Pay squabble prompts Trotz to call it quits with Caps

WASHINGTON - Barry Trotz abruptly stepped down as coach of the Washington Capitals on Monday after failing to agree to terms on a new contract.

His resignation leaves the newly minted Stanley Cup champions without a coach with the NHL draft coming up later this week and free agency opening next month.

Winning the Cup less than two weeks ago triggered a two-year extension for Trotz that would have given him a slight bump in salary to just over $2 million, a source with direct knowledge of the situation told Associated Press on condition of anonymity.