Barry Trotz speaks positively about the superstar
The Washington Capitals have already clinched a playoff spot with 103 points from 71 games. That puts the spotlight firmly on Alex Ovechkin's chase of Wayne Gretzky's goal record. He enters Thursday's game against the Minnesota Wild with 889 career goals, five away from tying the record. Former Capitals coach and current Predators GM Barry Trotz lauded Ovechkin in a recent interview with The Athletic.
“There were times that we would butt heads a little bit,” Trotz told Chris Johnston. “But the thing that I was impressed with Ovi, he’s always had that passion and love. Not only for the game, but for life. He could take hard coaching, and that’s very, very unique. Players of his magnitude sometimes go ‘pffft’ because they’re not used to it, but he could take it.”
Trotz continued, “You could be really subtle with it, and one-on-one, you could be in the film room or you could be in the group. You could challenge him and he’d go, ‘Yeah, you’re right, and I’ll get it done.'”
Trotz was the coach when Ovechkin and the Capitals finally got over the hump in 2018. While that was the coach's last year in Washington, it was the career achievement for both future Hall-of-Famers.
The Capitals can finish off this season with an incredible playoff run
While the Capitals are focused now on getting Ovechkin six more goals, they have an ultimate focus coming this spring. They have a legitimate chance to represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final and win their second title. With Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren playing well in the net, they can make a deep playoff run.
Trotz was the only coach to get the team through the Eastern Conference and into the Final in Ovechkin's prime. Even now, as he approaches 40, Ovechkin is far from the problem. While he does not play as much defense, Spencer Carbery has developed the pieces around him into a legit contender just like Trotz did.
After Trotz left the Capitals, they hired his assistant Todd Reirden. He coached two years in Washington, making the playoffs in both years but losing in the first round. Peter Laviolette took over, coaching for three years with two first-round exits. Carbery took over a team many thought was on the precipice of a rebuild and turned them around while getting Ovechkin close to the record.
Ovechkin's record chase stops in Minnesota on Thursday night.
