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Vincent Iorio

Capitals Recall Vincent Iorio, Matthew Phillips

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The Washington Capitals have recalled forward Matthew Phillips and defenseman Vincent Iorio to the NHL roster (Twitter link). This move brings Phillips back to the NHL after being sent down earlier in the week and marks the second call-up of Iorio’s career.

Iorio’s first call-up came in March of last season and awarded him with the first three NHL games of his career. He managed one assist in those appearances while averaging just over 14 minutes of ice time. He’s yet to fight his way back into the Capitals lineup, instead spending all of this season with the AHL’s Hershey Bears – scoring four goals, 14 points, and 30 penalty minutes in 60 appearances, a step down from his 22 points in 63 games as an AHL rookie last year.

But he’ll be leaned on once again, with fellow defenseman Ethan Bear out indefinitely after entering the NHL Player Assistance Program. Bear was serving as Washington’s seventh defenseman and hadn’t played since March 13th. Iorio will step into that depth role, looking to compete with Alexander Alexeyev for a spot on the team’s lineup.

Phillips’ recall could be an indication of Sonny Milano’s availability. Milano is working his way back from an upper-body injury suffered in Washington’s Sunday win over the Winnipeg Jets. He missed the team’s Tuesday night game but has continued appearing at the team’s practices, including taking the ice during their off-day this morning. Washington will test Milano’s readiness ahead of their Thursday matchup against Toronto, with Phillips as their fill-in if he can’t go.

Washington Capitals Loan Vincent Iorio to AHL

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The Washington Capitals have loaned defenseman Vincent Iorio back to their AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears. This will place Iorio back to where he’s spent most of this season, having played 51 games at the AHL level.

Iorio, 20, is a 2021 second-round pick who has been with the Capitals for about a week. He played in his first three NHL games in that timeframe, getting between 12 and 15 minutes in each contest. He even registered his first NHL point, getting an assist in the Capitals’ 8-3 rout of the San Jose Sharks.

The six-foot-four former Brandon Wheat Kings is in his first season as a professional and has impressed with his mature play in the AHL. Iorio has registered just six penalty minutes despite playing a defense-first game, and while his 17 points in 51 games don’t jump off the page, he appears to be getting closer to NHL readiness.

Now, he’ll get to head back to Hershey for possibly the rest of their season, helping ready them for what the team hopes will be a long Calder Cup playoff run.

Vincent Iorio Assigned To AHL

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The Washington Capitals have provided their AHL affiliate with a little bit more firepower, recalling Vincent Iorio to the Hershey Bears. Iorio had been playing with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL but was ousted from the playoffs on Sunday.

Selected 55th overall in 2021, the 19-year-old defenseman experienced a breakout season for Brandon this year. In 60 games he registered 11 goals and 44 points, numbers that eclipsed the totals from his first three WHL seasons. The puck-moving upside that made him such an interesting prospect has started to come more consistently and the points have followed.

With Hershey set to start their first-round series on Friday night, Iorio represents another option for head coach Scott Allan, and one he’ll likely become very familiar with in the coming years. While there’s still work to be done before the young defenseman reaches the NHL level, this season especially has proven that a future with the Capitals is definitely possible.

Despite joining the ranks of professional hockey, Iorio’s three-year entry-level contract will not kick in for this season. Instead, it will slide forward and keep him under wraps through 2024-25.

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