Capitals hire Irbe as goaltending coach

The Washington Capitals have hired former NHL all-star Arturs Irbe as their goaltending coach.

The Capitals made the announcement on Thursday. Irbe replaces Dave Prior, who resigned after 12 years with the Capitals.

Irbe was an NHL goalie for 13 seasons with San Jose, Dallas, Vancouver and Carolina, compiling a 2.83 goals-against average and .899 save percentage. He appeared in the 1994 and 1999 NHL All-Star games.

Irbe last was in the league in the 2003-04 season, then played professionally in Europe.

He was the goaltending coach for his hometown Dinamo Riga in Latvia in the Kontinental Hockey League last season.

Let me get this straight: the Caps hired the goalie with one of the worst technique ever to bear the NHL, to instruct them?

I'd like to see Theodore play in a unorthodox style.

Mazz wrote:

I'd like to see Theodore play in a unorthodox style.

What? You mean it's not what he has?

Irbe play in the Stanley Cup in 2002 with a poor team...

Yeah, with Carolina... but he neved had a special style, simply a goaltender that let the puck hit him and stop it, period

Like Dominik Hasek in fact, and both played in the finals with a very average team