The Washington Capitals have announced they are parting ways with assistant coach Kirk Mueller. Müller's contract was due to expire in June.
On Monday morning, Capitals general manager Chris Patrick released a statement regarding Mueller. The assistant coach wants to pursue "other opportunities in the National Hockey League."
"Kirk has expressed his desire to explore other opportunities within the National Hockey League and we respect and support his decision," Patrick said. "We thank Kirk for his dedication, professionalism and numerous contributions he has made during his three years with our organization. He is an experienced and highly respected coach whose work ethic, leadership and commitment to player development have made a meaningful impact on our team both on and off the ice. We wish him and his family all the best in the next chapter of his career."
Muller joined head coach Spencer Carberry's staff in June 2023. He was brought in to work with the Capitals' forwards and run the power play.
Last season, the Capitals' power play struggled and ranked eighth-worst in the NHL at 17.8 percent. The team missed the playoffs for the first time under Carberry due to inconsistency on the man advantage.
In Mueller's three-year tenure, the Capitals' power play operated at 20.6 percent and near the middle league-wide.
Muller's NHL coaching tenure began in 2006–07 with the Montreal Canadiens. He briefly served as head coach for both Montreal and the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Capitals will be looking to fill another coaching staff void this summer. It already looks to be a busy offseason for the team in general.
