The following is an excerpt from “The Franchise: The Business of Building ​Winning‍ Teams,” Copyright @2024 by⁢ Craig Custance, reprinted with permission from Simon​ and Schuster. All rights reserved. Available on‍ Oct. 15.

As Brian MacLellan strolled‌ through‍ the lobby of the Eau Palm‍ Beach Resort, one could‍ describe his movements as a lumbering gait. Standing‌ at six feet three inches tall, this former NHL forward-turned-lawyer-turned-general manager ‌of a Stanley Cup-winning team has a physique to match his presence, complete with hands⁢ like a catcher’s mitt. His journey ‍to the NHL originated from college hockey, which is somewhat atypical for someone from Guelph,⁣ Ontario. Under the guidance of the legendary college coach Ron Mason, MacLellan⁣ scored thirty-four goals during his freshman ⁤year at Bowling‌ Green—a⁤ tally that ⁤would have led the team if not for his close friend George McPhee, who ‌netted forty.

Since being appointed general manager of the Capitals in 2014, MacLellan ​has maintained a reserved demeanor but possesses a subtle yet clever sense of humor. The day before, as we communicated via text to set up our discussion, ⁣it marked the first time⁤ we’d conversed in nearly three years. He playfully replied, “Where ‌have you ⁢been hiding?”

After providing ⁢an ⁣explanation, I had suggested we meet. Now, there he was, making his way through the lobby of this luxurious Florida resort, passing beneath sparkling crystal chandeliers towards a terrace that offered stunning views ⁢of the ⁣Atlantic Ocean. Oversized blue patio umbrellas cast shade over guests lounging in striped blue-and-white ​chairs. Surrounding us, other patrons ‌donned⁣ bathing suits,​ relishing the sounds of crashing waves intertwined with poolside music. The air ​carried hints of sunscreen and the aromas ‌of various beverages enjoyed by passersby. It seemed we were‍ the only individuals in slacks and polo ⁣shirts, distinctly not part of the hotel staff.

I⁣ caught a fortunate break when MacLellan opted not to participate in the customary Monday afternoon golf outing with fellow GMs ‍after the first full day of March’s annual ‌GM meetings. ⁤Instead, he chose to spend this time recuperating from what had⁢ been a challenging period at work. I inquired about his state of mind.

“I’m frustrated with ‍our year—lots of injuries and a‌ variety ‍of issues,” he replied,‍ positioning himself‌ with his back to the pool and the ocean. “It’s been relentless.”

A few weeks earlier, Tarik El-Bashir wrote in The Athletic that MacLellan met with star Alex Ovechkin⁣ to loop him in on the Capitals trade deadline plans. Key players who helped Ovechkin break through in 2018 with his first Stanley ⁤Cup ‌were most likely going to be traded, including Ovechkin’s close friend Dmitry Orlov. MacLellan sent an email ⁢out to his fellow general managers to let them know the organization was open to moving its ​veterans and the sale was on. Orlov was the first to go. On February 23, the Capitals acquired three draft picks, including a first-rounder from the⁣ Bruins for the veteran defenseman. Five days later, Marcus Johansson was sent to the Minnesota Wild. That ⁣same day, MacLellan flipped the Bruins pick‌ into young defenseman Rasmus Sandin in a trade with the Maple‍ Leafs. Then⁢ the final move was a trade that sent Lars Eller to ⁤the Colorado Avalanche for another pick.

This was a⁤ series of transactions that ripped apart a former Cup winner.

It was Eller who dug a puck out from behind Marc-André Fleury and buried⁢ it home with 7:37 remaining in the third period of Game 5⁢ of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final​ against⁣ the Vegas Golden Knights. The goal that sent a sea of‌ red outside in Washington, D.C., into absolute bedlam.⁢ It ended up being the clincher. But when you talk to people inside⁤ the organization, that’s not even the ‌biggest goal he scored during that playoff run.

