Mitch Love during his time with the AHL's Calgary Wranglers.

Photo credit: Sportsnet

An NHL club has placed one of their coaches on team-imposed leave ahead of the start of training camp after it was announced the league has opened an investigation.

One team to keep an eye on this season is the Washington Capitals, a team that is coming off a very special 50th anniversary campaign that saw them finish first in the Metropolitan Division & Eastern Conference, with their greatest player of all-time, Alexander Ovechkin, breaking Wayne Gretzky’s goals record in early April.

As the Capitals get ready for training camp this week, they’ll be doing so without a member of their coaching staff following an announcement from the team on social media on Sunday.

Washington Capitals place coach on leave amid NHL investigation

In a post on their Public Relations account on X, the Washington Capitals announced that Assistant Coach Mitch Love has been placed on leave by the club.

The Capitals said that the reason for Love being placed on leave has to do with an investigation involving him that’s being done by the National Hockey League, adding that they will not comment any further until it’s completed.

“Washington Capitals assistant coach Mitch Love has been placed on team-imposed leave pending results of an investigation by the National Hockey League. We will refrain from further comment until the NHL’s investigation is complete.” the Capitals PR said.

A source told ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski on Sunday that their investigation went on for multiple months and reportedly had to do with a letter that the NHL, and two teams that were interested in hiring him this summer, received regarding allegations of Love’s personal conduct.

Wyshynski’s source added that the allegations are from before the 41-year-old was hired as an Assistant Coach by the Washington Capitals.

“According to an NHL source, the league received a letter that detailed allegations relating to Love’s personal conduct when Love was interviewing with teams this offseason. Two of the teams with whom he reportedly interviewed were sent a similar letter. The allegations predate his tenure with the Capitals.

The NHL has conducted its investigation over multiple months. The Capitals placed him on leave after the League informed them about the allegations.” Wyshynski said in an article for ESPN.

Love, a native of Quesnel, British Columbia, began his NHL coaching career two seasons ago with Washington after spending time behind the bench in the Western Hockey League and AHL, winning ‘Coach of the Year’ in back-to-back years with Calgary’s affiliate before the Capitals hired him.

Previously on CanucksDaily

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NHL Club Forces Coach to Take Leave of Absence Ahead of Training Camp After League Opens Investigation

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