Aaron Ness Announces Retirement
According to an announcement from the AHL’s Hershey Bears, defenseman and captain Aaron Ness has retired. Ness has a handful of games of NHL experience, though most of his professional days were spent in the AHL.
Ness’ professional career began in 2008, being selected with the 40th overall pick of that summer’s draft by the New York Islanders. Drafted out of the famous Minnesota state high school hockey pipeline, Ness jumped to the NCAA’s University of Minnesota the next season. He spent three years with the Golden Gophers, scoring six goals and 43 points in 111 games.
After his junior season, Ness signed his entry-level contract with the Islanders and began playing for their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. During his time with the Islanders organization, he spent most of it with the Sound Tigers, where he was named the team’s captain for the 2014-15 season. He had the second-best production of his AHL career that year, scoring eight goals and 45 points in 74 games.
Additionally, Ness earned an extended look in the NHL with New York. During the 2013-14 season, in a depth role, Ness registered one goal and three points in 20 games for the Islanders, averaging 14:48 of ice time per game. Unfortunately, that relationship didn’t last much longer, and Ness left as a free agent in 2015 to join the Washington Capitals.
The Capitals organization is where Ness enjoyed the best years of his career. From the beginning of the 2015-16 campaign to the 2017-18 season, Ness skated in 18 games for the Capitals while tallying three assists. Similar to his time with the Islanders, Ness spent most of his time in the AHL, this time with the Hershey Bears.
Ahead of the 2019-20 campaign, Ness signed with the Arizona Coyotes and left after two seasons to sign an AHL deal with the Providence Bruins. After his one-year stint in Rhode Island, Ness returned to the Bears on another AHL deal.
Now in his second stint with Hershey, Ness was immediately given a leadership position on the club and was named the team’s captain last season. He helped the Bears capture back-to-back Calder Cup championships in 2023 and 2024.
In total, Ness has a modest NHL scoring line of one goal and seven points in 72 games. Still, he amassed 61 goals and 339 points in 818 AHL games, with another two goals and 19 points in 81 postseason contests. Including his two Calder Cup rings, Ness enjoyed a 15-year career in the AHL, with over half of those being spent with the Bears. We at PHR congratulate Ness on his career and wish him the best in his next chapter.
John Carlson’s Next Contract Will Be Particularly Pricey
It’s not very often that 36-year-old players will get a raise on their next contract but that could very well be the case for defenseman John Carlson. In a column for The Athletic earlier this week, Pierre LeBrun reported that before Washington moved Carlson to Anaheim at the trade deadline, the two sides were in talks about a two-year extension worth $9MM per season.
That would represent a $1MM raise on the $8MM he made over each of the last eight years. But it would be a well-earned increase. Between the Capitals and Ducks this season, Carlson recorded 14 goals and 46 assists despite missing 11 games due to injury. His 60 points were his highest since the 2021-22 campaign. On top of that, he showed that he can still handle logging heavy minutes as he averaged more than 23 minutes per night during the regular season and over 24 minutes per contest in the postseason.
In essence, Carlson played like a legitimate top-pairing defenseman, so $9MM on the surface would seem reasonable. On the other hand, he’ll turn 37 in January and at some point, he’s going to slow down and his minutes will have to become more managed. If he drops to more of a second-pairing player, that price tag becomes particularly high, even in this market, one that is going to yield some inflated salaries this summer.
In recent years, we’ve seen teams try to sign players to above-market short-term contracts, knowing that they will have some short-term cap flexibility to absorb the extra cost. Carolina’s two-year, $15MM deal to Dmitry Orlov three summers ago is a good example of that. But it’s something that isn’t going to necessarily be appealing to most free agents which is why not many of those deals have been signed overall; most prefer the longer-term security. Given Carlson’s age, it becomes more palatable and it looks like he could very well be getting one of those now.
While the overall depth in this summer’s UFA class isn’t particularly deep overall, there is some depth among right-shot defenders. Carlson is joined by Darren Raddysh, Jacob Trouba, Rasmus Andersson, and even Brent Burns as players who should at least be able to handle top-four minutes. This potential price point for Carlson should be particularly appealing for most of the others on that list (aside from Burns, who is likely heading for another one-year deal).
Considering the extension didn’t get finalized with the Capitals, it stands to reason that Carlson’s camp believes he could do better on the open market. With that in mind, it seems likely that he’ll be viewing that two-year offer as the floor in negotiations for his next contract. We’ll see over the next month if that contract will be coming from the Ducks who would like to keep him around or if he’ll opt to test the UFA market where LeBrun believes several Eastern teams are likely to make an offer.
