There will be no final post-mortem on the Capitals season from Peter Laviolette with the Sports Junkies next week, as Laviolette and the team have mutually agreed to part ways as of Friday afternoon.
The team made the announcement with a statement from GM Brian MacLellan around 5 p.m. Friday, less than 24 hours after the Caps finished their first non-playoff season in nine years with a 5-4 overtime loss to the Devils at Capital One Arena.
Laviolette’s contract was set to expire on June 30, but the team will now begin searching for a new bench boss immediately.
"We are grateful for Peter's leadership and dedication to our organization for the last three seasons," said MacLellan in the statement. "Peter is a first-class individual who has represented our club with integrity and guided our team through many difficult circumstances in his tenure as our head coach. We wish him all the best moving forward."
Laviolette, the 19th head coach in Caps history, was 115-78-27 in three years at the helm, leading the team to the playoffs in each of his first two years before an eight-year postseason streak was snapped this year. The Caps had 100 points last season and were second in the East in the modified 2020-21 COVID season, but exited in the first round of the playoffs both times.
Now, Laviolette, who has 751 wins – tops among American coaches and eighth-best all-time – in 21 seasons with the Islanders, Hurricanes, Flyers, Predators, and Caps, is seeking his next job.
Per the team, final player media availability of the season will be held Saturday morning, with MacLellan to speak at noon.
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