The Washington Capitals have named Ray Bennett as an assistant coach, senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick announced today. Bennett joins assistant coaches Scott Allen and Patrick Wellar, assistant coach/skills Kenny McCudden, goaltending coach Scott Murray, assistant coach/video Brett Leonhardt, and video coach Emily Engel-Natzke on head coach Spencer Carbery's staff.
Bennett, 64, joins Washington after spending one season as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders. Prior to his stint with the Islanders, Bennett served as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche for eight seasons, winning the Stanley Cup with the team in 2022. The Innisfail, Alberta native brings 25 years of NHL coaching experience to Washington, which also includes assistant positions with the St. Louis Blues (2007-17) and the Los Angeles Kings (1999-06).
Prior to joining Los Angeles, Bennett served as the manager of high performance/video for Hockey Canada for two years. During his tenure with Hockey Canada, Bennett won a gold medal at the 1999 IIHF World Women's Championship, a silver medal with the women’s team at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, and a silver medal at the 1999 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Bennett served as the head coach at Red Deer College from 1995-97 and has also held positions with the Spokane Chiefs and Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League (WHL), the World Junior Hockey Championship Association, and the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association.
