The Capitals add some more depth to Hershey with the Philp and Smallman signings.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — The Washington Capitals made two more forward signings on the second day of free agency, bolstering their organizational depth with the additions of Luke Philp and Spencer Smallman.
Washington inked both Philp and Smallman to one-year, two-way contracts, general manager Brian MacLellan announced on Tuesday. Philp's deal will pay $775,000 at the NHL level and $375,000 at the AHL level, while Smallman's pays $775,000 at the NHL level and $350,000 at the AHL level.
Philp, 28, missed the first 57 games of the 2023-24 campaign for the Chicago Blackhawks' AHL affiliate Rockford Ice Hogs after tearing his right Achilles tendon during a summer workout. He came back for the final 15 games of the regular season, picking up two goals and four assists, along with a plus/minus rating of plus-3. The season prior to that, he had 29 goals and 54 points in 60 games with Rockford.
Smallman, also 28, had 12 goals and 9 assists for 21 points in 53 games with the Colorado Avalanche's AHL affiliate Eagles. His 16.9 shooting percentage (12 goals on 71 shots) was the second-highest on Colorado.
With Joe Snively signing with the Detroit Red Wings, Matthew Phillips hitting free agency and Hershey Bears signee Jimmy Huntington earning an NHL deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington needed to replenish some of Hershey's forward depth that led to back-to-back Calder Cups.
The minor league signings come a day after general manager Brian MacLellan made a major shakeup to the NHL roster, acquiring Jakob Chychrun and also signing Matt Roy, Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh.