Photo: NHL.com

Defenseman Michal Kempny signed a four-year contract worth $10 million ($2.5 million AAV) with the Washington Capitals on Friday morning. The 27-year old could have become an unrestricted free agent July 1. 

OFFICIAL! Kemps is ALL OURS!

Washington Capitals have re-signed defenseman Michal Kempny to a four-year contract. Average annual value of $2.5 million. #ALLCAPS

More Details: https://t.co/oSr1LY0Wpo pic.twitter.com/c25FV8sLeh

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) June 29, 2018

The Capitals acquired Kempny from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a third-round pick in 2018 on February 19.

Since the trade, Kempny tallied two goals and three assists in 24 games with the Capitals during the regular season. He was a +1 during the regular season with the Capitals. In total, Kempny recorded three goals and 10 points along with a +14 rating in 53 games with the Capitals and Blackhawks in 2017-18. In 24 playoff games, he tallied two goals and five points. Kempny was a +1 during the playoffs.

Kempny signed with the Blackhawks on May 24, 2016, as an unrestricted free agent and tallied two goals and 15 points in 81 games over two seasons with the team. Kempny’s +13 rating at the time of the trade led all Chicago skaters. His ice time went from 15:19 per game with the Blackhawks to 16:45 per game with the Capitals.

Kempny found a home on the second pairing with defenseman John Carlson, who signed an eight-year contract extension worth $64 million ($8 million AAV) with the Capitals last Sunday. Carlson, 27, said that he wanted to see Kempny return because the two played so well together.

“I thought he was a great player. He made a huge impact on our team when he got here. I think we started to play our best hockey maybe 10-15 games after he got here and then I thought he played awesome in the playoffs and he’s a great player, a great defender. He can skate so it’s pretty textbook what you want to have on your team and certainly I think we played well together from my standpoint,” Carlson said about Kempny.

Kempny said during breakdown day on June 12 that “I definitely want to be here.”

With Kempny under contract, the Capitals now have all of their top-four defenseman signed for at least three more seasons and three of them signed for at least four more.

The Capitals have $9,715,705 with center Jay Beagle, forward Alex Chiasson, and defenseman Jakub Jerabek set to become unrestricted free agents and forward Tom Wilson, center Travis Boyd, and defenseman Madison Bowey set to become restricted free agents.

By Harrison Brown