Photo courtesy of Perry Nelson-Imagn Images.
Offseason Checklist: Washington Capitals
The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that aren’t taking part in the playoffs plus those who have already been eliminated. Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at Washington.
Having gone from reaching the second round last season to narrowly missing the playoffs this season, it would be fair to view 2025-26 as a disappointment. On the other hand, this group was the only team in the salary cap era to have a +23-goal differential or better and miss the playoffs with a point total (95) that is usually enough to get into the postseason. Most years, they’d have comfortably made the playoffs with a season like they had. With that in mind, GM Chris Patrick might opt for a safer summer than another drastic overhaul like 2024. Their checklist has been drafted with that assumption in mind.
Wait For Ovechkin’s Decision
Admittedly, it feels weird making the first item on here something that’s entirely out of their control. Long-time captain Alex Ovechkin’s contract is up and the NHL’s all-time goal leader hasn’t decided if he wants to return for a 22nd season. It’s safe to say that the Capitals want him back and they’ve indicated to Ovechkin’s camp that they’re willing to be patient although they prefer that he decides by next month’s draft.
What the decision is will ultimately influence a chunk of how the team plans to proceed this summer. If Ovechkin stays, he fills a top-six spot on the wing, though not the top-line one he had for most of his career. And if he opts to move on, then they have a big hole to fill on the wing. Notably, despite his age (40), only one pending UFA forward (Alex Tuch) had more points than Ovechkin’s 64. Accordingly, they’d likely have to turn to the trade market to try to fill that vacancy.
Considering his age, it certainly wouldn’t be surprising if Ovechkin’s next contract is a one-year deal, should he decide to stay. If that’s the case, he’s eligible to sign one with performance bonuses in the deal, something that could be done to give Washington more cap flexibility. With over $31MM in room at the moment, per PuckPedia, they may not necessarily need that flexibility but if Patrick has big plans, maybe they will. Ovechkin’s now-expiring deal carried a $9.5MM AAV; it wouldn’t be entirely shocking if his next contract (including bonuses, if any) was in that price range as well.
Re-Sign McMichael
Two years ago, Washington opted to sign forward Connor McMichael to a bridge deal. That kept more money free for their shopping spree and considering he had just become a full-time player the year before, there was lots of logic to the decision. McMichael, meanwhile, went and had two pretty strong seasons on his two-year, $4.2MM pact. He notched 57 points in 2024-25 and followed that up with 46 in 78 outings this season while transitioning toward playing down the middle on more of a regular basis.
All things considered, that’s a pair of solid seasons to bolster his arbitration case as he reaches eligibility for that for the first time. McMichael is two years away from being able to test the open market so while they could kick the can down the road and try to do a one-year pact, the more probable outcome is a longer-term agreement. The Capitals could opt to take him to a hearing but that would allow his camp to ask for a two-year contract that walks him right to unrestricted free agency so it would be surprising to see the team go down that road. Conversely, if McMichael files, Washington gets to pick the term and would almost certainly choose a one-year agreement.
AFP Analytics pegs McMichael at a five-year pact worth a shade under $6.5MM per season while getting three extra years of club control. In this marketplace, that might even be a little light while adding more seasons to the agreement could push the price tag more toward the $8MM mark. By the time they re-sign him and re-sign or replace Ovechkin, more than half of that cap space will already be gone but getting McMichael locked up on a longer-term deal should be a big priority this summer.
Add Right-Shot Defender
With Jakob Chychrun, Martin Fehervary, Rasmus Sandin, Cole Hutson, and Declan Chisholm, the Capitals are more than well-set on that side of their back end. If anything, their depth there could allow Patrick to shop someone to try to fill another hole elsewhere.
However, things aren’t as great on the other side. Their right-shot options are Matt Roy, Timothy Liljegren, and Dylan McIlrath. Roy has been solid in his first two years in Washington but is ideally a second-pairing player. Liljegren, who just re-signed, hasn’t progressed beyond being a third-pairing option for most of his career, while McIlrath is more of a veteran journeyman who shouldn’t be counted on to play too much.
