Had all this typed up, hope no one is upset I post it here instead.
I don't mean to reign on the parade, I wanted to read what the fans thoughts were on a possible hire, but this is literally what the Capitals needed over the last 2 or 3 years and he refused to do it.
He ran Vrana out off the team, shoved Connor McMichael back too AHL when he's been beyond that development point for 2 years now, and basically force fed awful guys like Eller and Irwin minutes they didn't deserve. He broke Anthony Mantha who, believe it or not, was one of the best underlying numbers (and eye test) to start the season. He refused to play Alexander Alexeyev, who ended the season as showing he should have been playing msot of the year, on defense until he was literally forced to via injury.
Literally the only guy who seemed to get a free pass was Kuznetsov, and he was one of the worst players on our team. Lavi has a dog house, and it must always be filled. I would be terrified that one of Lafreniere or Kakko will fill it for him.
Focused is predominantly on the defensive zone. Relies on man to man defending, which will probably be better for you all then it was for some of the dinosaurs we had on our team. Puts a lot expectation on the forwards coming back to help out, be defensively responsible, and basically all designed around getting someone on the stretch pass up the sidewall to get on the offense. I wasn't a huge fan, but it was also probably a that I had the Trotz style defense on my mind and Lavi's defense never felt as smooth and safe as that.
Offensively I feel like the game might have passed him by. I was excited for his hire because he was known as the guy who could bleed a rock for production, but we just never got that production. The offensive side of things felt like it lacked creativity and any real sense of purpose beside try to get it in deep and forecheck. The only saving grace is he wasn't really a dump and chase guy, but their neutral zone play was atrocious so it might have been better.
I have no idea on the special teams play. For our power play we had a teacher's pet who's been there for like a decade running it so I wouldn't call it his bag. The PK was outstanding at times, and they were on it often, but we kept the guy who was supposedly in charge of that so I have no idea how he'd deploy it with you all.
I think all and all you're going to win a lot of games, I hope he doesn't wear Igor out, but I don't know if he's the guy that puts you over the edge. I really thought he'd be better suited to a spot like Toronto.
