The Washington Capitals have re-signed Brian Pinho for two more years.
The Washington Capitals have re-signed forward Brian Pinho to a two year contract extension the team announced Thursday morning. Pinho’s contract will carry an average annual salary of $725,000.
Next season he’ll earn $700,000 in the NHL and $125,000 in the AHL with a guaranteed salary of $150,000. In 2021-22, Pinho’s salary is a one way contract at $750,000.
We got to see the 25 year old make his NHL debut in the Stanley Cup playoffs in the Toronto bubble in Game 3 of the first round against the New York Islanders back on Aug. 16.
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He became the fifth player in franchise history to make his debut in the playoffs and the first since Tom Wilson in 2013. The others were Trent Whitfeld in 2000, Grant Jennings and Chris Felix in 1988.
He was an impact player on the Hershey Bears this past season. The six foot one, 193 pound forward recorded 37 points with 20 goals and 17 assists in 62 games with he Bears. It bypassed his total of 12 points in 31 games in 2018-19 (four goals, eight assists). His 20 goals were the second most on Hershey and he led the team in game winning goals with four and shorthanded goals with three.
17 of Pinho’s 20 goals have come at even strength which is tied for 11th in the AHL. Pinho played in all 62 games this season before the season was shutdown, he was one of two Bears players to play in every game. He posted the second highest plus/minus rating with a +16 on the team. In 135 career games with Hershey, Pinho recorded 49 points with 24 goals and 25 assists.
Pinho played in both Game 3 and Game 4 of the first round, centering the third line while Lars Eller moved up to the second line in the wake of the Nicklas Backstrom injury. Backstrom came back for Game 5 but by then it was all over. Still though, pretty cool to make your debut in the playoffs.
Pinho also has pretty good advanced stats. His Corsi For percentage comes out at 47.83 percent, his Fenwick For at 46.67 percent, and his expected goals for came out at 41.43 percent (numbers via Natural Stat Trick). The third line had it’s ups and it’s downs but centering it was a good experience for Pinho.
We’ll likely see him split time between the NHL with Washington and the AHL with Hershey in 2020-21. Still though, he’s a good prospect that will get better with time. We may even see his first NHL goal next season.