No game was more critical during the Capitals’ run to the‌ Stanley Cup than Game 3 of their opening-round series against the Columbus ‌Blue Jackets. The ⁣Capitals dropped the first two ‌games of that series at home. They probably should have ​lost the third game in Columbus. With the game tied at two and 1:16 remaining in regulation, Columbus​ star ​Artemi Panarin took a one-time feed from Zach Werenski and fired ⁣a shot off the left post, the ringing audible up in the press box. In ​overtime, Cam Atkinson banged one off the other post. These Blue⁤ Jackets seemed determined to bury the Capitals in a three-game deficit and put an end to it all, and probably change the future of the franchise dramatically. But with eleven minutes remaining in the second overtime, Brett Connolly fired a shot that Sergei Bobrovsky blocked, with‍ the rebound bouncing to his left. Zach Werenski’s clearing attempt was blocked by ⁣Lars‍ Eller, and after a⁣ couple deflections somehow the puck​ found its way in. Just‍ like that, the game was over. The Capitals were back in the ‌series. ⁣If any of those Columbus shots had scored, the history of‌ this franchise and those running it⁤ might be completely different. It’s a perspective ‍to keep in mind, just how much luck is ⁤part of the ‌process when it comes to winning hockey⁢ championships.

“We‍ talk about it all the time. All ⁣the time. Game 3‌ of the first round, we’re about to go down three-oh to the Blue Jackets and who knows what happens after that if we get swept in the first round,” said⁢ Zach Leonsis, son of owner Ted Leonsis and president of media and new enterprises with Monumental Sports.​ “Lars Eller comes back and scores the overtime winner and then we win every game after that⁤ [in the series] and we go on to win the Stanley Cup. It was inches away.”

Inches. So yeah, trading Lars Eller hurt. Trading all of those players hurt.

“It wasn’t easy,” ⁣MacLellan‍ said. “Plus, you get everyone to hate you, you know?”

This is the part of being ⁢a general manager people don’t often see. The Capitals coaching staff was mad at MacLellan. They didn’t care what the playoff percentage chances were at the time these deals were ​made, they were still trying to win games. Players were mad, too. Ovechkin’s close friend​ was gone. The ​guy who scored a goal that changed a franchise and ⁢knit a group of players together for ‌eternity was gone, too.⁤ These weren’t ​just transactions, these were legacies leaving.

“You’re ripping guys out of the room that you’ve won a Cup with,” MacLellan said. “It rips the f—ing​ heart out of the players, you know? They’re like, ‘What the f— is going on?’ They don’t care about the future, retooling. ‘Don’t give me any of that f—ing crap, it’s my buddy you just got rid of.’ … You’re calling guys and they’re saying goodbye to everybody at practice.”

The pain was still very real at this point. While you’re winning with ‍these players, you also get to know their families. You know the​ young kids. MacLellan understands there’s a barrier between the players and management,⁣ but even that⁣ barrier only reaches so high. Become too detached and your humanity is lost.‍ MacLellan’s humanity is very much in place. In that moment in⁤ the Florida resort, it was⁣ clear the job was wearing on him. Building a Stanley Cup ⁢winner is way more fun than tearing one down. Even if you want to call it a retool or something much⁤ less gut-wrenching. I ⁢shared‌ my ‍theory that it should probably be a different general manager‌ ultimately in charge of going through the rebuild than the one who⁤ won a Stanley Cup. He didn’t disagree.

“You need new energy, you know?” he said. “I’m at a certain age where I’m going to be winding down here, too. I think my​ skill set was good for the stage we were at over the last ten years.‌ It’s‌ probably better for someone fresh to come in at some point here. We’ve got to get through the‍ next three years, see how we can do, and then ‌it’s⁤ new [when] Ovi’s gone, all⁢ these guys are gone. The transition has to happen then, to a new guy. I think.”

It was not an ⁣easy moment in time for the guy who⁣ helped build the first ⁣Stanley Cup-winning team in Capitals history. But that ‌was not why I⁣ wanted to chat.

One of⁣ the things so admirable about the hockey community is​ how willing those​ who have had success are to help those still finding their way. It manifests itself in different forms. Sometimes it’s an NHL coach running‍ a penalty kill‌ seminar⁣ during the summer​ for a group⁤ of youth coaches. Or Gordie Howe sharing advice with a young Wayne Gretzky on what‍ it means to ‌be an ambassador of the sport. Or Cammi Granato showing up at a Nike camp to give advice on winning in the Olympics to a group of women who grew up idolizing her.

Maybe it happens in different sports, but it definitely does in hockey. So when Kyle Dubas called Brian MacLellan to​ talk to him about how to persevere through⁣ crushing playoff disappointment, there was never any⁣ hesitation to share⁤ all he’d learned. ⁤And⁣ if anyone knew playoff disappointment and the criticism that follows, like Dubas was experiencing as the Leafs GM in 2021 after getting eliminated by the Canadiens, it was MacLellan and his Capitals.

