One more argument you can use to convince those dishonest ones who keep being sceptical: If the Caps hired a “big” name or “nice suit” behind the bench, how could they compete with other teams to retain their best players once they become free agents?

As a young and developing team, the Caps rather need more good players to help strengthening what has been built so far than paying millions of bucks for a guy who might care more about his reputation or pride than the team’s future. You may have the best coach available, it won’t be him who can score goals, check the opponents or make the saves the players don’t do. When you already have someone who possess such high value qualities BB has, it’s worth the way to give him a serious try. Don’t forget Bruce Cassidy was probably too young to deal with the big stars or vets the Capitals had at that time (Jagr, Lang, Bondra, Gonchar, Witt, etc.). Boudreau is older than Cassidy was and the team is much younger and unexperienced.

As a coach who has been in the Washington Capitals organization for so many years, Bruce Boudreau must know that definition of “success” worth to claim for reopening his contract means going far into the playoffs, not just earning a division title or provide a couple of winning seasons. If Bruce can make the high hopes of the organization play to the heigth of their potential, he will be well placed to negociate with George McPhee, moreover if the team is back amongst the league’s most serious Stanley Cup contenders!

Certainly, the proof is in the pudding, and to this point, the Boudreau hiring looks like the right one. Furthermore, I get the impression it’ll still be the right move a year and two years from now. But given this organizations recent track record with uninitiated coaches, it’s pretty easy to see the misgivings many had.