First Years with Smashville
It has been nearly a year since Peter Laviolette, 56, was fired as head coach of the Nashville Predators. He was dismissed of his job duties after spending almost six years with the Preds. He was only the second head coach for the hockey team, replacing long-time former head coach Barry Trotz.
During Laviolette’s early years, there were many things that the coach was able to help the team achieve. For example, 2017 is notably the most significant year for the Preds because they made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, facing off against the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the end, the Preds were eliminated on home ice on June 11, 2017.
The End of an Era
After a somewhat rocky couple of seasons after 2017, things eventually took a different turn for the Preds. Namely the team’s performance was somewhat average. There are many ups and downs. Specifically, the team was able to produce wins. Consequently, the one thing that was not produced was a Stanley Cup win that the then 19-year old hockey team strongly craved.
Additionally, Laviolette was given many chances to assist the Preds in bringing home Lord Stanley for the first time. Thus, that never happened. Eventually Jan. 6, 2020 was the day the Franklin, Massachusetts native was relieved of his coaching duties from the young NHL team.
Life After the Preds
After eight months of being on the job market, the Washington Capitals made a decision to hire the former Preds coach after firing Todd Reirden. The Caps consider Laviolette an important asset to the team. They know with the coaching experience he brings to the table, Laviolette will prove beneficial in the long-run.
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