Capitals head coach Barry Trotz resigned from his position with the franchise Monday. The departure comes less than two weeks after the Capitals defeated the Golden Knights to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
The coach and the Capitals failed to come an agreement on a new contract despite their historic success together. The previous deal between the two sides called for a two-year extension if the team won the Cup, per Sportsnet, but Trotz refused to accept it because the terms were “below the current market.”
Trotz would’ve received a raise in his base salary from $1.5 million per year up to $1.8 million per year under the extension, reports The Athletic.
That payout pales in comparison to the salaries of Cup-winning coaches such as Mike Babcock ($6.25 million), Joel Quenneville ($6 million) and Claude Julien ($5 million). The Rangers also recently gave new coach David Quinn, previously of Boston University, a five-year deal worth $2.4 million annually.
The two sides never attempted to renegotiate a new deal, so now Trotz is a free agent. Sportsnet says he’ll be free to talk to other teams, and the Capitals won’t stand in the way of anyone who wants to interview their former coach.
Here’s a statement from Trotz:
