The Washington Capitals announced on Sunday that they have recalled defensemen Lucas Johansen and Dylan McIlrath from AHL Hershey. The two have joined the team in Winnipeg.
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The Washington Capitals have recalled defensemen Lucas Johansen and Dylan McIlrath from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.
Johansen, 25, recorded two points (1g, 1a) in 12 games with Hershey this season. The Vancouver, British Columbia native also appeared in one game for Washington this season, recording 11:47 of ice time on Nov. 7 against the Edmonton Oilers. Johansen made his NHL debut and recorded his first career point on Dec. 31, 2021 against the Detroit Red Wings. The 6’2″, 180-pound defenseman recorded 28 points (8g, 20a) in 62 games with Hershey during the 2021-22 season, establishing AHL career highs in goals, points and plus/minus (20). Johansen finished the season ranked first among Hershey defensemen in plus/minus and second in goals, assists and points. In 207 career AHL career games with Hershey, Johansen has recorded 75 points (18g, 57a). The Capitals selected Johansen with their first-round pick, 28th overall, in the 2016 NHL Draft.
McIlrath, 30, recorded five assists in 22 games with Hershey this season. The 6’5″, 232-pound defenseman ranks second on Hershey with 36 penalty minutes and his five points are tied for the third-most among Hershey defensemen. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native has played 66 career NHL games with the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings, recording five points (3g, 2a) and 121 penalty minutes. In 522 career AHL games with Hershey, Grand Rapids, Hartford, Springfield and Connecticut, McIlrath has recorded 105 points (27g, 78a) and 1,038 penalty minutes. Additionally, McIlrath won the 2017 Calder Cup with the Grand Rapid Griffins. McIlrath was selected by the Rangers in the first round, 10th overall, in the 2010 NHL Draft.
Both Johansen and McIlrath were made unavailable for last night’s Hershey Bears game, signaling they were likely en-route to Winnipeg.
All of the recent recalls are in response to injuries sustained by Capitals defensemen Martin Fehervary and Alex Alexeyev.
By Jon Sorensen