After failing to make the postseason for the first time since 2007, the Washington Capitals have dismissed head coach Adam Oates and announced that general manager George McPhee won't be returning to the team.
McPhee served as general manager for 17 years, drafting key players like captain and three-time MVP Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. Meanwhile, the Hall of Famer Oates had served for two years and still had a year left on his contract. The Capitals were one spot out of a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.
According to team owner Ted Leonsis as quoted by the Associated Press via ESPN: "We were left with the overall impression that the team wasn't trending toward being able to compete for a Stanley Cup, And that was just a clear signal and why it was time to make those changes."
The team made it to the Stanley Cup finals in 1998 on McPhee's first year as GM. After that, he oversaw a rebuilding program that had the team dumping fat contracts. However, McPhee was widely criticized for filling his roster with offensive stars like Ovenchin, who led the league in scoring this year with 51 goals. Despite individual accolades like his three MVP awards, the Russian has failed to lead his team past the second round of the playoffs.
McPhee has also been criticized for hiring coaches with no NHL experience, including Oates, the former Capitals star.
Under Oates, the Capitals went 65-48-17.
In his first season, he led the Capitals to the playoffs with a late season surge. The team however were eliminated by the New York Rangers in the first round in seven games.
In a brief statement, Oates said it was "a tremendous honor to coach the Capitals these past two seasons."
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