Capitals Place Sonny Milano On NHL Waivers

The Washington Capitals have placed left winger Sonny Milano on NHL waivers after 31 games played this season.

Milano hasn't been able to earn a regular spot in the Capitals' lineup, averaging 8:53 of ice time.

With the time he's had on the ice, Milano has four goals and eight points this season, along with an even plus-minus rating in what is his fourth year in Washington. With Connor McMichael coming off the injured reserve, Milano is the odd man out.

The 16th overall pick in the 2014 NHL draft will be sent down to the AHL and is expected to join the Hershey Bears if no other NHL team puts in a claim for him by Thursday.

Milano last played for the Bears in the 2022-23 campaign. He played five games and recorded two goals and three points in that short tenure with Hershey. That was also the last time Milano played in the AHL. He also had stints with the San Diego Gulls and Cleveland Monsters. 

In terms of the NHL, Milano has played parts of five seasons with the team that drafted him, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and featured for the Anaheim Ducks across three seasons before joining Washington.

After the Capitals brought in Milano on a one-year deal as a free agent in 2022, the team signed him to a three-year contract with a $1.9-million cap hit. He's in the final year of that contract now and is a pending UFA.

The 29-year-old's best season came in 2021-22 in his final year with the Ducks. He scored 14 goals and a career-high 34 points. 

Milano also recorded a 15-goal campaign in his second season with the Caps in 2023-24. He ended up with 23 points and never scored more than 15 goals in an NHL season.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.