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Caps GM McPhee calls Adam Oates “a blend of the two previous coaches”

Adam Oates

Washington Capitals head coach Adam Oates stands in the bench in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins Tuesday, March 5, 2013 in Washington. The Capitals won 4-3 in overtime. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

AP

When the Capitals hired Adam Oates to be their head coach following Dale Hunter’s decision to return to London, Ontario, many wondered how he would do with a team in seeming discontent.

After a rocky start, Washington is turning the corner and playing more consistent. They’re two points out of eighth in the Eastern Conference and five back of Winnipeg in the Southeast Division. Caps GM George McPhee is happy with what Oates has done and says he’s a bit of a hybrid coach as Chuck Gormley of CSNWashington.com shares.

“Coaches have different approaches. There’s a certain way that I think we should do things that is sort of the middle ground with what the previous two coaches did. I think we’ve had some real good coaches here,” McPhee said.

“Having been able to hire Adam and take our time, I think we’ve got a blend of the two previous coaches.”

Washington’s slow start to the season is something that could wind up biting them in the end.

With Alex Ovechkin playing like the Ovi of old (eight goals, five assists in the last nine games) and mostly everyone being healthy (Michal Neuvirth excepted) things have turned around in such a way that making the playoffs is a more than realistic possibility. Not bad for a first-year coach.