In 2017,⁢ the Capitals suffered a Game 7 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins that led to one of the⁢ most crushing postgame scenes I’d ever witnessed. It was the third consecutive second-round exit for a team that should have been a powerhouse. The media‍ walked from player to player, looking for answers, when it was clear there weren’t any. T. J. Oshie, covered in sweat, searched for words.

“You almost wonder how much disappointment you have to put yourself through before you can find a way to get the job done,” Oshie said that night.

In that moment, I honestly thought we were seeing the end ‌of the Capitals as‍ we

Many were unaware of this,​ but I would later learn that several players on that roster believed that significant change‌ was necessary for progress. MacLellan was tasked with addressing years of playoff underperformance from a team brimming with ⁤talent, and Dubas contacted him to ⁣understand the rationale behind the subsequent decisions.

“I reflected on our experience,” MacLellan remarked. “The story remains‍ unchanged, and we ‌had similarly skilled teams that thrived during​ the regular season.”

And then?

“They underperformed.”

Although a championship ring and the passage of time may have dulled⁣ the frustrations of those underachieving seasons, some feelings resurfaced as‌ MacLellan reminisced about his time leading the Capitals. Three successive playoff appearances ended at the hands of the New York Rangers. Following that,⁤ the Pittsburgh Penguins ousted them in consecutive years. A team packed with talent struggled to push past the second round.

“It’s like, ‘Pittsburgh again? ⁤So soon?’” MacLellan ​expressed. “You could argue we were​ the two best teams in the league. But you still have to overcome them, ‍you know?”

Similar to Dubas after the Maple Leafs’ loss to ⁤the Canadiens in 2021,​ MacLellan conducted introspective exit interviews with the Capitals following their ‍Game 7 defeat to ‍the Penguins in 2017. He posed questions to ⁤gather insights and‍ provided players an avenue to express their frustrations. It was a moment to release their anger and articulate what they believed needed to ⁢change.

Veteran defenseman Brooks Orpik was the first to speak out.

“It ​went by age,” Orpik explained when we discussed those discussions.

In May 2014, the Washington Capitals elevated MacLellan from assistant⁣ GM under McPhee to⁣ take over McPhee’s role. One of his early significant moves was signing Orpik to a five-year contract valued at $27.5 million, a deal that didn’t garner universal ⁣praise. On the day of the ‍signing,⁢ a CBS Sports writer concluded, “At⁢ that price, this deal is already appearing detrimental for the Capitals.” Critics argued that Orpik’s skating ability was​ diminishing, coupled with the gradual effects of aging—an unfortunate combination. However, for ​MacLellan, ⁢this deal symbolized a shift in the culture of a team that needed to understand how to win. Upon his arrival, Orpik understood that his teammates⁢ were not eager‍ for a lecture ​on how things worked in Pittsburgh; he had no intention of recounting tales of Sidney Crosby’s leadership. Nevertheless, the⁣ Capitals players were intrigued. What were the secrets behind Pittsburgh’s success? How was Crosby as a leader?

Orpik emphasized the significance of practice habits.

“Sid is someone who doesn’t say much, but he works the hardest every single day in practice,” he stated. “His reputation compels everyone else to follow suit.”

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Collaborating closely with coach Barry Trotz, Orpik strategically‍ offered feedback and assistance.

They aimed to elevate the work ethic beyond what the Capitals⁣ had⁣ previously established. At one stage, when the team experienced ⁤a sluggish start to the season, both⁣ players‌ recognized that improvements were necessary in‍ this area.

“I recall saying, ‘There are so many practices that have been carried out ⁣in a particular manner for a‌ long time; it’s going to be challenging to eliminate some of these detrimental habits and cultural problems that may be hindering our success,’” Orpik remarked.

By​ the time the 2017 playoffs came around, those problems had⁤ been‌ addressed.‍ The players⁣ believed their ⁢team was in the best position to achieve victory, which made the loss ‌to the Penguins particularly difficult to bear. For the player exit interviews, each player had ten‌ minutes allocated to meet with MacLellan. After Orpik completed his discussion,‌ he stepped into‍ the hallway, where he noticed at least five or six players waiting in line.

His discussion had extended for over an hour.

