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Wednesday Caterwaul: Capitals and Predators hire new coaches

With the Stanley Cup Final between your Florida Panthers and the Vegas Golden Knights not slated to start until Saturday, all’s quiet on NHL ice. There was a little more action off the ice on Tuesday as the Washington Capitals and Nashville Predators hired new head coaches.

Former Toronto Maple Leafs assistant coach Spencer Carbery got the job with the Capitals. The 41-year-old Carbery was the head coach of Washington’s AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, from 2081 to 2021, so he is a well-known commodity for the organization. Carbery was an assistant coach in Toronto for the past two seasons as part of Sheldon Keefe’s staff.

After firing John Hynes, the Predators hired a man very familiar to Panthers fans, Andrew Brunette. Brunette guided the Cats to the Presidents’ Trophy and a first round win over the Capitals before Florida was swept by the Tampa Bay Lightning in round two. He spent last season as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils. As a player Brunette was selected by Nashville in the 1998 Expansion Draft and scored the first goal in franchise history. Nice story… Good luck, Andrew!

Overnight, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Brad Treliving is the leading candidate to be the next general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In ECHL action, John McCarron notched the game-winning goal off a pass from Brandon Hickey nine minutes into double overtime to lift the Florida Everblades to a 3-2 victory over the Newfoundland Growlers in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Everblades will take on the Idaho Steelheads in the Kelly Cup Final. Congratulations!

Stanley Cup Final schedule

Game 1: Saturday, June 3rd, 8 p.m.
Game 2: Monday, June 5th, 8 p.m.
Game 3: Thursday, June 8th, 8 p.m.
Game 4: Saturday, June 10th, 8 p.m.
Game 5: Tuesday, June 13th, 8 p.m. (if necessary)
Game 6: Friday, June 16th, 8 p.m. (if necessary)
Game 7: Monday, June 19th, 8 p.m. (if necessary)

All  games will be broadcast on TNT, TBS, CBC, and Sportsnet.