Washington’s Capitals announced on monday who had filled his vacant assistant coaching position by promoting from within as head coach of the Hershey Bears scott allen will join Peter Laviolette’s team, replacing scott arniel. Allen is expected to work primarily with the team’s forward group and penalty kick units.
The Massachusetts native spoke to reporters about his hiring on Tuesday. The death penalty was the main topic of conversation.
“I would like to keep [the Capitals’ penalty kill] at the top of the National Hockey League, that’s for sure,” he said. said. “I think the penalty kill can make a difference night after night in the NHL. In the past, I’ve been a big believer and builder in trying to be pretty aggressive. He certainly plays with the personnel and I think the Caps certainly have the personnel to play an aggressive style.”
The Capitals’ penalty shootouts finished 12th in the league last season at 80.4 percent and stayed in that area of the league all year. However, the unit really shined in the postseason when they held the Florida Panthers’ power play without scoring in 18 straight chances.
Allen, coming from Hershey, will already have a deep understanding of not only how the organization likes to kill penalties, but also the players at their disposal. The Bears’ penalty kill in the AHL also finished twelfth, posting a kill rate of 81.6 percent.
“It’s a big help (to have previous familiarity with the staff),” Allen said. “I did this again with the Florida Panthers. I had been training with their minor league team for a couple of years in both San Antonio and Portland and then went to the NHL with Florida.
“I think it makes a big difference, especially getting to know some of these younger guys who are hoping to break through and become regular NHL players, and what they’re capable of,” he continued. “I’m excited to see these guys after another full offseason in camp and the gains they were able to make in the offseason. So, I think it’s a great help to be able to work with Lavi and his staff these last couple of years, obviously, whether it’s in the American Hockey League, that’s tremendous as well.”
The new assistant has had three seasons of first-hand view of the likes of Joe Snively, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby and Lucas Johansen, who will look to carve out special teams roles to play regularly for the Capitals in 2022-23.
One player Allen won’t be entirely familiar with who seems to play a big role in the manpower shortage is Connor Brown. Brown said his “greatest asset” as a player was his death penalty.
Allen saw those comments and was excited to see that Brown is up for the challenge again in DC. Only one player in the entire league over the past three seasons, former Cap Jay Beagle (2:49), has averaged more ice time per game with fewer personnel than Brown (2:42).
“First of all with Connor Brown, I was excited when I read the article last week and he mentioned the fact that he loves to kill penalties, the way he described himself, the type of player he is, I think he’s going to thrive within our system,” Allen said. “Some of that is certainly in play because you’ve got a couple of guys that are question marks that have been very good penalty shooters in the past and killed penalties for the Caps. It remains to be seen how he will develop during training camp and in talking to the rest of the coaches whom they see as some of the best. I think the spots right now will probably be available as we start training camp and progress through the preseason.”
Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB