The Washington Capitals have added another depth forward with a little upside, signing Brendan Leipsic to a one-year, one-way contract worth $700K. Leipsic split last season between the Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings. The team has also signed minor league forward Philippe Maillet to a two-year, two-way contract worth $700K at the NHL level.
Leipsic, 25, has shown flashes of brilliance in the NHL but hasn’t quite been able to establish himself as a full-time player just yet. In 45 games with the Kings last season he recorded 18 points, but failed to receive a qualifying offer and became an unrestricted free agent. That’s not the first team that passed on him over the years, as the third-round pick has been traded twice, picked in the expansion draft and claimed off waivers over the years. In Washington he’ll try to show that he can be an everyday player, but his $700K deal can be buried in the minor leagues if the team feels he’s not ready to contribute.
Maillet meanwhile is a minor league addition that won’t be expected to contribute at the NHL level at all. The 26-year old forward went undrafted out of the QMJHL despite strong scoring numbers and actually went to the University of New Brunswick for four seasons. Signing a minor league deal with the Ontario Reign, he showed that had still been overlooked and actually registered 94 points in 140 games for the AHL club. This deal represents his first NHL contract and a reward for years of hard work.