ARLINGTON, Va. -- After the best regular season in franchise history, the Washington Capitals almost lost two assistant coaches to other NHL teams.Todd Reirden was a finalist for the Calgary Flames head coaching job and Lane Lambert for the Colorado Avalanches. The Flames hired Glen Gulutzan in June, and then after the abrupt resignation of Patrick Roy the Avalanche hired Jared Bednar last week. That left Jack Adams Award-winning coach Barry Trotzs staff intact for another run at the Stanley Cup.Trotz was selfishly glad to still have Reirden and Lambert on the bench, especially considering the Capitals have most of their players back and are again a Cup favorite.You never like to lose high-quality people and coaches, but at the same time these are guys that if theyre not replacing me, theyre replacing someone else in the league, Trotz said Tuesday. Both of them were right there in the end. It says a lot about them. It says a lot about our program here in Washington.Reirden and Lambert contributed to and benefited from the Capitals success last season, which ended with a second-round loss to the eventual Cup-champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Reirden comes back for 2016-17 as an associate coach after being given that promotion Monday when the team announced hell run training camp while Trotz is on Canadas staff at the World Cup of Hockey.Going through the experience of interviewing is something Reirden believes will help him and Lambert moving forward.We went through those situations, both of us, with different teams, but not for one second was I disappointed about coming back and being a part of this team, Reirden said. Weve invested a lot in the last two years and our growth of our team in two years I think has been outstanding.The success so far has made Reirden and Lambert two of the more sought-after assistants in the NHL. Reirden learned just how competitive the process of earning a head job is and was able to help Lambert through his situation two months later.Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan had a more difficult decision to make on Lambert, too, given that Joe Sakic of the Avalanche asked permission to talk to Lambert a month before the start of camp. Trotz had to come up with four or five potential replacements but agreed that Lambert should get the chance to interview.It mightve been a different decision if it was the Rangers or someone else calling that you play a lot more, Trotz said. But for the most part I think weve developed a relationship with our staff that if you get an opportunity to move up, we want to give you that opportunity.Next year one if not both will be in the mix for vacancies and likely gone. Players understand thats part of the businessTodd is certainly on the horizon, I think, Niskanen said. Hes probably going to get a chance. Selfishly I was hoping that it waits another season, at least, and I think thats good for our team, too.---Follow Stephen Whyno on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SWhyno . Paul Krause Womens Jersey . The 19-year-old Olsen played 34 games with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL this season. In that time, hes recorded 17 goals and 17 assists with 36 penalty minutes. Kirk Cousins Youth Jersey .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Kevin Porter and defenceman Chad Ruhwedel from the minors as part of a five-player roster shuffle made by the NHLs worst team. http://www.authenticvikingspro.com/Chuck-foreman-vikings-jersey/ . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. Alan Page Vikings Jersey .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Jalyn Holmes Jersey . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros. BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. --?Curtis Luck was walking along the course, doing the math on how hed turned a close U.S. Amateur final into a rout by winning eight holes in a row. It was hard for the 20-year-old Australian to process.I think I started laughing, walking down the fairway, he said. I havent heard of that, and I havent seen it before. What an amazing thing to do while youre out in the final of the U.S. Amateur Championship.Luck built a commanding lead with that eight-hole run shortly after the midway point of Sundays final match, and he went on to beat Brad Dalke 6 and 4 to become the U.S. Amateurs third international champion in four years.The 36-hole final on the South Course at Oakland Hills was all square after 18, and Dalke won the first hole after the break.Luck answered with an eagle on the 20th to square it again, and that was the start of a decisive streak that eventually left him 7 up with nine holes remaining.Its so rare to be able to do that, especially in match play, which is, as you know, one hole at a time --you win one and things can change so quickly, Luck said.?I didnt expect it at all.Although Dalke finally snapped Lucks streak by winning a couple holes of his own, the University of Oklahoma sophomore couldnt close the gap any more. He conceded after missing a putt for par on the 32nd hole.I never really felt comfortable that second round. I dont know if it was the break or what, Dalke said. Now it seems like it was a blur. It went by pretty quick.Luck joins Matthew Fitzpatrick of England (2013) and Gunn Yang of South Korea (2014) among recent international winners of this event. Hes also only the third Australian-born champion.Nick Flanagan won in 2003 and Walter Travis won it in 1900, 1901 and 1903.There was no indication that this final match would become so lopsided. Neither player could gain much of an upper hand in the morning, and even after Lucks eagle on the 20th hole, the match was all square.Then Dalkes round began to unravel with bogeys on 21 and 22. LLuck was 3 up after a birdie on 23.ddddddddddddhe next hole was a short par 4, but Dalkes tee shot went way to the right, settling in some tall grass. His shot from there caromed off a utility box that was a few feet in front of him, and Luck needed only a par to win that hole.Luck made a birdie on the 25th hole, and Dalke made bogeys on the following two, giving the Australian an almost insurmountable lead.Hes just solid. He makes a lot of good swings at it, doesnt get really wayward with the driver, great short game, Dalke said. Hes never out of a hole. He could be in a trash can 20 yards from the green and still get up-and-down.The eight-hole stretch Sunday that decided the championship was equal parts Lucks excellence (an eagle and two birdies) and Dalkes struggles (five bogeys).The final turned into a breeze for Luck, in contrast to his 21-hole semifinal win over Nick Carlson. Luck got up and down from about 135 yards in a bunker on the second extra hole to keep that match going Saturday.I know hes a fighter, and I know those pressure situations are really what switches him on, said Lucks father Stuart, who caddied for him.If you know him -- and I think you only have to look at Twitter comments tonight from all the people back home in Australia --youll know that hes seriously dangerous in that situation.Luck was seventh in the world amateur ranking coming into this event, and he said hed previously been thinking about turning pro after the Asian Amateur in October. Now, he has some extra incentives to preserve his amateur status -- exemptions to next years U.S. Open and British Open and a likely invite to the Masters.Im super happy to say that Im going to be an amateur for another however long -- ?eight or nine months, Luck said. Get to play some unbelievable golf tournaments within those months, and I guess get even more experience for when I do turn pro. ' ' '