Every Cap fan should be sad to see him go since he created the best Capitals playoff team anyone has seen in years. It would have been no surprise if the Caps got to the ECF.

And Laich should be captain. No buts about it.

The problem is this team has no real defenders, just like it has been since forever. They sacrificed all their high scoring of a couple years ago to try and fix that, but really the only thing that happened is their best offensive players started focusing on defense. Ovechkin and Backstrom are their most physical players, and that’s sad to say. When this team gets a couple defenseman… Then their goal scoters can go back to scoring goals and perhaps they will finally get past game 7 in the east and maybe even make a Stanley cup before their window closes.

This year we had a bleak season, coaching change, and barely squeaked into the playoffs. Went on to oust the defending champs and pushed the #1 seed to a very close series of seven. Caps could easily be in the ECF if it weren’t for the nightmarish collapse at the end of game 5.

Hunter took a team divided and (whether some players liked it or not) got them to buy into his style at the most important time.

Not defending his NHL career at all, but he was a hell of a coach for the Caps and I’m bummed to see him go.