UPDATE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the contract breakdown is $2.35MM in 2023-24, $1.9MM in 2024-25, and $1.45MM in 2025-26. The low actual salary in the final year of the contract makes it a more appealing sell at the trade deadline or pre-season if Washington opts to move on from Milano at the end of his contract.
The Washington Capitals have extended an offseason acquisition for the second day in a row. NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti reports the team re-signed forward Sonny Milano to a three-year contract extension today, with an average annual value of $1.9MM.
Milano had a long and winding road to joining the Capitals for 2022-23, but it’s a shrewd move for general manager Brian MacLellan that’s paid off so far. The 26-year-old American has been a productive depth piece, scoring eight goals and 22 points in 40 games.
The news comes after Washington signed fellow newcomer Dylan Strome to a five-year, $25MM extension yesterday.
It’s a good bit of financial security for Milano, who cycled through a first-line role with the Anaheim Ducks, a failed professional tryout with the Calgary Flames, and now an almost $6MM commitment from the Capitals in less than a calendar year. He signed a one-year, league-minimum one-way contract with Washington on October 15, 2022, after he was cut from Flames camp and subsequently cleared waivers.
Milano was set to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Him and Strome have been steals. Glad they’re locked up for a few more years
The Capitals even though they are in a playoff spot are retooling and getting younger with Strome and Milano. I expect big changes in the off season and lot of guys are unrestricted and will not be back.
Agreed. I look at Milano and Strome as the new Eller and Mantha.
I really love the capitals ability to find under performing players from other teams and maximizing their talent. Sheary, TVR, kempney, connelly, etc. Strome and Milano are now being rewarded with long term security at a price lower than the market may offer based on their current production
That’s peanuts for a guy like him. Never got why nobody wanted him this off-season
His inattention to defense and off-ice behavior? The offense has always been there; the maturity, not so much. Maybe he’s growing up a bit. Nice to see he’s gonna get a extended opportunity.
Just curious, What is the off ice behaviour you speak of?
link to nypost.com
I met SM while at the WJC in Helsinki. Let’s leave it at that: I removed him from my wishlist after witnessing his boorish behavior.
I would not be at all surprised if he’s on several team’s no-touch list.
Him and Strome have been overpays.
You don’t win when it matters with players like Strome and Milano.
These are quality extensions.
“You don’t win when it matters with players like Strome and Milano.”
A lot of people said that about Ovechkin too
I can remember the mid 80s when lots of people said that about a “selfish” center in southwest PA who camped out at the blue or red line waiting for breakaways and was indifferent to defense, that they’d never win with someone like that. That kinda changed come 1992.
These are below market deals for good young players. The Caps need youth. Hopefully Milano has grown up and seen the light.