Capitals re-sign Dylan McIlrath to two-year, $1.6 million contract extension

The Washington Capitals have secured another part of their defense corps just two days after re-signing Jakob Chychrun to a long-term extension.

The Capitals announced they re-signed defenseman Dylan McIlrath to a two-year, $1.6 million contract extension on Thursday morning. McIlrath was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

McIlrath’s new deal carries an annual average value of $800k and is a one-way contract.

The extension will see McIlrath remain under contract with the Capitals through the 2026-27 season. The 32-year-old rearguard has been with the Capitals’ organization for the past four seasons, primarily serving as captain of the AHL’s Hershey Bears. He won back-to-back Calder Cups with the Bears in 2023 and 2024.

McIlrath has played 20 games for the Caps at the NHL level over the past three seasons, recording four points (4a). He has not dressed for a game this year since December 23, where he played just 1:45 of ice time against the Boston Bruins as the team’s seventh defenseman.

The veteran defender made the Capitals out of training camp and recorded his first career multi-point NHL game against the Philadelphia Flyers on October 23. McIlrath also got into two heavyweight fights with Flyers enforcer, Nic Deslauriers, and New York Rangers enforcer, Matt Rempe.

The Caps now have seven of their eight regular defenseman this season under contract for next year. Alex Alexeyev, who is a restricted free agent in the summer, is the only one without a deal.

Here’s the full press release from the Capitals:

Capitals Re-sign Dylan McIlrath

Defenseman, who has been with organization since 2021, signs for two more years

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have re-signed defenseman Dylan McIlrath to a two-year, $1.6 million contract extension, senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick announced today. McIlrath’s contract will carry an average annual value of $800,000.

McIlrath, 32, has recorded two assists in 11 games with the Capitals this season. The 6’5”, 240-pound defenseman has been in the Capitals organization since 2021 and captained Washington’s AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, to Calder Cup championships in 2023 and 2024. Since joining the organization ahead of the 2021-22 season, McIlrath has appeared in 20 games with the Capitals, totaling four assists and 26 penalty minutes. In 192 games with Hershey, McIlrath has recorded 32 points (7g, 25a) and a +16 plus-minus rating.

The Winnipeg, Manitoba native appeared in three regular-season games with the Capitals in 2023-24, including the team’s final two games. McIlrath recorded an assist in Washington’s regular season finale at Philadelphia, where the Capitals clinched the Eastern Conference’s final Wild Card spot. McIlrath went on to play in all four of Washington’s Stanley Cup Playoff games, where he posted a team-leading +2 plus-minus rating. In 58 regular-season games with Hershey in 2023-24, McIlrath recorded 9 points (3g, 6a) and 100 penalty minutes. McIlrath collected three assists in 20 playoff games, as the Bears won their second straight championship, and he claimed his third career Calder Cup.

McIlrath recorded an AHL career-high 13 assists in 60 games with Hershey during the 2022-23 season and added two points (1g, 1a) in 20 playoff games during the Bears’ run to the Calder Cup championship. McIlrath also registered one assist and seven penalty minutes in six games with Washington in 2022-23.

McIlrath was originally drafted by the New York Rangers in the first round (10th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. McIlrath has recorded nine points (3g, 6a) and 147 penalty minutes in 86 career NHL games with the Capitals, Rangers, Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings. In 618 career AHL games, McIlrath has registered 122 points (30g, 92a) and 1,204 penalty minutes with a +41 plus-minus rating.