(WFRV) – On Tuesday, the Washington Capitals announced that St. Norbert alum Spencer Carbery would be the team’s next head coach.

Carbery played three seasons with the Green Knights and scored 55 goals and tallied 45 assists in his 87 career games wearing the St. Norbert uniform from 2004-2006.

“For the last couple of years, I’ve said, ‘It’s just a matter of time for Spencer to be a head coach in the National Hockey League,'” St. Norbert hockey coach Tim Coghlin said. “People are entrusting him with the highest priority players in the National Hockey League, and now you’re seeing the benefit of what he’s done behind closed doors all these years. The fruit of all of this is now he’s a head coach in the National Hockey League, where there are 32 jobs in the world, and he’s one of those guys.”

Carbery’s hockey resume expands beyond St. Norbert. He was an AHCA All-American in 2004 and a USCHO.com All-American in 2005. He spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he was responsible for the team’s power play and oversaw the team’s forwards.

Before his tenure with Toronto, Carbery received some head coaching experience as he led Washington’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hershey Bears, for three seasons. Now at age 41, Carbery will be the 20th head coach in franchise history for the Capitals.

“It’s a tremendous honor and privilege to be named the head coach of the Washington Capitals,” said Carbery. “I would like to thank the Capitals organization for affording me the opportunity to lead this team. I look forward to working with this group of talented players and building upon the winning culture in place. I would also like to thank the Toronto Maple Leafs organization for all their support over the past two years and wish them all the best in the future.”