Capitals assistant coach could join rival team

All signs point to Love joining a divisional rival.

The Washington Capitals are coming off one of their strongest regular seasons in recent years, thanks in large part to the efforts of their coaching staff.

David Pagnotta took to social media to report Pittsburgh's interest in hiring Love.

While head coach Spencer Carbery rightfully earns much of the praise, assistant coach Mitch Love has made such a significant impression that he's now drawing interest from other NHL teams as a potential head coaching candidate this offseason.

It's no secret that NHL coaching roles often come with a shelf life. The league has long been a revolving door for bench bosses, but that frequent turnover also creates opportunities for the next generation of coaches to step in and make their mark.

After building a strong reputation with the AHL's Calgary Wranglers, it's no surprise Mitch Love is attracting interest from NHL general managers in search of their next bench boss.

If he chooses to pursue a bigger opportunity, there's no question the fan base would fully support him. But for now, Love remains focused on helping the Capitals in their push toward the Eastern Conference Finals who are currently down 3-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Game 5 goes tomorrow at 7:00pm in Washington. We'll see if Love can help keep the Capitals' season alive.