Here's a look at where Conor Sheary, Dmitry Orlov and more former Washington Capitals ended up and stand after hitting free agency.
The Washington Capitals got busy to open free agency, bringing Max Pacioretty on board and acquiring defenseman Joel Edmundson from the Montreal Canadiens. And at the same time, they parted ways with a number of names when the clock struck noon.
Conor Sheary, Connor Brown and other Capitals hit the market, while former team members in Dmitry Orlov and more explored free agency, too.
Here's a look at where some of Washington's former skaters are now.
Conor Sheary
Sheary signed a three-year deal to join the Tampa Bay Lightning. His new contract pays $2 million per season.
The 31-year-old made quite the impact in his last three seasons in D.C., becoming a fan favorite while taking on a number of roles for the injury-riddled Capitals. However, with the team looking to make changes to the forward group, he wasn't going to return to Washington.
Connor Brown
Brown, who played in just three and a half games for the Capitals due to an ACL tear in his fourth game of the year, intended to explore the market, though his camp was going to stay in touch with the Capitals if things didn't play out.
Things played out quickly, as he was always the favorite to go to the Edmonton Oilers and did just that, inking a one-year deal that has a base salary $775,000 and pays up to $4 million when adding in bonuses
Dmitry Orlov
Orlov hadn't ruled out a return to Washington on breakdown day following his trade to the Boston Bruins, but he opted for a short-term two-year, $15.5 million deal with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Russian, who had spent his entire career in D.C., was traded in a pre-deadline sell-off, to Boston. The Bruins did not have the cap space to bring him back, and in the end, Orlov said he was eager for the opportunity to play on a stacked team like Carolina that has a good chance to win.
Lars Eller
Eller, the 2018 Stanley Cup hero for the Capitals, is headed to the rival Pittsburgh Penguins on a two-year deal that carries an AAV of $2.45 million.
The 33-year-old was traded ahead the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline to the Colorado Avalanche for a draft pick. He spent seven years in D.C. Eller can still make an impact in a bottom-6 role, wins draws and kill penalties while playing a solid game at both ends.
Erik Gustafsson
Gustafsson is reuniting with head coach Peter Laviolette after signing a one-year, $825,000 contract to join the New York Rangers.
The Swede signed a similar contract with the Capitals last season to open free agency and is expected to try and fight for a full-time spot in the lineup. He played a major part on the Washington blue line and brought a lot of offense to the table as well before being dealt away in the pre-deadline sell-off.
Matt Irwin
Irwin was brought into Washington to be a seventh defenseman and strong locker-room presence. He embraced that role over two years in D.C. and is starting a new chapter now with the Vancouver Canucks on a one-year, two-way deal that pays $775,000 at the NHL level.
The 35-year-old played a tremendous role with the Capitals this past season, filling in and playing the most games he has in years with John Carlson suffering a major head injury and a pre-deadline sell-off that saw the team part ways with a couple of key defensemen.
Garrett Pilon
Pilon, a 2016 third-rounder, is now with the Senators on a one-year, two-way deal that pays $775,000 at the NHL level.
He has been in the Capitals system and trying to work his way up for years, but never quite got his chance to show what he could do at the NHL level. He is coming off a Calder Cup title with the Hershey Bears and had 29 points in 53 games this season.
Henrik Borgstrom
Borgstrom received a qualifying offer from the Capitals, but he will be playing overseas in the SHL this season.
He spent almost the entire season with the Bears and helped the club to the Calder Cup as a key top-6 center.
Daniel Sprong
Sprong did not receive a qualifying offer from the Seattle Kraken after a breakout year, and he is headed to the Detroit Red Wings on a one-year, $2 million deal, which is a good price for a 20-goal scorer.
He last played for the Capitals in 2021-22.
Garnet Hathaway
Hathaway made a major impact on and off the ice over his three-and-a-half seasons with the Capitals but was dealt to the Boston Bruins as part of the sell-off. He inked a two-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers that carries an AAV of $2.375 million.
He made up one of the league's best fourth lines and was known for his hard hits, grit and off-ice work for firefighters in the DMV,
Craig Smith
Smith, who came over from Boston in the trade for Hathaway and Orlov, took on a second and third-line role to close out the season with Washington. However, he hit the market and is still looking for his next landing spot.
Carl Hagelin
Hagelin, who had hip resurfacing surgery this season and is still recovering from a ruptured choroid that took away part of his vision, still has hopes to continue his career and hit free agency today.
Gabriel Carlsson and Kody Clark, who did not receive qualifying offers, are unrestricted free agents. Bears defenseman Bobby Nardella's NHL deal also came to an end and he is a free agent.