Caps fire a coach, lose a player to the KHL, sign a prospect, and aren't sure about Fedorov

This news broke yesterday. Caps assistant coach Jay Leach will not be with the team next year.

Assistant Coach Jay Leach will not return to the Caps after five seasons with the team, GM George McPhee confirmed this afternoon. Leach coached the defensemen.

"It was a mutual decision," McPhee said. "He's a good man and a good coach and he helped us get to where we are."

Personally I like this move. Leach coached the defenceman, and that's the area we struggled in this year. As for a replacement for Leach, I'm thinking Hershey Bears head coach Bob Woods. He coached with Boudreau in the AHL.

Now onto other news. Viktor Kozlov is leaving the NHL for Russia.

"I can't give an answer to that question right now. I can only say that I have made a firm decision to return to Russia. But it's still unclear which team I'll end up with. Negotiating is a difficult process. Discussions are ongoing and I think that I'll make a final decision on a team as soon as possible, and then I'll sign a contract."

Sad to see Kozzie go. He was pretty good on Ovechkin RW. Kozlov made 2.5 million last year, so that will free up a little bit of cap space. I wish him the best in the KHL.

Caps sign player out of USHL. Jake Hauswirth is now under contract by the Washington Capitals.

Observers in attendance at last summer’s Caps rookie development camp couldn’t help but notice a big center whose dominant presence was noticeable day in and day out during the week’s scrimmages and drills. Today, the Caps signed that hulking pivot, 21-year-old Jake Hauswirth.

The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Hauswirth hails from Merrill, Wis. He had signed a letter of intent to begin playing at Michigan Tech University this fall but will forgo that to turn pro instead.

Here's what Jake had to say.

“I’ve been on Washington’s radar since I participated in their development camp last summer,” Hauswirth said. “The conversations really started to heat up last week and I was just so excited and relieved to sign the contract this morning.”

I went to development camp last summer, and Hauswirth was very impressive. He scored a goal in every scrimmage and worked really hard. He was blocking shots in practice and was very physical. Here's also a big boy at 6-5.

Last but not least. Sergei Fedorov has been offered a contract from the KHL.

I just spoke to Sergei Fedorov's Los Angeles-based agent, Pat Brisson, who confirmed that he's still pursuing a deal with the Caps for his client.

"Sergei has a lot of options in the KHL, but we'll still continue to talk to the Washington Capitals," Brisson told me by phone. "I'm not sure right now whether Sergei will play for the Capitals or [in Russia next season]. He doesn't want to put a timetable on his decision, but he's probably going to make up his mind soon."

Fedorov has been offered a contract by the KHL team his brother, Fedor, plays for. The contract is reportedly worth 3.8 million per year for 2 years. It would be sad to see Fedorov go, so hopefully General Manager George Mcphee can get Fedorov signed to a contract.