Dmitry Orlov Had Issues With His Coach's Decision Before Trade
Sometimes in life you won't always agree with your superior but you will have no choice but to grin and bear it. This appears to be the situation defenceman Dmitry Orlov had to deal with when it came to the Washington Capitals and the handling of his good buddy defenseman Alex Alexeyev.
It has been a tough transition to the NHL for Alexeyev. Drafted 31st overall in 2018, he began the season injured, rehabbed, spent a majority of the season as a healthy scratch, and only recently has become a consistent presence in the Capitals' lineup.
His place in the lineup only became stable after the team moved two veteran, left-handed defensemen at the trade deadline. One of the players was Dmitry Orlov and the other Erik Gustafsson.
Orlov did an interview with Sport24 correspondent Daria Tuboltseva after his move to the Boston Bruins and talked about Alexeyev's new role. He says he was not a fan of Caps head coach Peter Laviolette constantly making Alexeyev a healthy scratch.
«I'm glad that they started to let Alexeyev play,» Orlov said and translated via Google Translate. «It took a long time to happen. I was against keeping him in reserve.»
Alexeyev had played just twelve games before the trades happened. He is up to twenty five games played on the season, contributing five assists.
Alexeyev says he saw the opportunity coming when the deals featuring Orlov and Erik Gustafsson were made.
«Yes, it was clear when Orlov was exchanged,» l Alexeyev told Tuboltseva in his own interview and also translated via Google Translate. «He's a left-handed defender like me. And Gustafsson is also left-handed. We phoned the agent after the trade, came to the conclusion that they would let me play, and we should use this chance.»
Alexeyev credits the now-departed Orlov for some of that success.
«In Washington, he was a mentor for me, he helped me in everything, prompted me on the ice and off the ice,» Alexeyev said, «And Dima is just a good person. When he was injured and I was recovering, we spent more time on the ice, we trained more. And yes, he told me, �I wish they had already given you to play.' Unfortunately, they let me play when he left.»
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Do you think Peter Laviolette is a good coach? |
| Yes, has the Stanley Cup as proof | 14 | 48.3 % |
| No, too many stories of players not agreeing | 15 | 51.7 % |
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