In other words, they need to try to replace John Carlson, who was moved to Anaheim a little before the trade deadline. Interestingly enough, one of the players they could plausibly look at is Carlson himself, as the sides explored extension talks before the trigger was pulled on a swap. Other impactful right-shot rearguards set to reach unrestricted free agency are Darren Raddysh, Rasmus Andersson, and Jacob Trouba, although it should be expected that at least one of those players will ultimately re-sign.
With Sandin being able to shift to his off-side, this isn’t a must-add for the Capitals this summer. Chychrun is a top-pairing piece and Hutson showed plenty of potential late in the year; those two anchoring the back end with above-average depth could work. But in a very tight Eastern Conference, augmenting the group with another impact right-shot option would even be better.
Work On Leonard Extension
When Ryan Leonard joined the Capitals for the stretch run last season, they were hoping that he’d be able to add some key secondary scoring. Instead, his entrance to the NHL was a little quieter as he managed just two points in 17 games (regular season and playoffs combined) with his role shrinking as the postseason went on.
But those struggles ultimately helped Leonard prepare for his first full NHL season which certainly was an improvement. He finished fifth in rookie scoring with 20 goals and 25 assists, doing so despite averaging a little over 14 minutes per game, or basically third-line ice time. That earned him an eighth-place finish in Calder Trophy voting for Rookie of the Year. Considering Washington drafted Leonard eighth overall in 2023, it’s safe to say that they envision him being able to take on a bigger role.
Because they burned the first season of his entry-level pact for the 2025 stretch run, Leonard will be entering the final year of that contract this summer, making him extension-eligible. And with this being the last offseason that a team can do an eight-year contract, it would make sense for Washington to explore what the parameters of an agreement like that would be.
There would be a lot of forecasting being done on both sides in terms of trying to determine what Leonard’s long-term offensive upside is to try to find a number that would work. AFP Analytics’ extension projections suggest a seven-year agreement would be worth a little under $8.5MM per year. To get that eighth season, the AAV might have to land closer to the $9MM mark. That might seem like a lot for a player with 46 career regular season points but if they want to get something done early, there’s going to be some shared risk on both sides.
This isn’t necessarily a must-accomplish item on the checklist this summer. It’s possible that one or both sides would prefer the extra year of data before committing. But having some certainty for what Leonard’s next deal will cost would help the Capitals in their long-term planning this offseason so expect Patrick to approach Leonard’s camp to see what this could cost.
Photo courtesy of Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports.
These RFAs Will Fetch Surprising Contracts This Summer
The UFA class this summer is looking rather sparse at this point, which will put pressure on teams to lock up their restricted free agents, particularly if they are eligible to sign an offer sheet. While Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson will get much of the chatter among the RFA class, there are a handful of lesser-known players who are on the cusp of signing eye-popping contracts over the next few months. These candidates are largely under the radar for the more casual fan, but they have put in the work to secure a healthy payday this summer. The rising salary cap, coupled with a lack of UFAs, is going to give arbitration-eligible RFAs unprecedented leverage, and it will be on full display this summer.
The Vegas Golden Knights are on a heater in the postseason, thanks to their stars, including Mitch Marner. However, one lesser-known contributor is forward Pavel Dorofeyev, who is finishing a season in which he made just $1.835MM. The 25-year-old just had a career year, posting 37 goals and 27 assists in 82 games, after tallying 52 points in 82 games a year ago. Dorofeyev is a potential offer sheet candidate, given the Golden Knights’ precarious cap position this offseason, his age, and his recent run of success. An offer of $9.5MM per season isn’t out of the question for Dorofeyev, and if Vegas didn’t match, they would receive a first, second, and third-round draft pick.
Would a team be willing to pay that much for Dorofeyev’s services? It’s entirely possible, given the thin free-agent market and the sheer number of teams sitting on absurd amounts of cap space for the first time in years. Couple those factors with GMs in several markets fighting to keep their jobs, and you have a recipe for some wild RFA contracts. But a $9.5MM AAV for Dorofeyev isn’t out of the question, and projections from AFP Analytics have come in around $9MM annually on a long-term deal. Goal scorers almost always get paid (see Brock Boeser), and with Dorofeyev entering his prime, someone somewhere will pay handsomely if Vegas can’t or won’t.
