The Washington Capitals announced Sunday that they have relieved assistant coach Mitch Love of his duties following an NHL investigation into his personal conduct.
Love, who joined the Capitals in 2023, has been on team-imposed leave since September pending the investigation’s results.
“Mitch Love has been relieved of his duties as an assistant coach, effective immediately,” the Capitals wrote in a statement on Sunday afternoon. “This decision follows the findings of an NHL-led investigation into past allegations. The organization is committed to maintaining the highest standards of conduct and accountability.”
Hockey insider Frank Seravalli reported Sunday that the NHL investigation concerned alleged domestic abuse and that the league had ruled to suspend Love for the rest of the 2025-26 season.
Over the offseason, Love was in the running for several head coaching positions around the league, with reported ties to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, and Seattle Kraken. Before his tenure with the Capitals, Love spent time as head coach of the Stockton Heat and Calgary Wranglers in the AHL.
Per reporting from multiple sources, the NHL and teams interviewing Love both received a letter with allegations into Love’s off-ice conduct, sparking the investigation. Capitals general manager Chris Patrick confirmed at the start of training camp that the purported conduct was personal in nature and not hockey-related; Seravalli previously reported that the allegations came from a woman who was once in a relationship with Love.
“We haven’t gotten a ton of details,” Patrick said on September 18. “One thing we can say is our understanding [is that] these allegations are more personal in nature and not hockey-related.”
Hershey Bears assistant coach Patrick Wellar has served as the Capitals’ interim assistant coach in Love’s absence, with former Bears captain Brent Thompson filling in for Wellar in Hershey. The Caps have not announced whether Wellar will remain in his role or if they will search for an external hire.
