Washington retains the 2025 NHL coach of the year, who was entering the final year of his contract.
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Spencer Carbery isn’t going anywhere.
The Washington Capitals announced Thursday that Carbery signed a multiyear extension to remain the team’s coach, three years after he was hired in May 2023. Carbery was heading into the final year of his initial contract, and the Capitals made it clear after the season ended in April that their plan was to get an extension done quickly.
“Since joining our organization, Spencer has played an important role in the development of many of our young players while also earning the respect and trust of our veteran leaders,” Capitals General Manager Chris Patrick said in a statement. “His communication skills, strong relationship-building, and ability to connect with players at every stage of their careers have made him a great leader of our club.”
Though Washington missed the Stanley Cup playoffs this past season, the Capitals’ belief in Carbery as their coach has not wavered. In Carbery’s first season, he led an underpowered team through a tightrope of a final two months to squeak into the postseason, and in 2024-25, Washington won its first-round series against Montreal — the team’s first playoff series win since winning the Stanley Cup in 2018.
The 44-year-old won the Jack Adams Trophy as the NHL’s coach of the year in 2025 and has a 134-83-29 record in his three seasons in Washington.
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“Family and I are pumped to be in DC for as long as they’ll have us!!” Carbery told The Washington Post via text message.
As the Capitals navigate the latter stages of Alex Ovechkin’s career — Ovechkin has not yet announced his intentions for his future, and his contract will expire June 30 — Carbery has been tasked with threading a needle. Developing the next generation is a top priority for Washington, as the likes of Ryan Leonard, Aliaksei Protas, Ilya Protas and Cole Hutson grow into their primes, but keeping the team competitive in the twilight of the Ovechkin era was also a nonnegotiable.
Carbery has handled that dual mandate with a relatively high success rate, and it’s clear that Washington’s front office has a great deal of trust in his abilities going forward.
“[Carbery] has helped foster a positive and accountable culture within our team, creating an environment where players can grow and succeed,” Patrick said. “We have been extremely impressed with his commitment, professionalism, and passion for coaching, and we are excited to see him continue building on that success.”
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