Washington Capitals: Top 10 best free agents of all-time

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Devante Smith-Pelly, Washington Capitals (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

#7 Devante Smith-Pelly

Devante Smith-Pelly was one of those free agents the Washington Capitals signed to a bargain back on July 3, 2017. Not a lot of people knew much about him but by the end of the 2017-18 season, he would forever be a legend.

The Caps signed him in 2017 to a contract worth $650,000. They signed him right after the New Jersey Devils bought out his contract. He wasn’t completely unheard of. Smith-Pelly had five playoff goals in 12 games as a 21 year old in 2013-14 with the Anaheim Ducks.

Smith-Pelly would score seven goals and nine assists for 16 points in 2017-18 but that wasn’t the best part. In the Caps run to the Stanley Cup he scored seven goals and recorded an assist for eight points. That included goals in three straight finals games including the tying goal in Game 5.

Unfortunately Smith-Pelly’s time in D.C. was short despite being awarded a one year contract extension worth one million. He had offers from other teams that were worth more but he wanted to come back.

https://twitter.com/NHLonNBCSports/status/1254499831327883264

DSP had four goals and four assists for eight points in 54 games before the Caps put him on waivers and clearing to go to the Hershey Bears. He came back in the playoffs but hasn’t played in the NHL since. He will always be a legend here though.

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