On Thursday morning the Washington Capitals re-signed defenseman Dylan McIlrath to a two year, $1.6 million contract extension that will carry an average annual value or AAV of $800,000.
More on the move
The 32 year old has recorded two assists in 11 games with the Capitals this season. Listed as six foot five and 240 pounds, Dylan McIlrath has been in the Capitals organization since 2021 and captained the Caps AHL affiliate the Hershey Bears to Calder Cup championships in 2023 and 2024.
Since joining the organization ahead of the 2021-22 season, McIlrath has appeared in 20 games with the Capitals with four assists and 26 penalty minutes. In 192 games with Hershey, McIlrath has recorded 32 points with seven goals and 25 assists and a +16 plus/minus rating.
In 2023-24, the Winnipeg, Manitoba native appeared in three regular season games including the team's final two games. He recorded an assist in Washington's regular season finale at Philadelphia where the Capitals clinched the Eastern Conference's final Wild Card spot.
McIlrath then went on to play in all four of Washington's Stanley Cup Playoff games against the New York Rangers where he posted a team leading +2 plus/mins rating.
In 58 regular season games with Hershey in 2023-24, McIlrath recorded nine points with three goals and six assists and 100 penalty minutes. He collected three assists in 20 playoff games as the Bears won their second straight title and it was also his third career Calder Cup.
McIlrath recorded an AHL career high 13 assists in 60 games with Hershey during the 2022-23 season and added two points with a goal and an assist in 20 playoff games during the Bears' run to the Calder Cup championship. He also registered one assist and seven penalty minutes with Washington in 2022-23.
The defenseman was originally drafted by the Rangers in the first round at 10th overall of the 2010 NHL Draft. He has recorded nine points with three goals and six assists and 147 penalty minutes in 86 career NHL games with the Capitals, Rangers, Florida Panthers, and Detroit Red Wings.
In 618 career AHL games, McIlrath has recorded 122 points with 30 goals and 92 assists as well as 1,204 penalty minutes with a +41 plus/minus rating.
This re-signing shores up the defensive depth for the future as McIlrath hasn't seen much playing time this season. But this was vital. He was one of, if not the most important Bears players on those back to back Calder Cup teams.