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Regime change: Caps hire Trotz as head coach, name MacLellan GM

NHL Awards Portraits

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 22: Head coach Barry Trotz of the Nashville Predators poses for a portrait during the 2011 NHL Awards at the Palms Casino Resort June 22, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

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The Washington Capitals have hired their replacements for the outgoing Adam Oates and George McPhee, naming Barry Trotz the 17th head coach and Brian McLellan the sixth general manger in franchise history.

“We are extremely pleased to name Brian MacLellan the team’s general manager and welcome Barry Trotz to Washington as the Capitals coach,” Caps owner Ted Leonsis said in a statement. “After conducting an extensive search for a general manager, we determined that Brian was the best candidate to help us reach our ultimate goal, winning the Stanley Cup. We have witnessed his abilities firsthand, and we have tremendous respect for how he manages people and situations. We feel he has relevant, in-depth knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of our franchise and will be forceful in addressing them.

“We are also excited to welcome Barry back to the Capitals organization. Barry is a highly respected and accomplished coach who brings us a wealth of experience. He possesses high character and the exact leadership qualities we look for in the head coach. He was the only coach we coveted, and we feel he is an ideal fit to help lead our club.”

Prior to serving as head coach in Nashville for 15 seasons (while recording 557 wins), Trotz served as Washington’s AHL bench boss in Baltimore and Portland from 1992-97. He comes to Washington as one of the longest-tenured coaches in the history of North American professional sports -- per the Caps’ release, Trotz is one of just six coaches in all four major North American sports leagues to have coached or managed each of a team’s first 15 seasons of existence (MLB: Connie Mack - 50, Oakland; NFL Curly Lambeau - 29, Green Bay, Tom Landry -29, Dallas, Hank Stram - 15, Kansas City, Paul Brown - 15, Cleveland).

As for MacLellan, he served as McPhee’s assistant for the last seven years and has been with the Washington organization for 13. He served as the GM for the club’s AHL affiliate in Hershey -- winning a trio of Calder Cups -- and spent three years working in the Caps’ scouting department as well.

MacLellan and Trotz will be formally introduced on Tuesday at the Verizon Center.