“Mac was really digging deep,” ⁤Orpik stated. “I genuinely want to win. I⁤ want to assist Mac because I desire to win. But at ​the same time, I don’t want⁤ to throw anyone⁣ under the bus. It’s a tricky line to walk.”

“It was draining,” MacLellan admitted.

When I pressed Orpik for specifics about⁣ the conversations, he hesitated.

“How truthful was Mac?”

MacLellan certainly presents ​himself ‍as‍ honest. He provides straightforward answers and is often equally direct when he refuses to answer. In this instance, he did both. According to MacLellan, two very clear solutions emerged from the exit‌ interviews with the players. ‍If he intended to heed ⁣the advice given during those extensive discussions, the players⁣ made two strong recommendations.

What were those ⁣two recommendations?

“I’m not‌ sharing that,” MacLellan replied. “It impacts people. It’s a private matter. I’d be betraying a significant trust because everyone was completely open.”

Not⁢ only did he refuse to disclose those two items, but‌ there were also no transactions or moves made by MacLellan ‍that summer to provide any hints. Management heard the players’ suggestions but chose ⁣not to act on them.

“We decided to tackle those issues in the following season,” MacLellan explained, “which could have easily turned into a disaster.”

Orpik wasn’t revealing anything either.

“I know what those two recommendations were, the collective feedback, and they did neither,” he said, before posing a question that displayed his astonishment at the decision to disregard both recommendations.

“Looking back, considering all the gathered information, how did they not implement one of those suggestions?”

Dick Patrick provided some insight. He has been with​ the organization ‍since‌ 1982 and serves as⁣ the chairman. His grandfather, Lester Patrick, won two Stanley Cups as a player with the Montreal Wanderers in 1905⁢ and 1906 before coaching and managing the New York Rangers. His father, Muzz, won a Stanley Cup with ‍the Rangers in 1940.

“As a child, attending Rangers games with my dad, I learned ​that players are genuine and straightforward people. You can’t be dishonest on the ice and expect to⁣ be‍ successful,” Patrick stated.

He⁣ explained that the most successful ⁤teams embody that kind ​of honesty. Additionally, there is respect present among all members, from the top players to the last individual on the​ roster, including team services personnel.

“A team doesn’t succeed solely due to a couple ⁢of stars or the most intelligent coaching,” he emphasized. “Success comes from collective effort,⁤ support, and performance from everyone.”

However, Patrick⁣ believes there are ‌limits to this honesty. Emotion can cloud judgment. Requesting an evaluation following an emotionally taxing series doesn’t⁢ always yield a rational solution.

“Initially, players​ dedicate immense effort and invest everything into the game each year. When they‌ don’t succeed, those exit interviews are typically ⁣filled with⁣ dissatisfaction. Players‍ are often quite frank; many times, the sentiment ⁤is ‘This teammate⁣ must go,’”‌ Patrick remarked.‍ “They invest⁣ so much dedication. Every component is geared toward victory. Never do they expect to face‌ defeat during a playoff series. When that happens, they feel that something has gone drastically awry. What went wrong?”

In this instance, they directed their frustration in two different ways. Neither route was pursued by Capitals management. The subsequent season,‌ however, the Capitals managed to break​ through⁢ and secured a Stanley Cup victory, narrowly escaping ‍the first round. This illustrates how delicate every decision⁤ is when managing an NHL team.

“So I conveyed this to Kyle,” MacLellan explained. “Trust your instincts, proceed with what you believe is necessary rather⁢ than what others ⁤perceive. If the situation is as critical as‍ ours ⁢— you can assume he faces [similar yet] distinct challenges — I stated, ‘Make your choice and own it.’ … It’s not‌ about the opinions of others.​ The players don’t always have the correct perspective, coaches ⁤don’t always know best, and fans generally aren’t accurate in their evaluations either. The media, the fans, the whole spectrum.”

MacLellan’s takeaway?

“He​ must make his own decisions.”

The visit to Florida didn’t yield all⁤ the insights I sought. However, it did unveil new avenues because it became evident that there was much to glean from ​the ‌Capitals⁢ and the struggles they⁢ endured before clinching the championship. The organization cycled through⁣ coaches, transitioned from George McPhee—who built the core of the Stanley Cup champions before being ‍dismissed—to his close associate.

Numerous intriguing choices were made along the journey in Washington, D.C., and the most insightful understanding came from the very top ⁤of the organization.

(Top photo of Brian⁤ MacLellan: John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)