Bruce Boudreau has been named the team's interim head coach, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.

The Capitals have been a disappoitment this season with a 6-13-1 mark. They are last in the Southwest Division, eight points behind the fourth-place Florida Panthers.

The Capitals lost to the Atlanta Thrashers 5-1 last night, with the crowd jeering the team and chanting for Hanlon's dismissal.

"He understood that it had to be done. We had talked after our game on Monday night and had some concerns about whether he was losing the team," general manager George McPhee told the Associated Press. "Glen is a first class guy . [but] it's not about friendships and you've got to do what's best for the Washington Capitals."

"Hopefully a fresh voice will get some guys going here," goalie Olie Kolzig said.

Earlier in the week, Capitals owner Ted Leonsis had written a blog expressing his disappoitnemtnt to fans.

"I can't sleep. I was up at 4:30 am this morning. I am in pain. I am angry. I want desperately for us to turn it around and win some games as does everyone in our organization." Leonsis wrote. "I am not oblivious to what is happening."

The Capitals noted in a press release that no timetable has been set for naming a head coach beyond Boudreau's interim status. The rest of the Capitals coaching staff will, however, remain in place.

Boudreau, 52, has coached championship teams in the American Hockey League (AHL) and the ECHL and is in his third year as the head coach of the Hershey Bears, Washington's AHL affiliate.

"[Boudreau] has had tremendous success in Hershey, with different groups of players. He has terrific hockey instincts . he's a hockey man" said McPhee.

Boudreau has compiled a 103-45-11-16 record with the Bears. He led the team to the Eastern Conference championship and the Calder Cup finals in each of his first two years in Hershey, winning the Calder Cup in 2006.

"I haven't really had a lot of time to focus on too much, except that it's unfortunate because Glen was a good friend of mine," Boudreau said. "But at the same time, I've sort of waited 32 years for this opportunity."

Boudreau will make his debut behind the Capitals bench on Friday in Philadelphia.