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Breaking Down Sonny Milano Signing & What It Means For Capitals

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Washington Capitals

ARLINGTON, V.A. — In the throes of a hard-earned first win over the Montreal Canadiens, the Washington Capitals were putting the finishing touches on an interesting free agent signing with the season already underway.

General manager Brian MacLellan announced on Sunday that the Capitals inked left wing Sonny Milano to a one-year, one-way deal worth $750,000. He is on waivers as the team plans to have him start the 2022-23 campaign on loan with the AHL’s Hershey Bears.

“He’ll be assigned to Hershey to get going again playing hockey, and he’s a real good young player and adds depth to our organization,” head coach Peter Laviolette said. “It’s a good chance to add a good player to our organization.”

At the end of the day, it’s a low-risk, potentially high-reward deal for the organization.

Milano, who went 16th overall in the 2014 NHL Draft, is coming off a decent season with the Anaheim Ducks, where he dished 14 goals and 20 assists for 34 points in 66 games. He did not receive a qualifying offer, though, and hit free agency. Prior to signing in D.C., he inked a PTO with the Calgary Flames, but the team released him ahead of the regular season.

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In 197 career NHL games he has 81 points in 197 career NHL games. The 26-year-old also has an impressive AHL resume, having won the Columbus Blue Jackets‘ affiliate Cleveland Monsters back in 2016. In 166 career AHL games, he has 115 points.

The Milano deal comes almost a week after Washington lost wingers Axel Jonsson-Fjallby and Brett Leason to the Winnipeg Jets and Anaheim Ducks after both went on waivers. Milano certainly helps add back to the team’s already-impressive forward depth. Connor McMichael and Joe Snively are up with the big club as extras right now, and Hendrix Lapierre, Henrik Borgstrom and more are making up a solid arsenal down in Hershey.

Then, of course, having him as a potential backup option for the Capitals always helps. Milano is a crafty playmaker and a fast skater who can generate scoring changes, get to the high-danger areas and also add to a power play. He has played top-6 minutes and is a proven PP player, and that is something vital for Washington to have in the system. Milano’s speed, ability and upside make him a strong option to have in Hershey up front or up with Washington as a call-up or extra forward.

The deal is only for one year at $750,000. If it works out, Washington can revisit at the end of the season, and if it doesn’t, the team can move on. At this point, there are no visible issues with a contract like this, which will start off as an AHL opportunity for the 6-0 194-pound winger.