Reirden provides 'insight' on Caps to the Penguins originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
In professional sports, coaches and players look for every little advantage they can get over the opposition to help them win. As the Capitals visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday (12 p.m., NBC), you can bet Pittsburgh is going to have a pretty full and thorough scouting report.
Todd Reirden has spent the last six years with the Capitals organization, two as the head coach and four as an assistant under Barry Trotz. After he was relieved of his duties in the offseason by general manager Brian MacLellan, he was hired back by the Penguins, the team he left to go to Washington.
In Pittsburgh's preparation for Sunday's game, it sounds like Reirden provided some insight on his former team.
Could this have any effect on the outcome?
When Reirden joined the Caps from Pittsburgh's staff in 2014-15, Washington enjoyed a lot of success against the Penguins in that first season, winning the first three contests by a combined score of 10-1.
Whether that had anything to do with Reirden giving them "insight," however, seems doubtful.
Players and coaches switch teams all the time in professional sports. In fact, there are a lot more former Penguins on the Caps' team than there are former Caps in Pittsburgh.
Carl Hagelin and Daniel Sprong both played for the Penguins in the past and Justin Schultz and Conor Sheary played for them just last season.
"It's pretty funny that there's a couple Penguins, former Penguins on the Caps now," Schutlz said during training camp. "It's just the way the league runs."
And while the Capitals changed head coaches in the offseason, the Penguins did not. Arguably, the Caps could get just as much insight from their former Pittsburgh players as Reirden can offer the Penguins.
Reirden may know the Caps players better than, he may know some of their tendencies, he may know some of their weaknesses, but does he know enough to tip the scales in Pittsburgh's favor? Probably not.
