Earlier today, Capitals assistant coach Mitch Love had been suspended by the NHL for the remainder of the 2025-26 season following their investigation into allegations of domestic abuse against him, according to Frank Seravalli of Bleacher Report and Victory+. This afternoon, the Capitals updated that Love has been immediately relieved of his duties.
The Capitals announced shortly before training camp that they had placed Love on “team-imposed leave” after the league informed them that an investigation had been initiated based on complaints they received directly over the offseason. Later in training camp, they promoted AHL assistant coach Patrick Wellar from the minor-league bench to replace Love’s duties with Washington’s defensemen.
Love was a finalist for multiple head coaching vacancies across the league during the offseason. The 41-year-old was a finalist for the Penguins’ vacancy and was viewed as the frontrunner until they made a seemingly last-minute pivot to Dan Muse. He was similarly deep in the running to become the next coach of the Kraken and Bruins. It’s unclear if the league’s investigation began early enough in the summer to have any bearing on their decisions.
Shortly after Seravalli’s note, the Capitals announced that Love has been relieved of his duties effective immediately. The organization emphasized that they are “committed to maintaining the highest standards of conduct and accountability”.
Muse has been a phenomenal coach so far.
And, bonus, he looks wholly incapable of physically harming anyone without his own bones breaking first.
Thank you NHL and Capitals.
But if you assault a drunk girl, you get signed by Vegas!
Consensual!
Which Vegas player was convicted of that?
Maybe read the case notes? But no we need to rush to judgement based on whatever info you selectively read.
Was Love convicted of anything?
Don’t be an ass, he was found not guilty. And if you actually followed the trial, you’d know it was the right verdict.
None. Because it didn’t happen. Crab is just being an ass.
As per a reply about the Hart situation, shouldn’t comments be preemptively closed since this particular story pertains to domestic violence? Or are we being selective in which stories we do that about instead of being consistent?
Yes, but the Hart business involves s-e-x.
Hope Mitch likes Russian weather. He’ll have a KHL job offer soon enough.
So Mitch has joined the likes of Slava Voynov & Austin Watson…nice 🙄