The Trotz Transition

In a lightly covered release this week, the Caps announced Barry Trotz would be their next head coach.  At the same time, Brian MacLellan was promoted from within the organization to the general manager post after an interview in which he imitated one of the greatest job candidates ever.

When reviewing the dual hires, I have guarded optimism.  MacLellan makes a lot of sense because he comes from within the organization and does not have the taint of failure attached to him, unlike a Ray Shero or Mike Gillis.  Those guys, if anything, would be George McPhee repeats; Shero couldn’t get over the hump despite prodigious talent, and Gillis ran a ship that finally sunk after mismanaging the Canuck goaltenders.  Those are awfully similar to McPhee’s transgressions as GM.  It deserves recognition also that MacLellan spent time in the scouting and minor league system for the Caps, which is one of the strongest areas when reviewing the McPhee tenure.

That said, the hiring has a whiff of cronyism.  In much the same way my alma mater messed up with their football hiring (Mike London came from Al Groh’s coaching tree), there is a chance that MacLellan will make McPhee’s mistakes all over again.  I have learned to trust Ted Leonsis, who weathered the storm for a long time, but it seems a full regime change might have made more sense after bearing with McPhee for 17 years.  Nothing is certain, of course, but I would have favored hiring an assistant GM from another Eastern Conference foe.

For the other hire, your blood pressure likely rose but a smidge.  Barry Trotz is not flashy or remotely appealing.  His body seems perpetually unfit for a suit, and he comes from the decidedly non-hockey market of Nashville.  For many casual fans, his name initiates Google searches rather than animated conversation.  He’s decently unknown, especially compared to the 60s movie star look that Adam Oates brought to DC.

But you should disabuse yourself of the notion that this is not an exciting hire.  For one, this is the first Caps coach to have previously been an NHL level head coach since 1997.  Since those days of Ron Wilson and the Cup Finals, the Caps have cycled through five coaches, all of whom got their first experience as an NHL bench boss in DC.  Trotz brings experience to the job at a time when the biggest issue with the Caps has been their lack of “identity.”

In addition, Trotz brings a new style to this team, one desperately needed.  In his 15 years at Nashville, Trotz lacked a 40-goal scorer.  And yet he made the playoffs seven of eight years.  It’s true Trotz has only been able to reach the second round of the playoffs as a head coach, but considering his experience with postseason play can only help.

Finally, there is a simultaneous plus and downside to Trotz.  His style banks completely on blue-collar defense.  It’s no surprise Shea Weber, a perennial Norris Trophy nominee, became dominant under Trotz.  He has a system perfectly designed for the small market, cash-strapped team.  Yes, Pekka Rinne in goal helps, but the Predators made the playoffs many times despite being far short of elite offensively.  We all know the Caps have struggled on defense the last two seasons, relying only on their offense.  In fact, the Caps won no games last season in which they scored two goals or fewer, and won only one game like that in 2013.  Trotz brings a system that might actually benefit the Caps in that they will be more comfortable playing the shut-down game.

That said, the minus of this is that Trotz’s Transition will not come without pain.  I have to wonder if puck-movers like Mike Green on the blue line will see their typically offensive role shrink by a lot.  Everyone wants to focus on Ovie, and some questions exist as to what Trotz will do with the superstar, but I think a greater emphasis needs to be placed on the shift from offensive to defensive identity.  Alex Ovechkin will get his goals, don’t worry.  But can Trotz create a system that gives guys like Backstrom, Brouwer, and Ward further success?  That’s the real concern for me.

Overall, Trotz is a good guy to bring in.  The on-ice schematics may look a little weird, but we are seeing in the LA Kings just how far a team can advance when focusing on a smothering defensive gameplan.  The Caps have always possessed the ability to score quickly on odd-man rushes, but those rushes start due to good defense in your own zone.  Personally, I think Trotz will make excellent use of a lineup that’s high on two-way forwards but low on great D-men, mainly because so many of his Nashville lineups utilized so much two-way play.  It will be a tough change, and I expect some stories out of camp this summer, but we can look forward to the Trotz Transition.