In the thick of trade deadline season, the Washington Capitals are locking down some of their key players, the latest being Swedish defenseman Rasmus Sandin. Sandin was signed to a five-year deal worth $4.6 million per year– a $3.2 million raise from his current contract. He will be signed through the 2028-2029 season, joining Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas as one of three players on the team with a contract that long. Let’s get to know the Washington Capitals’ most recently extended player.
Who is Rasmus Sandin?
Rasmus Sandin, 23, is a defenseman from Uppsala, Sweden. At 5’11 and 183 pounds, his ability is not as much in his size as much as it is in his speed and agility. Sandin was drafted 29th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2018 and spent four seasons with the team before being traded to Washington last season in exchange for Erik Gustaffson and a 2023 first-round draft pick.
On-ice statistics
Rasmus Sandin is an up-and-coming defenseman who, when given ice time, can show up for his team in critical moments. This season, he has recorded 20 points (3g, 17a) in 52 games and ranks second on the team in time on ice per game with a 21:19 average– a single-season career high. Among Capitals defensemen, Rasmus Sandin ranks second in goals, assists, and points. He also ranks third in blocked shots with 85 thus far.
After being acquired last season, Sandin recorded 15 points (3g, 12a) in 19 games with the Washington Capitals. He also set career-high totals in games played (71), goals (7), assists (28) and points (35) over the 2022-2023 season. His 35-point performance more than doubles his previous record. Since his debut with the team, the defenseman is tied for first among Capitals D-men in goals and is tied for second in games played, assists, points, power-play points, and time on ice. He has proven himself to be a critical asset to the team, especially as they chase a return to playoffs this season after missing them in the 2022-2023 postseason.
Rasmus Sandin’s Thoughts
Rasmus Sandin spoke about the contract extension on Wednesday. After struggling to find his place with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he remarked on the Capitals’ ability to help him do so, saying “the organization really showed a belief in me and gave me a big opportunity”. He continued, sounding excited about the opportunity to continue playing in the Nation’s Capital. “I love it here. Hard to kind of believe still that it’s done, getting a five-year extension. I feel like this is the place that hopefully I will be for the whole five years, at least, too. It’s something you’ve been dreaming about and hoping for, but you never really thought it was going to happen. It did and I’m very happy about it.”
Rasmus Sandin clearly loves Washington and the Capitals organization, as he reiterated that he hopes he will get to remain on the team for the entire five-year contract and beyond. He continued, “Hopefully it will be longer, too. But as I always am, I usually try to take it day by day and try to get better every single day an hopefully take a little bit of a bigger role in the locker room and become more of a leader too. But I’m very excited about it.”
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