Around the OHL: Hunter's Captial gain
On November 28, the Washington Capitals had a press conference to officially announce that London Knights Coach Dale Hunter would be the new Head Coach of the Capitals. The rumours had finally been confirmed: Boudreau out, Hunter in.
Hunter finished his hockey career as a player with the Colorado Avalanche in 1999. He began his career with the Quebec Nordiques in 1981, playing seven seasons with the Nordiques. At the peak of Hunter's hockey career, he played in Washington as a Washington Capital, playing in 12 seasons with the Capitals from 1987 to 1999. His career stats, including playoffs: GP: 1593, G: 365, A: 773, Pts: 1138, PIM: 4294. Hunter has coached the London Knights since 2001, and he has brought: one Memorial Cup (2004/05); seven Holody Trophies, Midwest Championship; two Wayne Gretzky Trophies, Western Conference Champions. His OHL Records: Most wins (59), Most Points (120), Fewest Goals Against (125). He also won the Hamilton Spectator Trophy (2003 to 2007). He won OHL coach of the year in 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2009/10, and won CHL coach of the year in 2003/04.
Without a doubt, Hunter has brought a lot to the London Knights organization; with 459 wins as Head Coach for the London Knights, he is a fitting choice for the head coaching job in the Washington Capitals' organization. Now he faces his biggest test as a head coach: how is he going to get Alexander Ovechkin going?
With a number of speculations that Ovechkin isn't performing to his potential — or for his contract for that matter — Hunter's effective power-play he brought to London for years will now be tested in Washington. His five-forward power-play is something he has done in London for years. They keep scoring and leading in the power-play goals per cent and it was a game-changer in the OHL, but how will it fit in with Washington? The fact of the matter is that they already use four forwards, with Ovechkin replacing one defenseman the huge offensive threat from the point, Mike Green. This is something Hunter shouldn't change; the chemistry is all there, and chemistry is something you do not try to change, especially when it has had so much success in the past. What Hunter needs is a new strategy for the power-play. What he has done for London is work the puck down low in the offensive zone on the power-play. This is something he may fall back on if the shots from the point are not coming.
The other side of the situation is back in London: who is going to take over as the head coach for the London Knights?
Mark Hunter was the 2003/04 OHL Executive of the Year and now former Assistant Coach to his brother Dale Hunter, and is going to be coaching the Knights until the end of the season. This will be very interesting to watch and as a hockey analysis; not only is Mark Hunter now Coach of the London Knights, he is also the Co-Owner and General Manager for the organization. This means he can do exactly what he wants to do with this club and really he has no one to answer to. Mark is a very smart hockey businessman and you can look for big shakeups with the organization within the next two years as he tries for another push for the Memorial Cup.