Todd Reirden is a former professional ice hockey player and current coach. He was born on June 18, 1971, in Deerfield, Illinois. Reirden played college hockey at Bowling Green State University, where he was a standout defenseman. He was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the 12th round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft but did not make his NHL debut until the 1998-99 season with the Edmonton Oilers.
Reirden played for several teams during his NHL career, including the St. Louis Blues, Atlanta Thrashers, Phoenix Coyotes, and Washington Capitals. He was known for his defensive skills and his ability to move the puck up the ice. Reirden played in a total of 183 NHL games, scoring 11 goals and 46 assists for 57 points.
After retiring from playing, Reirden began his coaching career. He started as an assistant coach for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2008. He then moved on to become an assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he helped the team win the Stanley Cup in 2016. Reirden was then hired as the head coach of the Washington Capitals in 2018, replacing Barry Trotz.
As head coach of the Capitals, Reirden led the team to a record of 89-46-16 in his two seasons at the helm. He helped the team win the Metropolitan Division in the 2019-20 season but was unable to lead them past the first round of the playoffs. Reirden was fired by the Capitals in August 2020 after the team failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
Overall, Todd Reirden had a successful career in hockey, both as a player and a coach. He was known for his defensive skills as a player and his ability to develop young talent as a coach. While his tenure as head coach of the Capitals was short-lived, he will likely continue to be a sought-after coach in the NHL.
🏒