Following their most promising opening to a season ever, the Washington Capitals squandered their 7-0 start with a ten-game stretch in which they won just three games. Following this dismal performance, it became evident head coach Bruce Boudreau would be stuck with the blame.

**by Nick Bode**

Boudreau, who was released November 28, is one of the winningest coaches of all time and is the fastest coach to reach 200 wins. He is replaced by Dale Hunter, a Caps legend whose number is one of four retired by the Caps.

Many students are avid Caps fans, and many believe firing Boudreau was necessary for the team to avoid elongating their losing streak.

Whitman ice hockey captain Aidan Neustadtl feels Boudreau had lost the respect from his players that a coach needs to succeed. He hesitates to blame the losses completely on Boudreau, however, pointing out the star players need to perform for the team to win.

“Washington fans always want to blame everything on the coach,” he said. “It seems like every year we get knocked out of the playoffs fans are asking for Bruce to get fired. If the Caps keep losing, though, I think fans will begin to point fingers at the star guys instead of the coaches.”

Ryan McGill, a Capitals fan and former Whitman hockey player, believes that Boudreau’s departure is long overdue.

“Boudreau should have been fired after his first choke in the playoffs,” McGill said. “That was unacceptable with the talent he had.”

Long time hockey fan Ari Kapner agrees with McGill that Boudreau should have been fired earlier, and said he thinks that the coaching change will be good for players and fans alike.

“Fans will have positive reaction,” Kapner said. “The problem is, the Caps need a coach that will demand the players respect, Dale Hunter will do this, he will work their butts off. Boudreau should have been gone after the playoffs last year.”

Sonja Stojic, a Whitman hockey player and Caps fan, believes the fans will be more than relieved to see a new coach. She adds that she believes the move will help the Caps advance farther into the postseason.

“They will be a lot better,” she said. “They’ll get new people in there, they’ll try new stuff.”

The Caps’ future success now rests on how well the players click with their new coach, Neustadtl said.

“I think the Caps have the skill to do well,” he said. “It will all depend on how star players like Ovechkin and Semin respond to Hunter. Hunter was always a competitive and passionate player, and hopefully that will rub off on those guys and allow the Caps to make a deep playoff run.”

The Caps lost to the St. Louis Blues, 2-1, in Hunter’s first game behind the bench Nov. 29.