(The Team 980/WGR 550) - There will be no final post-mortem on the Washington 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 general manager Brian MacLellan around 5 p.m. ET on Friday, less than 24 hours after the Capitals finished their first non-playoff season in nine years with a 5-4 overtime loss to the New JerseyDevils 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.
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"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 Capitals 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 Capitals had 100 points last season, and finished second in the Eastern Conference in the modified 2020-21 COVID-19 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 New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, Nashville Predators, and Capitals, 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 12 p.m. ET.
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroWFAN