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Capitals Sign Dylan McIlrath to 2-Year Contract Extenstion

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Christopher Babos | Last updated Mar 27, 2025 1:50 PM ET

After signing a long-term contract with Jakob Chychrun yesterday, the Washington Capitals extended the contract of defenseman Dylan McIlrath. The 32-year-old blueliner received a two-year, $1.6 million deal with an average annual value of $800,000. The 6-foot-4 defender has played in 11 games with the Capitals this season. He registered two assists and 14 penalty minutes (PIMs). The blueliner has played in 20 games for Washington since 2021 with four assists and 26 PIMs.

NEWS | The Washington Capitals have re-signed defenseman Dylan McIlrath to a two-year, $1.6 million contract extension. McIlrath’s contract will carry an average annual value of $800,000.#ALLCAPS | @Shift4
— x – Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 27, 2025

McIlrath has skated with four different teams over a nine-year NHL career. He debuted with the New York Rangers in 2013-14 after being drafted 10th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. After a few seasons on Broadway, the Rangers traded him to the Florida Panthers in Nov. 2016 for Steven Kampfer and a conditional seventh-round pick in 2018. He spent parts of two seasons in Florida before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings for Thomas Vanek in March 2017. The blueliner finished his contract with Detroit before moving to Washington on a two-way contract in 2021.

McIlrath signed a two-year, $750,000 contract with Washington that offseason. That deal was doubled on a contract extension in 2023. His two-year, $1.55 million contract was set to expire after this season. While his contributions to Washington’s NHL club have been unremarkable, the imposing blueliner has had a significant mark on the American Hockey League (AHL) scene with the Hershey Bears. As the captain of the back-to-back Calder Cup Champions, he has appeared in 118 AHL regular-season games and 40 AHL playoff games over the last two seasons.