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Does Dale Hunter Get a Passing Grade?

Steven Hindle • Washington Capitals Blogger • HockeyBuzz.com • March 8, 2012

Where Did It All Go Wrong?

On November 28th, 2011, the Washington Capitals fired Bruce Boudreau and hired Dale Hunter.

At the time, the Caps had lost 7 of their last 10 games and had seen their record slip from 9-2-1 on November 4th to 12-9-1 by the 28th.

The slide, a mirror of many situations over the past few seasons where this team collapsed for no apparent reason, was the last straw for Boudreau in DC and the first step in what appears to have become the wrong directions for the Capitals.

Bringing aboard long sought after coaching candidate, Dale Hunter, the spin was that this was going to be a positive step forward for the organization.

Spurred to action by Washington's poor play, there hasn't been much change in the way the Caps have played since Hunter's hiring.

Now sitting with a record of 32-28-6, the Capitals have managed a meager record of 20-19-5 under their new coach, scoring 105 goals for while allowing 115 goals against during that span.

It makes you wonder if this wasn't one of those "one step forward, two step back" situations for Washington?

Though the team sits with a stellar home record of 21-10-3, the truth is that under Boudreau the team went 8-2-0 in 10 games while Hunter's Caps have managed a less impressive record of 13-8-3.

Contrasted with their 4-7-0 record on the road to start the year under Gabby, Hunter's Caps haven't fared any better in registering a 7-11-3 record away from the Verizon Center.

So are they any better off with Dale Hunter behind the bench? Considering Boudreau's accomplishments right off the bat when he took over, it's safe to say Hunter isn't having quite the same affect.

Speaking of affect, Roman Hamrlik has not played a game since February 20th and Mike Knuble hasn't seen action since action but once since the 22nd. Leaving these two veteran leaders aside has seemingly caused a greater rift in the dressing room and with management being adamant about not moving them at the deadline, you have to wonder what the future holds for this team?

Is Hunter blowing his only chance?

Thoughts point to yes as he hasn't managed to corral a winning effort consistently out of this bunch and with time running out and the Caps walking the fine line between hope and despair, it could be a lot easier to lean towards this season as a write-off.

With Nicklas Backstrom's absence hanging over the offense like a noose, it's no secret that the Caps aren't the same team without him. Add to his absence the slow recovery and impact of Mike Green's return and all you can say is that these Capitals have become a very different team over the last 6 months.

With no leadership evident both on the ice and behind the bench, is it any surprise that leaders like Brooks Laich have had such an off-year? I can't imagine he is happy with how things have gone and considering the value he holds, it's amazing he hasn't been able to provide more of a regular impact for this team. Yet that speaks to the truth behind the problems; if Brooks Laich, your ultimate utility man and the true heart of this team, can't provide an impact, you're doing something wrong.

Yes, Ovechkin's been an issue this year and, even worse, Semin's been a complete non-factor, yet this is no longer a shock.

The real shock is that the once great supporting cast which helped hold these All Stars above the fray no longer possess the same abilities. Whether a separation in chemistry or confidence, the player-to-player connections are no longer there. Unfed by a far-less charismatic and personal coaching staff and the players are evidently just as lost today as they were mid-November.

To be fair to Hunter, it took him a couple years before he settled into the coaching force he was known to be in London. Perhaps it will take a little longer for him to gel this team together and work with management to procure the pieces he wants to work with, but with four years invested into the core of this team, would it not be more prudent for them to build around that core instead of their new coach?

It's a conundrum, no argument there.

But does Dale Hunter get a passing grade?

There are 16 games and 32 points left on the table for the Caps.

Sitting two points out of the final playoff spot and four points out of top spot in the Southeast, there's no reason to think they playoffs aren't in the cards for this team, yet it's going to take a monumental shift in commitment on behalf of the players and coaching staff if they want to get there.

The challenges for this team are far greater than making the playoffs, but with those hopes teetering on the brink, there's no time to think past today.

And today brings a very important matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning and a very valuable game in hand on the Winnipeg Jets. A win will tie the Caps with the Jets and will bring them two points closer to the Panthers.

It's a brutal situation because nothing is comfortable in DC anymore.

Pulling together is their only hope for success, but even that seems uncertain at best.

Whether he needs more time or the team just needed better breaks, passing grade or not, it's hard to think Dale Hunter has more than 16 games to prove he is the coach this team needs moving forward.

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Compare and contrast this to the position Randy Carlyle inherited in Toronto. The NHL is a pressure cooker.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
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