March 20: Snively has signed an amateur tryout with the Hershey Bears and will get some AHL experience before the end of the year.
March 18: The Washington Capitals have signed one of the top remaining college free agents, inking Yale University standout Joe Snively to a two-year entry-level contract. The deal will begin in the 2019-20 season, meaning Snively will not be able to help the Capitals down the stretch.
Snively, 23, apparently drew interest from more than 20 teams—though Snively himself told reporters that he was only negotiating with about five—after finishing his NCAA career, given his long history of offensive production. The 5’9″ forward recorded 139 points in 129 career games for Yale, never scoring fewer than 28 in a single season. Snively was a nominee for the Hobey Baker award this season after recording 36 points, but that was just another year for the elusive left-handed shot.
He could join the Hershey Bears on an amateur tryout for the rest of this season, but will almost certainly spend time in the AHL in 2019-20 unless he blows away the Capitals coaching staff at training camp. The team does need cheap contracts like this one moving forward, given they already have more than $70MM committed to just 14 players next season.
It’s important to note that the Capitals actually couldn’t have signed Snively to a deal starting this season because they are already at the 50-contract limit. The fact that they convinced him to join their organization even without burning a year right away is impressive, and will certainly help them keep costs down in the future.
Wasn’t he Jack Black’s roommate in School of Rock?
That was his older brother Ned…
And he’ll get his check made out to Cash…