The Washington Capitals have re-signed defenseman Martin Fehervary to a three-year contract extension worth $2.675 million per season. The 23-year-old left-shot defender from Bratislava, Slovakia is coming off his second full season as a Capital and played an increased role with the team as the year went on.
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Fehervary was a restricted free agent (RFA) that could have been offer sheeted by any team in the NHL, but he and the Capitals got a contract worked out. He will likely begin 2023-24 as a top-four defenseman as he looks to break into the league in an even bigger way next season.
Fehervary played in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) after he was drafted with HV71 during the 2018-19 season, where he scored one goal and added six assists for seven points through 45 games. He had another opportunity to represent Slovakia as he captained the U20 team and played in the World Championship again. Between the two, he played 14 games having no goals but adding an assist and being the best defender on his U20 squad.
He is coming off a six-goal, 10-assist performance last season with the Capitals through 67 games played. In 152 career games in the NHL, Fehervary has scored 14 goals and added 20 assists for 34 points which comes out to a 0.22 points per game average. His offensive production doesn’t stand out by any means, but he is a really strong defender that has become known for being able to shut down his opponents.
Fehervary’s Future With The Capitals
The Capitals view Fehervary as a huge member of the team’s future. He is one of their strongest defensemen and has proven that on multiple occasions. While he won’t score a lot of goals or get a ton of points, he can be counted on in clutch moments to keep the puck out of the net. This is an incredible signing for the Capitals, and one fans have to be happy with.
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