Another forward who is sure to get paid this summer is Connor McMichael of the Washington Capitals. The 25-year-old was a late first-round pick (25th overall) in 2019 and took his time developing, but has become a bona fide middle-six forward over the last two years after establishing himself as a full-time NHLer at 23. McMichael took a step back offensively this season, dropping from 57 points to 46, with much of the decline coming from a nearly five-percentage-point drop in shooting percentage. AFP has McMichael receiving just shy of $6.5MM on a six-year deal if he signs long term, which isn’t out of the realm of possibility given his offensive production over the last two years. McMichael might have more to give as he continues to approach his prime, which could add an additional bit of intrigue to a contract negotiation that could come with some sticker shock when it concludes.
Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti took a major step back this season in offensive production, dropping from 50 points to just 32, although his PPG drop wasn’t as dramatic given the time he missed. Perfetti was an obvious long-term extension candidate a year ago, but after this year’s setback, he could be looking at a bridge deal of one year, in the $4MM to $4.5MM range. However, given his age (24) and talent, it would not be shocking to see him signed long-term if the Jets (or another team) feel they could buy low and get him at a discount before he breaks out. AFP Analytics has him tabbed for a long-term AAV of $6.395MM, a number that would send shockwaves around the NHL. However, that price tag is the cost of buying upside, and teams have done it before and had it work, making it a real possibility.
Next, we head to Florida to examine the case of Panthers forward Mackie Samoskevich, who is set to join a long list of Florida players who have cashed in on their success over the last few seasons. Coming off his second full NHL season, the 23-year-old isn’t going to get big money long term, but he will likely receive a bridge deal worth around $3MM per season, which should get some people’s attention. Last summer, Samoskevich took a one-year deal at the league minimum ($775K), but this summer will be a very different story. The Panthers have some business to attend to in the crease, as both their goalies are UFAs, but they do have a decent amount of cap space, so it’s unlikely that Samoskevich is moved out.
One look at Braden Schneider’s offensive stats and the casual observer might not believe he is due for a big payday, but he is. It’s typical for defensive defensemen are often overlooked as they don’t appear on the scoresheet or draw headlines in the media. But NHL teams pay a premium for defenders who can take on tough defensive assignments against their opponents’ top players, and that’s what the New York Rangers rearguard is capable of. Whether Schneider can actually do that is up for healthy debate, as it pits the analytics crew against the eye-test crowd. But debate or not, the 24-year-old is getting paid this summer. AFP Analytics has him at a $4MM AAV on a short-term deal and $6MM if he goes long term, both numbers that will have some folks mouthing the word, “Wow.”
Lastly, we come to Ottawa Senators defenseman Jordan Spence, who is also due a large payday that will surely surprise some people. Spence quietly had a terrific first season in Ottawa and is projected by AFP Analytics to receive either a one-year deal worth just over $3MM or a longer-term deal for nearly $5MM. That number is eye-popping, but given the rising cap, Spence’s untapped potential, and his previous work, $5MM isn’t outrageous, even though it is surprising. Spence’s contract could be one that wakes fans up to the new economic reality in the NHL, where defenders who can play the minutes he can will be receiving north of $5MM fairly regularly. There are some unique circumstances with Spence. He is a right-handed offensive defenseman who can play up and down the defensive unit. He drives play offensively and has sparkling underlying numbers.
This list isn’t exhaustive, as there are a handful of other players who will receive eye-popping extensions as RFAs, including the likes of Jet Greaves and Peyton Krebs. In terms of projecting things out, these seem to be the most obvious candidates to get big raises this offseason, but there are always surprises, and given the plethora of teams with money this offseason, some wild numbers will surely be thrown around.
Capitals Hire Ray Bennett As Assistant Coach
Ray Bennett‘s time seeking a new coaching role didn’t take long. Moments after the New York Islanders announced that they had mutually parted ways with Bennett, the Washington Capitals announced they have hired him for the 2026-27 season.
The Capitals’ work with a man advantage could certainly use a fresh perspective. Washington had a solid power play during the 2024-25 campaign, finishing 13th in the league with a 23.53% success rate. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the same prosperity this season, falling to 25th in the league with a 17.84% rate.
Capitals Sign Timothy Liljegren To Two-Year Extension
According to a team announcement, the Washington Capitals have extended defenseman Timothy Liljegren to a two-year deal worth around $6.5MM ($3.25MM AAV), as first reported by David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.
The 27-year-old finished this past year with Washington, playing just four games with the Capitals after being traded in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2026 from San Jose at this past deadline. With the Sharks, Liljegren finished with one goal for 11 points in 43 games in over 20 minutes of average time on ice and had 83 blocks, which was fourth on the team in that statistical category as well by season’s end.
