Ex-Caps center Adam Oates was hired as an assistant coach by the Tampa Bay Lightning today. Oates had been working with the Bolts throughout training camp, and was officially hired as an assistant coach under head man Rick Tochhet today.

Tocchet and Oates came to the Caps along with Bill Ranford from Boston in a Mar. 1, 1997 deal that sent Jim Carey, Jason Allison and Anson Carter to the B's. 

Tocchet and Oates are just two of several ex-Caps in the coaching ranks around the NHL this season. Ex-Caps goalie Pete Peeters is a goaltending consultant in Anaheim, working under former Caps assistant coach Randy Carlyle. Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville put in a short stint as a Capitals defenseman some years ago, and the Colorado coaching staff features former Caps Joe Sacco (head coach) and Steve Konowalchuk (assistant coach). 

Columbus assistant Claude Noel spent the entirety of his seven-game NHL career with the Caps. Ex-Caps defenseman and coach Terry Murray is now the head man in Los Angeles, and Ranford works with him as a goaltending consultant for the Kings. Ex-Cap Bob Mason is still the goaltending coach in Minnesota, and former Caps bench boss Jim Schoenfeld is an assistant coach with the New York Rangers.

Former tough guy Craig Berube is a Flyers' assistant, and short-time Capital Brad Shaw holds the same post in St. Louis. Ex-Caps Keith Acton and Rob Zettler are assistants under former Caps bench boss Ron Wilson in Toronto and Ryan Walter is an assistant coach for the Vancouver Canucks.

Former Caps center Dean Evason is of course an assistant right here in the District. That makes a dozen of the 30 NHL teams that have some Washington flavor within their coaching ranks.