Yesterday was July 1st where it is internationally known as Canada Day, or as us hockey fans know it, Free Agent Frenzy Day.
Happy Canada Day, where in 1867 the newly created nation decided to give freedom to its NHL players.
— Ted Starkey (@TedStarkey) July 1, 2019
Yesterday on the first official day of Free Agency their were many huge signings like Artemi Panarin to the New York Rangers and Sergei Bobrovsky to the Florida Panthers, but what did the Capitals do? Which is a great question given the holes they have to fill.
The Capitals did not wait long as they inked forward Richard Panik to a four year deal worth $11 million.
OFFICIAL | Capitals have signed right wing Richard Panik to a four-year, $11 million contract#ALLCAPS
Read More: https://t.co/2QtbcU7ypQ pic.twitter.com/x05aoUPgyD
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 1, 2019
Panik, 28, recorded 14 goals and 33 points in 75 games with the Arizona Coyotes last season. He has also spent time with Tampa Bay, Toronto and Chicago.
Panik is slated to play on the Capitals third line with Carl Hagelin and Lars Eller.
Then an hour later they would sign forward Garnet Hathaway to a four year deal worth $6 million.
OFFICIAL | Capitals have signed right wing Garnet Hathaway to a four-year, $6 million contract#ALLCAPS
Read More: https://t.co/MFfhTIIXqJ pic.twitter.com/F5vWFtKTtH
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 1, 2019
Hathaway, 27, recorded 11 goals for 19 points in 76 games with the Calgary Flames last season. 2018-19 season would be career highs for him in both goals and points.
Hathaway is slated to play on the Capitals fourth line with with Nic Dowd.
Then the Capitals would sign minor league center Philippe Maillet to a two year, two way contract with an AAV of $700k.
NEWS | Capitals have signed center Philippe Maillet to a two-year, two-way contract, with an average annual value of $700,000#ALLCAPS https://t.co/kkmsGLJpGj
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 1, 2019
Then to end the day of signings for the Capitals, they would sign forward Brendan Leipsic to a one year $700k deal for the 2019-20 season.
OFFICIAL | Capitals have signed left wing Brendan Leipsic to a one-year, $700,000 contract#ALLCAPS
Read More: https://t.co/RCwrpmy8lE pic.twitter.com/DLVdRolzNC
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 2, 2019
Leipsic, 25, recorded 7 goals and 23 points in 62 games with the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks last season, setting career highs in both goals and points. He has also spent time with Toronto and Vegas.
This is the most interesting signing as one would have assumed that either Chandler Stephenson or Travis Boyd would take the last fourth line spot, but as of this writing it is Leipsic who is slated to be on the fourth line with Dowd and recently signed Hathaway.
Also the Capitals re-signed goalie prospect Vitek Vanecek to a three year deal yesterday.
NEWS | Capitals have re-signed goaltender Vitek Vanecek to a three-year, $2.15 million contract. First year of Vanecek’s contract will be a two-way contract ($700,000 NHL; $160,000 AHL), while the final two years will be one-way ($700,000 and $750,000).https://t.co/l8sYzzfHpr
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 1, 2019
TXHT will continue to cover NHL Free Agency and other offseason moves which you can follow with our Official Offseason Tracker.