Liljegren was the back end of a two-year, $6MM ($3MM AAV) contract that he originally signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the summer of 2024. In Toronto, he played just one game on that contract before he was traded early in the 2024-25 season to the San Jose Sharks for a package deal. He finished his 2024-25 campaign playing 67 games with the Sharks.
The 6-foot-1 Swede was originally selected 17th overall by the Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft and spent his formative six years in Toronto, signing his entry-level contract and later a two-year deal in 2022 worth $2.8MM (1.4MM).
Liljegren’s short stint in Washington saw few games in the lineup, but after top prospect Cole Hutson entered the mix, having finished his NCAA career at Boston University, most of his time was spent in the press box as a healthy scratch.
Washington’s blue line has two other defenseman who have a right handedness under contract. Liljegren is second on the depth chart in that category in terms of the highest average annual value for next season, behind Matt Roy ($5.75MM) and ahead of Dylan McIlrath ($850K). The Capitals have a little over $33MM in cap space and have a few important names to address among expiring contracts. It should be noted that Washington enters next year with the uncertainty of when Rasmus Sandin will return, who is currently healing from his ACL surgery and has been a mainstay for the Capitals’ defensive group.
Alex Ovechkin is the huge headliner that looms for the Capitals among their UFA players. Add in forwards Brandon Duhaime and David Kampf, as well as restricted free agents in Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre, and that will give Chris Patrick some thinking to do. This signing begs the question of what Washington will do about pending UFA Trevor van Riemsdyk, who remains a question mark on the defensive side of expiring deals. As a veteran 34-year old right-shot blue-liner, it’ll be interesting to see if Patrick will opt to run it back with all the familiar names he had in 2025-26 while Sandin heals from his injury and inserts a full campaign of their shiny new toy in Hutson.
Capitals Sign Sikora To Three-Year Entry-Level Contract
The Washington Capitals have signed forward Petr Sikora to a three‑year entry‑level contract, the team announced today. The deal carries an average annual value of $995K and brings one of the organization’s more productive young prospects officially into the system.
Sikora, 20, was selected by Washington in the sixth round (178th overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft and has spent the last several seasons developing within HC Oceláři Třinec’s structure in Czechia. He appeared in 24 Extraliga games this season, recording nine points (3G–6A) while leading all Třinec skaters under-25 in assists and points. Sikora added another two points in 10 playoff games and also produced six points in a brief four‑game stint with HC Frýdek‑Místek in Czechia’s second division.
His production has steadily climbed over the past three years. Sikora posted 15 points in 34 Extraliga games in 2024–25 and added four points in six playoff contests. At the junior level, he was a standout for Třinec’s U‑20 team, recording 40 points (13G–27A) in 30 games during the 2023-24 season and helping lead the club to a league championship.
Across 80 career Extraliga games, Sikora has totaled 27 points (11G–16A).
Internationally, Sikora has represented Czechia at back‑to‑back IIHF World Junior Championships, earning silver in 2026 and bronze in 2025. He captained the 2026 squad and finished the tournament with nine points in seven games, ranking among the event’s leaders in assists and plus‑minus. At the 2025 tournament, he posted seven points in seven games and was named one of Czechia’s top three players.
Sikora is expected to join Washington’s development pipeline next season, with the organization likely evaluating whether he begins his North American career in the AHL.
Washington Capitals Sign Theodor Niederbach
According to a team announcement, the Washington Capitals have signed forward prospect Theodor Niederbach to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 season. Washington shared that Niederbach will be paid a $1.025MM salary in the NHL and an $85K salary in the AHL.
Niederbach, 24, was drafted 51st overall in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings. He was generally regarded as a solid playmaking prospect at the time, recording 15 goals and 48 points in 40 games with the J20 SuperElit’s Frölunda HC’s program.
Since then, it’s been all SHL for the Bjästa, Sweden native. Bouncing between Frölunda, Rögle BK, and MoDo Hockey. It was during his second year with MoDo during the 2024-25 campaign that Niedberbach broke out as a prominent two-way center overseas, scoring 10 goals and 33 points in 51 games with a +5 rating. After MoDo was relegated to the HockeyAllsvenskan, Niederbach returned to Frölunda on a two-year deal that included an NHL opt-out clause.
