Capitals name Patrick Wellar as assistant coach

Wellar initially joined Washington’s staff on September 27th as an interim coach for the team’s defensemen. Wellar was filling in for Mitch Love, who was on leave at the time due to a league investigation into an off-ice incident.

On October 26th, Love was suspended by the NHL for the rest of the season following their investigation, which turned out to be regarding allegations of domestic abuse. The Capitals followed up the suspension by announcing that they relieved Love of his duties with the team.

Now, with the interim tag removed, Wellar will stay on as Love’s permanent replacement behind the Capitals’ bench.

Wellar has been a coach in the Capitals’ organization since the 2018-19 season. For seven seasons, the Carrot River, Saskatchewan native served as an assistant coach for the AHL’s Hershey Bears, in charge of the team’s blueline. He won two consecutive Calder Cups with the Bears in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.

Prior to joining Hershey, Wellar was an assistant coach in the ECHL for four teams over four years, including serving as a player-coach for the Utah Grizzlies in 2014-15 and the Alaska Aces in 2015-16.

As a player, Wellar spent 12 years playing defense in the minor leagues, splitting time between the AHL and ECHL. He won three Kelly Cups as an ECHL champion over his playing career, along with a Calder Cup as an AHL champion with Hershey in the 2009-10 season. Wellar had a six-year junior career in the WHL, split between the Portland Winter Hawks and Calgary Hitmen. He was drafted in the third round of the 2002 NHL Entry draft by the Capitals.

Washington will play the Florida Panthers on Thursday, and then begin a three-game homestand against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.