As free agency comes to a close, the offseason begins to slow down. The news cycle begins to slow down, and the focus shifts to what the next season will look like. Things do not begin to pick up again until teams start reporting to training camp in mid-September. The one thing teams must do during this "quiet period" is to ensure they lock in their newly drafted player to their entry-level contract (ELC).
This is something the Washington Capitals have been doing the past few days: signing two players in their draft class to ELCs. Here's who these players are and what we can expect from them during the 2025-26 season.
Capitals agree to terms with Lynden Lakovic and Milton Gastrin
The Capitals wasted no time with their first-round pick, locking up Lynden Lakovic to a three-year entry-level deal just over a week after being selected 27th overall. The deal has an average annual value of $975,00 if he makes the NHL and $85,000 if he plays in the AHL. Even with the lower-body injury he suffered this past season, Lakovic has one of the highest upside of any player the Capitals selected.
Lakovic is expected to spend the 2025-26 season in the WHL with the Moose Jaw Warriors, where he has spent the last three years. The Capitals hope that another season at the junior level will help unlock the potential. Scouts have projected him to be a top-six forward at the NHL level, and he could be a consistent 90-point scorer for the Caps.
Washington also agreed to an ELC with Milton Gastrin, the 37th overall pick and their only pick of the second round. The contract will carry a cap hit of $975,000 if he's in the NHL and $85,000 if he plays in the AHL. While he does not excel in any particular aspect of hockey, he's decent in many different areas, making him an intriguing two-way player. He was even ranked as the third-best European prospect.
Gastrin will spend the 2025-26 season in his home country of Sweden, playing for the MoDo Hockey, the organization he's been a part of since he was 15. He's expected to play in the second tier of Sweden's hockey pyramid. With him spending this season in Sweden, it's unlikely he'll make his way to North America anytime soon. This will push the start of his ELC back to 2026-27 and potentially 2027-28 if he plays less than 10 NHL games in 2026-27. While the Capitals still have some work to do, locking these two players up is a great first step.