The Washington Capitals announced on Saturday that they have signed defenseman Trevor Van Riemsdyk to a three-year contract extension that carries a $3 million NHL salary cap hit. The 31-year-old could have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Here’s the full contract breakdown ;
23/24 1M SB + 2.75 M Salary for 3.75M.
24/25 1M SB + 2M Salary for 3M.
25/26 1.25M SB +1M Salary.
AAV 3M . @espn @NHL @NHLNetwork @TSNHockey @DKSportsbook #HockeyTwitter https://t.co/qrwXWhzKGd— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) March 11, 2023
Washington opted to hold onto Van Riemsdyk and pending unrestricted free agent left-wing Conor Sheary past the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline at 3 PM ET on March 3 in hopes of re-signing both of them.
In 66 games this season, Van Riemsdyk has hit career-highs in goals (seven) and points (19). He has also recorded a +12 rating, 51.28% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 52.89% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 52.36% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage. He has averaged 19:00 per game (seventh-most among Washington blueliners), including 2:37 on the penalty kill (first).
In 522 career NHL regular-season games with Washington, the Chicago Blackhawks, and Carolina Hurricanes, Van Riemsdyk has tallied 24 goals, 108 points, and a +18 rating. He also has notched two goals and four points in 32 postseason outings, including four with Chicago on their run to the Stanley Cup in 2015.
Sheary, right-wing Craig Smith, right-wing Connor Brown, and defenseman Matt Irwin can all become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Assuming that the NHL salary cap increases by $1 million next season, Washington currently has $14,524,166 remaining in cap space with 17 players (11 forwards, four defensemen, and two goalies) under contract.
Washington has re-signed center Dylan Strome (five years, $5 million cap hit), right-wing Sonny Milano (three years, $1.9 million cap hit), defenseman Nick Jensen (three years, $4 million cap hit), and right-wing Nicolas Aube-Kubel (one year, $1.225 million cap hit) since the NHL All-Star Break.
Washington ranks 13th in the league this season with an average of 2.97 goals-against per game and ninth with a 82.4% penalty-killing efficiency.
Washington traded pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Dmitry Orlov and right-wing Garnet Hathaway (Boston Bruins), center Lars Eller (Colorado Avalanche), and defenseman Erik Gustafsson (Toronto Maple Leafs) at the trade deadline. The team entered Saturday currently five points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins (who have two games in hand) for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
By Harrison Brown