Spencer Carbery (born November 9, 1981) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the head coach of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Spencer Carbery
Carbery with the South Carolina Stingrays in 2010
Born (1981-11-09) November 9, 1981 (age 42)
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for Tulsa Oilers
Bakersfield Condors
Stockton Thunder
Fresno Falcons
South Carolina Stingrays
Current NHL coach Washington Capitals
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2006–2010
Coaching career 2010–present

Playing career edit

Born in Victoria, British Columbia, Carbery started his junior career with the Peninsula Panthers of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) in the 1999–2000 season. He was a key factor in the club going to the league finals, putting up 34 goals and 42 assists for 76 points to become the leading rookie scorer in Panthers franchise history. Carbery played junior hockey with the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the British Columbia Hockey League in the 2000–01 season, scoring 58 points during regular season play.

In 2002, Carbery attended the University of Alaska Anchorage, where he netted 1 goal and 2 assists in 26 games. Carbery attended St. Norbert College from 2003 to 2006, finishing out his NCAA career with 103 points in the regular season.

Carbery turned pro in 2006, signing with the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League. During the 2006–07 season, he scored 44 points (16 goals, 28 assists) over 63 games in the regular season.

In 2007, Carbery moved to the ECHL, where he split the season between the Bakersfield Condors (18 games, 3 goals, 3 assists), the Stockton Thunder (20 games, 0 goals, 2 assists), and the Fresno Falcons (20 games, 2 goals, 2 assists). Carbery also saw playoff action with the Falcons in 2008, playing 1 game in the National Conference quarterfinals.

Carbery remained with the Falcons for the beginning of the 2008–09 season, putting up 13 points over 29 games in the regular season. Following the suspension of Falcons operations, Carbery joined the South Carolina Stingrays' roster, scoring 29 points (12 goals, 7 assists) over 39 games.[1] Carbery's playoff action with the Stingrays culminated in 5 goals, 8 assists, and a Kelly Cup championship.

On September 11, 2009, Carbery re-signed as a free agent to a one-year contract to return to South Carolina.[2] In the 2009–10 season on January 7, 2010, Carbery was named an alternate captain for the Stingrays.[3] He achieved a Gordie Howe hat trick on January 16, 2010, against the Kalamazoo Wings.[4] On January 25, 2010, his goal against the Reading Royals aided the Stingrays in tying the ECHL record for the most players with a point in one game. All 15 skaters registered a point in the 8–5 victory over the Royals.[5]

Coaching career edit

On August 31, 2010, Carbery announced his retirement from professional hockey and was named the Stingrays' assistant coach.[6] He served as assistant coach for the 2010–11 season, helping lead the team to a 37–29–3–3 regular season record and an appearance in the 2011 Kelly Cup playoffs.

After head coach Cail MacLean resigned to accept a position with the American Hockey League's Abbotsford Heat in July 2011,[7] Carbery was named the team's sixth head coach and director of hockey operations. At the age of 29, he was the youngest head coach in the ECHL at the time.[8] He would eventually leave the Stingrays in 2016 to become head coach of the Saginaw Spirit in the Ontario Hockey League.[9] After one season, he left the Spirit to become an assistant for the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL).[10]

Returning to the Washington Capitals farm system where he had begun his coaching career, Carbery was announced as the head coach of the Hershey Bears in the AHL on June 26, 2018.[11] In 2021, he led the team to the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy in 2021, the AHL's regular season league championship, and won the Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award for coach of the year.

On July 17, 2021, Carbery was hired as an assistant coach by the Toronto Maple Leafs.[12]

On May 30, 2023, Carbery was named head coach of the Washington Capitals.[13]

Career statistics edit

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2000–01 Cowichan Valley Capitals BCHL 60 31 27 58 32
2002–03 Alaska Anchorage Seawolves WCHA 26 1 2 3 22
2003–04 St. Norbert Green Knights NCHA 29 20 21 41 8
2004–05 St. Norbert Green Knights NCHA 30 24 12 36 40
2005–06 St. Norbert Green Knights NCHA 28 11 12 23 41
2006–07 Tulsa Oilers CHL 63 16 28 44 157
2007–08 Bakersfield Condors ECHL 18 3 3 6 44
2007–08 Stockton Thunder ECHL 20 0 2 2 43
2007–08 Fresno Falcons ECHL 20 2 2 4 68 1 0 0 0 0
2008–09 Fresno Falcons ECHL 29 5 8 13 68
2008–09 South Carolina Stingrays ECHL 39 12 7 19 126 23 5 8 13 62
2009–10 South Carolina Stingrays ECHL 55 10 19 29 132 5 0 0 0 20
ECHL totals 181 32 41 73 481 29 5 8 13 82

Awards edit

References edit

  1. ^ Press release (January 5, 2009). "Rays add Curry, Carbery to roster". South Carolina Stingrays. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  2. ^ Staff reports (September 11, 2009). "Carbery back for Stingrays". Post and Courier. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  3. ^ Press release (January 7, 2010). "Stingrays announce Captain and Alternates". South Carolina Stingrays. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  4. ^ Miller, Andrew (January 17, 2010). "Carbery spreads Wings". Post and Courier. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  5. ^ Press release (January 25, 2010). "Stingrays tie ECHL record for most players with point". ECHL. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
  6. ^ Press release (August 31, 2010). "Stingrays keep it in the Family: Carbery named assistant coach". South Carolina Stingrays. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2010.
  7. ^ Miller, Andrew (July 21, 2011). "Stingrays head coach taking job with Abbotsford Heat". Post and Courier. Retrieved July 26, 2011..
  8. ^ Press release (July 26, 2011). "Stingrays name Carbery sixth head coach in team history". ECHL. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  9. ^ "Carbery Named Head Coach of Saginaw Spirit". OurSports Central. June 21, 2016.
  10. ^ "Spencer Carbery leaves Saginaw Spirit for AHL coaching job". MLive. July 25, 2017.
  11. ^ "Spencer Carbery Named Head Coach of the Hershey Bears". OurSportsCentral.com. June 26, 2018.
  12. ^ "SPENCER CARBERY NAMED ASSISTANT COACH OF TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS". Hershey Bears. July 17, 2021.
  13. ^ "Capitals Name Spencer Carbery Head Coach". NHL.com. May 30, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  14. ^ "2005-06 NCHA men's All-Academic team". Northern Collegiate Hockey Association. February 23, 2006. Archived from the original on October 12, 2008. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  15. ^ "Carbery named ECHL Coach of the Year". retrieved August 14, 2014

External links edit

Sporting positions
Preceded by Head coach of the South Carolina Stingrays
20112016
Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Hershey Bears
20182021
Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Washington Capitals
2023–present
Incumbent