On Tuesday the Washington Capitals dipped into their pipeline by re-signing forward Spencer Smallman to a two year, two way contract. The deal will carry an average annual value or AAV of $775,000 at the NHL level and $380,000 in the AHL.
More on the deal
The 28 year old has recorded 33 points with nine goals and 24 assists in 55 games with the Hershey Bears this season. He is in his first season with Hershey and ranks tied for second on the BEars in assists and seventh in points. Smallman's 29 assists and 33 points are both single season AHL career highs.
The six foot one, 202 pound forward recorded 21 points with 12 goals and nine assists in 53 games with the Colorado Eagles of the AHL in 2023-24. His 16.9 shooting percentage with 12 goals on 71 shots ranked second on Colorado while his 53 penalty minutes ranked sixth.
During the 2022-23 season, Smallman appeared in 61 regular season games with Colorado. He recorded 26 points with 13 goals and 13 assists. His 13 goals ranked fourth on the Eagles and marked an AHL single season career high.
During the 2021-22 season, Smallman recorded 27 points with 10 goals and 17 assists in 65 regular season games with the AHL's Chicago Wolves and added six points with two goals and four assists in 18 playoff games to help the Wolves win the 2022 Calder Cup.
Smallman was orginally drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the fifth round at 138th overall of the 2015 NHL Draft and has recorded 128 points with 47 goals and 81 assists in 299 career AHL games with Hershey, Colorado and the Charolotte Checkers. He has also registered seven points with three goals and four assists in 26 career Calder Cup Playoff games.
This move will help out the Bears, who are looking to three peat this spring as Calder Cup champions. Not an easy feat but they've already established themselves as the class of the AHL.