Capitals solidified organizational depth with 11 players on two-way deals/ELCs originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The calendar has reached mid-July, which means the bulk of NHL free agency is in the books. Yes, there are still some signings to be made league-wide, but many rosters already look much like they will when the 2023-24 season gets underway.
With the NHL entering a slow time in the calendar, NBC Sports Washington’s Ethan Cadeaux and Matt Weyrich take a closer look at the 11 players the Capitals have signed to either two-way deals or entry-level contracts for this upcoming season:
Ethen Frank, forward, 25 years old
Frank originally joined the Capitals’ organization with the team’s AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, in 2022 after finishing his college career at Western Michigan.
In his first professional season in 2022-23, Frank led Hershey with 30 regular-season goals (49 points) and was named an AHL All-Star. His strong play earned him a one-year, two-way contract with the Capitals for the 2023-24 season.
Frank was unable to replicate his goal-scoring in the Calder Cup Playoffs and was healthy scratched by Todd Nelson for four postseason contests. However, Frank bounced back in the Finals, recording two goals and two assists in the series as the Bears knocked off Coachella Valley in seven games.
Mitchell Gibson, goaltender, 24 years old
A 2018 fourth-round pick, the Capitals signed goaltender Mitchell Gibson to a one-year, entry-level contract earlier this year for the 2023-24 campaign.
Gibson spent this past season in net for Harvard University, where he made 27 appearances with an 18-7-2 record, 2.25 GAA and .919 SV%. With Darcy Kuemper and Charlie Lindgren firmly the 1-2 punch in net for the Capitals, Gibson appears likely to start the season in Hershey alongside fellow netminders Hunter Shepard, the Calder Cup Playoffs’ MVP, and Clay Stevenson.
Ivan Miroshnichenko, forward, 19 years old
The Capitals’ first-round pick in 2022, Miroschnichenko signed a three-year, entry-level deal with Washington this past spring after he and Russian side Avangard Omsk mutually agreed to terminate his KHL contract.
Miroshnichenko skated on North American ice for the first time since he was drafted last week at Capitals’ Development Camp and was clearly one of the best players at the event. The 19-year-old will likely begin the season in Hershey, but it’s only a matter of time before he makes his NHL debut.
Michael Sgarbossa, forward, 30 years old
Sgarbossa originally joined the Capitals’ organization in the summer of 2018 and has been part of the franchise ever since. The 30-year-old has spent the majority of the past five years in Hershey, but has suited up for Washington 17 different times during that span.
In early May, Sgarboassa signed a two-year, two-way contract with Washington to remain in the organization. The center led Hershey in points (58) in the regular season, yet appeared in just four Calder Cup Playoff games before an injury ended his season.
Riley Sutter, forward, 23 years old
A third-round pick by the Capitals in 2018, Sutter has played exclusively in Hershey since the 2019-20 season. He re-upped with the organization on a one-year, two-way contract with the franchise this past week.
Playing primarily on Hershey’s gritty fourth line, Sutter set career highs in goals (five) and points (12) this past season. Sutter appeared in all 20 games of the Calder Cup Playoffs for the Bears and scored the overtime game-winner against Coachella Valley in Game 3 of the Finals. He’ll likely return to Hershey for his fifth season with the Bears.
Pierrick Dubé, forward, 22 years old
Dubé, a native of Lyon, France, is a new face in the Capitals’ organization after signing a two-year, two-way entry-level contract with Washington last week.
The 22-year-old started this past season in the ECHL with the Quebec side Trois-Rivières Lions, recording 14 points (nine goals, five assists) in nine appearances. He then joined the AHl’s Laval Rocket, where he totaled 32 points (16 goals, 16 assists) in 44 games for the club.
Dubé will likely begin the 2023-24 season with the reigning Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears.
Hardy Häman Aktell, defenseman, 25 years old
With their first official roster move of the offseason, the Capitals signed Swedish defenseman Hardy Häman Aktell to a one-year, two-way deal. The 2016 fourth-round pick of the Nashville Predators was a key member of the SHL champion Växjö Lakers in 2022-23.
Though likely to begin the season in Hershey, the right-shot Häman Aktell will be one of the first call-ups considered if a Capitals defenseman suffers an injury. After spending his entire junior and professional career in Sweden, this season will mark his first in North America.
Dylan McIlrath, defenseman, 31 years old
Hershey got its captain back last week when the Capitals announced a reunion with McIlrath on a two-year, two-way contract. McIlrath has played for the Bears each of the last two seasons, emerging as a leader in the locker room while racking up penalty minutes as a pest on the ice.
McIlrath did appear in six games for the Capitals last season but is expected to resume his integral role on Hershey’s blue line. He’ll be a depth option deeper in the season.
Chase Priskie, defenseman, 27 years old
Speaking of reunions, the Capitals brought 2016 sixth-round pick Priskie back into the fold on a one-year, two-way deal after he bounced around the AHL for a few years. Washington drafted the Quinnipiac product following his freshman year of college and he went on to attend all four years of school before going pro.
Priskie got his feet wet in the NHL when he played four games for the Florida Panthers in 2021-22. Another right-shot defenseman, he’ll look to tap into the skillset that intrigued the Capitals enough to draft him in the first place.
Hunter Shepard, goaltender, 27 years old
The reigning Jack A. Butterfield Trophy winner earned himself a brand new two-year, two-way deal with the Capitals after an impressive showing in the Calder Cup Playoffs. He started all 20 of Hershey’s postseason games, going 14-6 with a 2.27 goals against average, a .914 save percentage and three shutouts.
Shepard was the Capitals’ first goaltender called upon last season when starter Darcy Kuemper landed on IR. He never appeared in a game for Washington but is expected to hold down that same spot in the team’s goalie pecking order.
Alex Limoges, forward, 25 years old
Coming off a career year in the AHL, Limoges signed a one-year, two-way deal with his hometown team this offseason. A native of Winchester, Va., Limoges played for the Washington Little Caps program’s 13U AAA, 14U AAA and 16U AAA teams growing up.
The Penn State standout reached the 20-goal mark for the second-straight season in 2022-23. He’ll be tasked with standing out amid a crowded center depth chart that includes fellow offseason addition Matthew Phillips (one-way deal) and recent draft picks Connor McMichael, Aliaksei Protas and Hendrix Lapierre.
