Saying you can't win a Stanley Cup from the broadcast booth, Jim Schoenfeld resigned from his hockey analyst job with ESPN on Thursday to become head coach of the Washington Capitals.
Schoenfeld replaces Terry Murray, who had guided the Caps since taking over for his brother, Bryan, on Jan. 15, 1990. The Capitals also fired assistant coach John Perpich but did not immediately name his replacement.
Schoenfeld, 41, was announced as coach of the Capitals 90 minutes before Thursday's game against -- coincidentally -- the Buffalo Sabres at Memorial Auditorium. Schoenfeld played with the Sabres from 1973 to 1982 and briefly again in 1984-85. Immensely popular during his playing days in Buffalo, Schoenfeld is scheduled for induction into the team Hall of Fame later this season.
Schoenfeld also coached the Sabres for 43 games during the 1985-86 campaign before Scott Bowman opted to return behind the bench. Schoenfeld coached all or parts of three seasons with the New Jersey Devils beginning in 1987-88 and most recently has been lead analyst for ESPN's hockey coverage.
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"In my mind he is one of the best young coaches in the National Hockey League," said David Poile, vice president and general manager of the Capitals. "I feel very confident he's the man for the Capitals right now."
Schoenfeld said that the job offer came as a surprise.
"You try to put it behind you," Schoenfeld said. "You have that itch there. And working with ESPN certainly scratched the itch for a while. But it just wouldn't go away. I think it gets in your blood. Unless you get a complete transfusion, it's not going to leave.
"You can't win a Stanley Cup from the broadcast booth and that's something I've regretted as a player and a coach that I have not accomplished yet."
