Washington Capitals loan Bobby Nardella to SHL
The Washington Capitals have loaned another prospect overseas.
The Washington Capitals have loaned prospect defenseman Bobby Nardella to Djurgardens IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) for the 2020-21 season, the team announced on Wednesday.
The 24 year old led all Hershey Bears defensemen last season with 31 points including four goals and 27 assists in 41 games last season. His 27 assists tied for first and he also tied for first with 13 power play assists.
His 13 power play assists tied for second among AHL rookie defensemen. Listed as five foot nine and 180 pounds, Nardella was tied for fifth among AHL defenseman with 0.76 points per game with at least 30 games played.
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In the 2018-10 season, the Rosemont, Illinois native recorded 34 points in 38 games with eight goals and 26 assists with the University of Notre Dame which set a personal collegiate career high in points as well as a team high in points and assists. Nardella was also named a Hobey Baker Award nominee and was named to the NCAA (B1G) First All Star Team.
Nardella was a two time winner of the NCAA (B1G) Championship in each of his last two seasons at Notre Dame. Nardella averaged 0.54 assists per game during his college career. As a freshman in 2015-16, Nardella was named to the NCAA (Hockey East) All Rookie Team and was named the Fighting Irish’s Rookie of the Year. In 147 games with Notre Dame, Nardella scored 24 goals and added 79 assists for 103 points.
Nardella has represented Team USA at the international level in the 2014-15 World Junior A Challenge and recorded two assists en route to a gold medal in Kindersley, Saskatchewan. He also won a silver medal in the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Tournament held in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In 2012, Nardella was a member of USA Hockey’s U17 team and won a gold medal at the Five Nation Tournament in the Czech Republic.
On April 5th, 2019 following his senior season at Notre Dame, the Capitals signed him as a free agent. Now he’s the latest prospect to go take his game overseas.
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Unlike the other prospects though, Nardella is expected to spend a whole season in the SHL and won’t be joining the Capitals when training camp takes place. Even so, it’ll be good experience for the young defenseman and he’ll be expected to get some additional playing time. That’s been the goal with these prospect loans as there’s still uncertainty on when the AHL season and the Hershey Bears will start.