Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said after the NHL draft that he would shop around and be aggressive to improve the Washington roster. He followed through, adding four players through free agency and trades on Monday.
Washington’s free-agency haul was headlined by former Ottawa defenseman Matt Roy, who signed a six-year, $34.5 million deal.
“Matt is a steady right-handed defenseman who plays important minutes against the opposition’s top players and is extremely responsible in his own end,” MacLellan said. “We feel his addition will help strengthen our blueline for the next several years.”
The Capitals also signed free agent forwards Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh while re-signing prospects like goaltender Mitchell Gibson, center Ethen Frank and defenseman Chase Priskie.
MacLellan was also aggressive in the trade market on the first day of free agency, sending defenseman Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round pick to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for versatile defenseman Jakob Chychrun.
“Jakob is a 26-year-old offensive defenseman who has nearly 500 games of NHL experience,” MacLellan said Monday. “His unique skill set and experience will undoubtedly bolster our blueline, substantially increasing our offensive capabilities.”
Chychrun matched a career-high with 41 points last season while ranking second on the Senators with 154 blocked shots.
“I like to be a two-way defenseman. I like playing all zones, all situations on the ice,” the Florida native said Tuesday. “I’m using my skating ability to play hard, take away time and space from other teams … [I’m] a guy who coaches can rely on.”
Though they boast an array of promising prospects who saw their first taste of NHL action last season, the Capitals aren’t rebuilding. They’re behaving like a team that’s ready to contend.
“It seems like they’ve done a great job retooling on the fly. They’ve been very aggressive; it’s great to see,” Chychrun said. “Obviously, they’re a group that wants to win, and I’m just so excited. A lot of the moves they’ve made, I’ve loved. … It’s a great fit for me.”
The aggressive offseason approach has enticed players like Roy in free agency.
“Every player wants to win. You want to go to a winning team; that was part of my mindset coming into it,” Roy told reporters on Tuesday. “I thought Washington was checking all the boxes and making some good moves toward winning.”
