The Washington Capitals have re-signed defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk to a three-year contract extension. van Riemsdyk’s contract will carry an average annual value of $3 million. van Riemsdyk, 31, has recorded a career-high 19 points (7g, 12a) in 66 games this season and the deal will keep him with the team as the organization tries to rebound from a less-than-stellar 2022-23 season and retool on the fly.
The 6’3″, 191-pound defenseman has continued to up his game for the second-consecutive season. He surpassed his previous total of 17 points (1g, 16a) in 72 games played in 2021-22 and has maintained strong shot-blocking totals (146) and a strong plus/minus (+12), all while killing penalties on a nightly basis. He averages 19:00 of ice time per game and has become one of the team’s better all-around defensemen.
Elliotte Friedman noted at the start of March that, due to injuries, the Capitals elected to hang onto van Riemsdyk despite rumors of a potential deadline trade. He also noted there were rumblings of a potential extension. Clearly, that came to pass and with the club having moved Dmitry Orlov to the Boston Bruins, it made sense that Washington might not want to totally deplete their blue line.
Van Riemsdyk played college hockey at the University of New Hampshire before signing with the Chicago Blackhawks as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks during the 2014-15 season and played three seasons with the team, winning the Stanley Cup in 2015.
After his time in Chicago, van Riemsdyk played two seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes before joining the Vegas Golden Knights for the 2020-21 season. He signed a one-year contract with the Washington Capitals for the 2021-22 season. He has been with the team ever since. He’s wrapping up a two-year agreement that carried a cap hit of just $950K. This new deal is a significant raise.
The Capitals also recently acquired Rasmus Sandin from the Maple Leafs and signed Nick Jensen to a three-year extension.
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