It was much of the same for him this past season. He finished the 2025-26 campaign with 13 goals and 32 points in 52 games with a +10 rating. Given his back-to-back quality seasons in the SHL, relative youth, and the fact that the Red Wings let his signing rights expire two summers ago, Niederbach became a relatively prominent name on the international market. In late February, although the Boston Bruins were specifically mentioned, reports indicated that nearly half of the NHL teams had contacted Niederbach.
For his development, the Capitals organization is one of the best. Washington has a pair of bottom-six forwards that are scheduled for unrestricted free agency this offseason, giving Niederbach a path if he can earn a spot on the roster through training camp. Even if he doesn’t make the opening night roster, the AHL’s Hershey Bears are competitive nearly every season and will provide Niederbach with a great chance to transition to professional hockey in North America.
Team Canada Notes: Donskov, Carbery, McKenna
As expected, Hockey Canada is making a change behind the bench for their international teams. According to an announcement from the organization, Hockey Canada has named Misha Donskov as head coach for Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship this summer and the IIHF World Junior Championship next winter.
Donskov, 49, was rumored to be a favorite for the role for some time. Although he has never held a head coaching position in an official capacity throughout his professional career, he has been involved in the game for some time. His career began ahead of the 2001-02 season, when he joined the Columbus Blue Jackets as a team consultant. Donskov enjoyed the same role with the now-relocated Atlanta Thrashers from 2004-05 to 2008-09.
He spent some time in the OHL and with various Team Canada clubs, primarily working as a video coach. He returned to the NHL in 2016-17, being named Director of Hockey Operations for the Vegas Golden Knights, and became one of the team’s assistant coaches ahead of the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. He had his name engraved on the Stanley Cup in 2023 as a coach of the Golden Knights.
Since then, Donskov enjoyed a two-year stint as an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars before fully transitioning to the international stage this season. He was an associate coach on Dave Cameron‘s staff at the World Junior Championships this season, earning a bronze medal.
Additional international notes:
- Although it won’t be at the World Junior Championships, Donskov will have another successful coach joining him this summer in Switzerland. According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, Spencer Carbery, head coach of the Washington Capitals, will serve as an assistant coach under Donskov for the international tournament. Unlike Donskov, this will be Carbery’s first time serving internationally with Team Canada, despite being only one year removed from winning the Jack Adams Award.
- Team Canada has made another addition to their World Championship club, though this time it’ll be on the ice rather than the bench. Mike Morreale of the NHL announced that top prospect Gavin McKenna will join Team Canada for the 2026 NHL Draft international contest. McKenna, 18, remains the consensus top choice in the upcoming draft on most boards after scoring 15 goals and 51 points in 35 games for the NCAA’s Penn State University Nittany Lions this season.
Sonny Milano Signs In Switzerland
4/29/26: SC Bern have officially announced the signing of Milano to a one-year contract for next season, confirming that the former top prospect will play in the European pro ranks for the first time in his career. At 29 years old, Milano has played in 344 games at the NHL level and 187 games in the AHL.
4/20/26: From a health perspective, this has been a good year for Capitals winger Sonny Milano. However, he’s currently in the minors playing for Hershey, an outcome he likely wasn’t expecting coming into the season. The pending UFA appears to be eyeing a change of scenery for 2026-27 as Watson’s Klaus Zaugg reports that Milano is expected to sign with SC Bern in Switzerland.
The 29-year-old missed the majority of last season with an upper-body injury. He attempted to come back from it but suffered a setback, one that put the beginning of 2025-26 in jeopardy. However, he was able to play at the start of the year and made Washington’s roster out of training camp.
While Milano played regularly in the first week of the year, playing time started to become more sporadic after that as he spent considerable time as a scratch. Then, following the Olympic break, he lost his roster spot and cleared waivers, paving the way for him to join Hershey for his first taste of action in the minors since a 2022-23 conditioning stint.
Milano played in 31 games for the Capitals this season, picking up four goals and four assists while playing just 8:53 per night. He has played almost exclusively in the bottom six over his four years with Washington although he still managed 15 goals in 2023-24 in spite of his limited usage. Meanwhile, he has been productive with the Bears, tallying 13 points in 16 games. He’ll still be playing for the time being with Hershey beginning a best-of-three playoff series versus Bridgeport on Tuesday.
Given Milano’s last couple of years and the fact that he had a hard time securing a contract in free agency in 2022, he profiles as more of a PTO candidate if he decides to test the open market this summer. Instead, it appears he’ll bypass doing that and lock down a top role in the Swiss league to continue his career.