their opponents to 30 or fewer shots in 15 consecutive games (10/15-11/18), marking the longest streak for Washington since 1984-85. Reirden helped lead the Capitals to the fifth-ranked power play in the NHL (21.9) and Washington defensemen ranked tied for sixth in the League in even-strength points (122)."
It’s not just in statistics that Rierden has had an impact. He connects with his players too. Matt Niskanen talked to the Washington Post about Rierden in 2016. “He’s been huge for my game, not only just teaching points with details that I could talk about all of the time, but the mental side of the game, too, building my confidence. From when I first met him until now, each year, he’s challenged me in different areas striving to get better.”
Nate Schmidt weighed in on Rierden in the same article. “He talks about us as players making the next step and adding to our game, and that’s kind of the thing that he does every day.”
Reirden has been credited with helping to develop the careers of Brent Burns, Kris Letang, John Carlson and Niskanen. With Burns, it was when they were defensive partners in 2004-05 with the Houston Aeros of the AHL. He worked with Letang as an assistant coach for the Penguins in the early 2010s.
Reirden had the unenviable task of taking over for a future Hall of Fame coach in Barry Trotz. The number of assistants who have taken over for their championship bosses and have succeeded is a short one and Reirden was probably doomed from the start.
Capitals’ General Manager Brian MacLellan had nothing but nice things to say about Reirden when he let him go. “Todd’s done a great job for our organization,” MacLellan said. “He’s been a big part of the success we’ve had over the last six years. Great developer of a defenseman, a good defensive coach, did a lot of work on our power play as an assistant coach. He’s done a great job for us, and consequently, we rewarded him with an opportunity to be the head coach.”
Reirden also checks off the box when it comes to Stanley Cup experience. He’s been through the wars with the Capitals and raised the holy grail in 2018.
You can be sure that he will be a candidate for a head coaching job elsewhere in the NHL, but perhaps he would welcome the chance to be part of a rising team that could soon overtake the team that let him go.
Reirden talked about the decision he had to make when his career ended and he decided to begin a coaching career. “You can realize that maybe you’re not going to get back to the National Hockey League and now you can help young people and young players, for whatever reason, that’s always been something I’ve loved to do.”
For a team with some of the top young blueliners in the NHL, it sounds like a perfect match, doesn’t it?