Josh Cooper

jcooper2@tennessean.com

How often does a fired coach end up landing a better gig?

It happened with Barry Trotz, the new coach of the Washington Capitals.

The former Predators coach will have a powerful core of players and a wealth of riches from owner Ted Leonsis, a boss who is willing to spend money in order to make his investment a winner.

The core includes the NHL's most dynamic goal scorer in Alexander Ovechkin, one of the top playmaking centers in Nicklas Backstrom and one of the most electric young talents in Evgeny Kuznetsov.

"In Nashville, for the most part we've been built on the back end, so that's where we used our strengths," Trotz said in a phone interview with The Tennessean after the Capitals held his introductory press conference on Tuesday. "Here as a coach, where we're built on the front end, I don't want to diminish what they do offensively."

Trotz will have something else he never truly had in Nashville: the weight of enormous expectations.

Like every NHL team, the Predators have the goal of winning the Stanley Cup. But it's different with the Capitals.

They play in a much bigger market than Nashville, and with the 29-year-old Ovechkin – who is still at the peak of his powers – there is "win-now" pressure every season. It likely means less job security for Trotz. The Capitals have gone through four head coaches since Ovechkin's first season in 2005-06.

"I think it's more pressure because it's a bigger market and there's more (news) outlets," Trotz said. "I think there was a lot of pressure to win in Nashville on a day-to-day basis from within with the group. It's a little different pressure, but it's the same type of pressure."

In Nashville, Trotz faced criticism that he couldn't coach offense. In Washington, he'll have a Rolls Royce of offensive talent between Ovechkin and Backstrom. It will be his opportunity to show the rest of the NHL – and his former bosses in Nashville – that he can indeed be an offensive-minded coach.

"There were times where you're down a goal or two where you felt sometimes it was a little more difficult to come back," Trotz said of his 15 seasons with the Predators. "I think that might be a little bit different here."

Trotz wasn't hired to bring the best out of the Capitals offensively, however. Other coaches have done that already. He was brought in to add a level of defensive responsibility and structure. That will be the challenge.

Ovechkin has proved coachable in the past, switching wings and playing certain styles, but it will be fascinating to see how Trotz utilizes the three-time MVP. Ovechkin, like Trotz, has yet to make it past the second round of the playoffs. Their relationship will be closely monitored, a constant storyline.

"In the other areas where I think I can help is to get more balance into their game, so they can manage things a little bit better and play any style you want," Trotz said.

As coach of the Predators since their inaugural season, Trotz was in somewhat of a comfort zone. Joining the Capitals pushes him out of that zone, and there's a good chance that it could define his career.

Being part of a press conference with his new team presented some surreal moments on Tuesday, Trotz said. There were some near slip-ups.

"I spent so much time in Nashville, I know a few times I had to catch myself," he said. "I'm so used to saying 'Nashville' that I had to catch myself a couple of times to make sure I said 'Washington.' "