Capitals Name Dean Evason Assistant Coach

[VodkaFish]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Capitals today named Dean Evason an assistant coach, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced. Evason will join incumbent Jay Leach as an assistant under head coach Glen Hanlon.

“We are extremely happy to add someone of Dean’s ability and experience to our coaching staff,” said McPhee. “He has been a very successful coach over many seasons in major junior hockey, and we feel as though he will make a great fit with our organization.”

Evason, 40, spent the 2004-05 season as co-coach of the Western Hockey League’s Calgary Hitmen. Along with co-coach Kelly Kisio, he helped lead the Hitmen to a 34-23-9-6 record and an appearance in the WHL playoffs, where they lost in the second round to the Brandon Wheat Kings.

Prior to joining Calgary, Evason served as the head coach for the WHL’s Vancouver Giants during the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons. In his two seasons in Vancouver, he earned a combined record of 59-61-14-10 and in 2003-04 led the Giants to their first winning season and playoff appearance.

Prior to serving as head coach for Vancouver, Evason served in the same capacity for the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers for three seasons from 1999 to 2002, posting a 109-83-17-7 record. Before becoming a head coach in the WHL, he joined the Calgary Hitmen’s coaching staff as an assistant for the 1999 playoffs, helping them capture the league championship. He also served as player coach for two seasons, his last as a player, for Landshut of the German Hockey League in 1997-98 and 1998-99.

A native of Flin Flon, Manitoba, Evason was drafted by the Capitals in the fifth round, 89th overall, in the 1982 Entry Draft and appeared in 17 games over two seasons with Washington in 1983-84 and 1984-85. Overall, Evason played 13 seasons as a center in the NHL with Washington, Hartford, San Jose, Dallas and Calgary, recording 139 goals and 233 assists in 803 games.