For Alexander Ovechkin, the season-2024/25 turned out to be truly unique. Ovechkin surpassed Wayne Gretzky’s sniper record in the regular championships and completed the “regular woman” in third place in abandoned goals. However, Alexander not only rewritten the history of the NHL, but also helped others to do it.

So, Spencer Karberi, heading Washington, became the best coach of the year. Undoubtedly, the captain “Capitals” made a certain contribution to Karberi’s success.

Washington progress

Before the start of the season-2024/25, most experts believed that Washington either until the last match would fight for a place in the playoffs, or would be left without a Stanley Cup. However, Capitals quickly climbed to the top of the Eastern Conference and firmly fixed there. After about 20 matches, North American journalists first called Karberi the main favorite in the struggle for the Jake Adams Eveord award, which is awarded to the best league coach according to the results of the regular championship.

It is interesting that then John Hines, who heads Minnesota, was the main competitor of Karberi. However, Wilde faced an epidemic of injuries with the main players, so they stopped fighting for leadership in the West and completed the “regular season” in seventh place. But Washington not only retained first place in the East, but also claimed the presidential cup. And although Winnipeg eventually became the best team in the regular championship, Capitals pleasantly surprised all experts.

The metropolitan club demonstrated phenomenal progress: last season, the Wild Card team climbed into the playoffs with a creak, taking fourth place in the capital’s division and gaining 91 points (40-31-11). In the current “regular woman”, the club became the first in the Eastern Conference and the metropolitan division, gaining 111 points (51-22-9).

In addition, under Karberi, many players set personal bombardry records: Dylan Strum, Tom Wilson, Connor McMaikl, Jacob Chicran, Pierre Luke Dubois, Alexey Protas and others. The progress of the 24-year-old Belarusian striker Protas is especially noticeable. Last season, he abandoned only six goals, in the current 30. Given the results of hockey players, it cannot be said that Washington lived only Ovechkin’s record.

Alexander Ovechkin / Photo: © Jared C. Tilton / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

Although no one forgot about Ovechkin’s goal. The head coach “Capitals” correctly distributed the game time for the captain, who at 39 managed to abandon 44 goals and complete the “regular” in the top 3 league snipers! Karberi will also be remembered as a specialist in which Alexander surpassed the result of Gretzky by goals.

The prize to the best coach

It was obvious to many that Jake Adams Eveord would take Spencer. And the specialist eventually really won an individual trophy, bypassing competitors with a decent margin. Karberi scored 464 points (81 first place out of 103 possible), Scott Arniel from Winnipeg-249 (16), Martin San-Louis from Montreal-66 (2). Karberi also became the first to become the coach of the year in the NHL, AHL and ECHL – in all three leading professional leagues of North America.

Spencer Carbury / Photo: © Derek Cain / Contributor / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

– In the team sport, as a coach, you hate everything that attracts attention to you. Our staff and, of course, our players – all these people deserve great gratitude for this award, ”said Karberi after receiving the prize.

The coach’s prestigious reward was also congratulated by the Washington hockey players.

– Hey, Karbs! On behalf of all the players, I congratulate Jack Adams. A fully honored prize, ”Ovechkin said in a video published by the Washington press service in club social networks.